6 Best Capture Cards for Consoles: PS5 & Xbox Series

If you’re a gamer who wants to capture and share your gameplay, a capture card is a must-have. Capture cards allow you to record your gameplay in high quality. They can also live stream your gameplay to platforms like Twitch and YouTube. But if you’re a PS5 or Xbox user, you might wonder about the best capture cards for consoles. That’s what this article is all about.

In this article, we’ll look at the best capture cards for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. We’ll consider factors such as price, performance, and features to help you find the best capture card for your needs.

So whether you’re just using a capture card to clip amazing headshots, or stream live to your audience, we’ve got you covered. But first, you might want to check out the following:

• Enjoy high-refresh-rate console gaming with these 1440p 144Hz monitors for PS5 and Xbox Series.
• Get better kills on your PS5 with these PS5 Controllers for FPS games.
• Keep your DualSense controller charged with these charging cables for PS5 controllers.

1. AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini

• Resolution: 1080p | Framerate: 60 fps
• Interface: USB 2.0 | HDMI Pass-through: 1080p 60Hz

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini is a small, portable capture card. As such, it is an excellent option for gamers who travel frequently. However, don’t be fooled by its size as the capture card can record and stream your gameplay in 1080p at 60fps.

It’s also super easy to set up. Simply connect it to your console, PC, and monitor, and you are ready to start recording. For what it’s worth, the AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini is easily one of the best budget gaming capture cards on the market.

2. EVGA XR1 lite

• Resolution: 1080p | Framerate: 60 fps
• Interface: USB 3.0 Type-C | HDMI Pass-through: 4K 60Hz

For starters, the EVGA XR1 lite uses the faster USB 3.0 Type-C interface. Secondly, while the recording quality is capped at 1080p 60fps, you can still enjoy gaming at a higher resolution. Thanks to its HDMI pass-through capabilities, your games can run seamlessly at 4K 60fps. And with zero noticeable lag too.

Like any other capture card, you must connect it to your console. Once done, just plug in your PC, and your monitor, to the respective ports, and you are ready to start recording. To make things easier, the XR1 Lite also comes with a free copy of the EVGA XR1 Lite software.

3. NZXT Signal

• Resolution: 4K | Framerate: 30 fps
• Interface: USB 3.0 Type-C | HDMI Pass-through: 1080p 240Hz or 1440p 144Hz or 4K 60Hz

The NZXT Signal is an excellent option for gamers looking for a high-quality capture card that is easy to use. As such, you can play games at 1080p at a whopping 240Hz, or even dabble with 4K 60fps gaming – that too, with the HDR10 profile enabled.

Additionally, your viewers won’t be disappointed with the stream either. On that note, the NZXT Signal lets you stream in 1080p at 60fps or 4K at 30fps. Similar to the previous options on this list, the Signal is also remarkably small and portable. The icing on the cake is that the company also bundles a free copy of the NZXT CAM software with every purchase of the NZXT Signal.

4. Elgato HD60 X

• Resolution: 4K | Framerate: 30 fps
• Interface: USB 3.0 Type-C | HDMI Pass-through: 1080p 120Hz or 1440p 120Hz or 4K 60Hz

One of the best things about the HD60 X is its versatility. It can be used with a variety of consoles. This includes the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and more. It can also be used with various softwares, including OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS, and XSplit.

Like the NZXT Signal, the Elgato HD60 X also captures gameplay at 1080p 60fps or 4k 30fps. However, it improves upon the NZXT Signal by outputting the captured gameplay in HDR10 color profile too. Conversely, the passthrough gameplay is capped at 120Hz for 1080p and 1440p streams.

The Elgato HD60 X’s ultra-low latency makes it the preferred choice for gamers. While most OEMs claim to offer a lag-free experience, the Elgato HD60 X is the only capture card with a sub-100ms latency. This allows for seamless audio/video syncing. Rest assured, if you’re looking for the best Xbox or PS5 capture card, give the HD60 X a go.

5. ASUS TUF CU4K30

• Resolution: 4K | Framerate: 30 fps
• Interface: USB 3.2 Type-C | HDMI Pass-through: 1080p 240Hz or 1440p 144Hz or 4K 60Hz

Thanks to its use of the modern USB 3.2 Type-C port, the ASUS TUF CU4K30 is better suited for current-gen consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. In terms of passthrough, the CU4K30 performs similarly to the NZXT Signal. Consequently, you can enjoy your gameplay at the highest settings possible.

Add to that, even your viewers get to experience smooth gameplay. While 4K capture is capped at 30fps, you can capture 2K resolution gameplay in smooth 60 fps. Even better, you can capture your 1080p gameplay at up to 120 fps.

The ASUS TUF CU4K30 also comes with RGB lighting up front. However, it’s not customizable as you might think. Instead, it exhibits different colors to indicate the capture card’s functioning state. And while the CU4K30 doesn’t come with its own software, it is compatible with OBS Studio. As reviewed by the folks over at TechRadar, the CU4K30 is an excellent addition to any gamer’s arsenal who wants to dabble with streaming.

6. AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt

• Resolution: 4K | Framerate: 60 fps
• Interface: USB Thunderbolt 3 (or 4) | HDMI Pass-through: 1080p 240Hz or 1440p 144Hz or 4K 60Hz

The Live Gamer Bolt performs very well in terms of video quality. The recorded footage is clear and smooth, with no noticeable lag. Speaking of lag, at sub-50ms, the latency here is lower than Elgato’s HD60 X as well.

As far as HDMI pass-through is concerned, it is similar to ASUS TUF CU4K30 and the NZXT Signal. However, what makes it stand out is its capturing capabilities. You can use the Live Gamer Bolt to record and stream your gameplay in 4K at 60fps or 1080p at 240fps.

One thing to note here, however, is that the Live Gamer Bolt only supports Thunderbolt ports. While the OEM states it’s for Thunderbolt 3 only, you can use it on the newer Thunderbolt 4 port as well. The point of concern is the bandwidth. As such, it’s not compatible with USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2. So make sure that the laptop/computer you use for your streaming setup has a Thunderbolt 3 (or higher) port on board.

FAQs about Best Capture Cards for Consoles

Clip That Gameplay like a Pro

In conclusion, there are many great capture cards available for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. The best capture card for you will depend on your individual needs and budget. If you want a high-quality capture card that can support 1080p video capture at 60fps, then the Elgato HD60 X or the Asus TUF CU4K30 are good options. Alternatively, if you really want to stream 4K clips at 60 fps, the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt is a good choice.

So, which of these capture cards will you be going with? Let us know in the comments below.