AVerMedia streaming capture card (4K60 HDR passthrough)

Our analysis

It records at the same 1080p60 as the Elgato Game Capture Neo and passes the same 4K60 HDR to your TV, but its spec sheet adds 1440p144 and 1080p240 passthrough, where the Neo lists 4K60 HDR only. It trades the Neo's pocket size for that wider passthrough range, and it is the entry point to console streaming in our capture card guide.

What stands out

• 4K60 HDR passthrough. Your TV keeps its full picture while you stream, so you do not play on a downgraded image just because you are live.
• 1440p144 and 1080p240 passthrough. A high refresh monitor keeps its refresh rate while you record.
• 1080p60 recording. Which, as our guide puts it, covers what a Twitch stream needs.
• It solves a real gap. A console will not send its video to a PC on its own, and this card, on a USB-C 3.0 connection, bridges that.

Where it falls short

• Recording tops out at 1080p60, so skip it if your plan is 4K footage for YouTube.
• HDR works only in passthrough: your TV sees it, your recording does not.

Look elsewhere if

• You want to record in 4K60 and use it plug-and-play with OBS: the Elgato 4K S is the step up. If you play competitive shooters on a PS5 Pro or a fast monitor and need HDMI 2.1 passthrough up to 4K144, the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is the only one in our guide that does it.

It is the entry option in our capture card guide, and it also shows up in our essential console accessories list for anyone who wants to record their gameplay.