Electronics

6 Best Capture Cards for Nintendo Switch

Gaming has become an important source of entertainment these days. Streaming and uploading the games that you play can bring you some income too. This article will highlight some of the best Capture Cards that can be used for recording and streaming the games online. For those of you, who are curious to know what a capture card is, it is an equipment that you place on your PC to capture the footage of the gameplays. Capture cards can be either in-slot or externally connected via the USB port.

6 Best Capture Cards for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch is a video game console that was developed by Nintendo. The recent policy changes by Nintendo enables the game players to upload their game videos and make a living out of it. So this article will particularly talk about the capture cards that can be used for the Nintendo Switch.

A Quick Look at The Top 6 Picks

Image

Model

Details

HD60 Pro

Res - 1080p60
Type - Internal

HD60 S

Res - 1080p60
Type - External

GL310

Res - 1080p60
Type - External

GC570

Res - 1080p60
Type - Internal

Gamer Portable 2 Plus

Res - 4K60
Type - External

Live Gamer Mini

Res - 1080p60
Type - External

6 Best Capture Cards for Nintendo Switch

Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro

The Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro comes under the category of internal capture card as it comes as a PCI-e internal card. This gives an instant gameview mode for the gamers, but you should also feel it to be less versatile as it’s an internal capture card. Once connected with your PC, it is nearly difficult to keep it mobile. You should go for it if you have a fixed device to play your games.

It comes with the superior latency technology with H.264 hardware encoding. With a resolution of 1080p and 60 fps, it can offer superior resolution and enhanced video quality. The card uses the PCI-e x1 slot, so you should find it compatible with even older motherboard units. It comes with an HDMI input port through which the feed from your device is taken.

And there is a second HDMI port that is used for plugging into the monitor or the television. The software is simple to understand and doesn't need any expertise help. The video feed will appear on the top left and you can watch your game performance as and when you record. There are two options that you can choose- Instant Gameview option or Constant Record option.

In instant gameview, you will get an instant feed, and in constant record option, the software will record the video before you can see it. You can find the recording controls like record, rewind, pause, stream on/off, among others. Another attractive aspect of this capture card is the flashback recording. Sometimes, you might miss hitting the record button. But it is not a problem with this card, as you can slide back in time and capture them. And with the built-in live commentary feature, you can add your voice and keep commenting about the happenings in the game.

Elgato Game Capture HD60 S

The Elgato Game Capture HD60 S comes with the superior low latency technology and lets you stream your gameplay on-the-go. It offers an enormous streaming rate of 60 Mbps and resolution of 1080p with 60 fps. It works in compatibility with various gaming consoles like Xbox, PlayStation in addition to Nintendo Switch.

It is specially designed for the gamers who would like to live stream their gameplays on Twitch, Youtube or any other social platforms. The USB 3.0 connectivity feature and the rapid video processing enables you to play through the capture software. It comes as a rectangular pod that comes to the size of a wallet. There isn't much change in its dimensions when compared to its predecessor.

The ports can be found on both ends of the device. The HDMI input port , USB-C port, and the 3.5 mm audio input port are found on one end while the HDMI output port is found on the other end. Elgato has its own software to offer along with the capture card and is available for free to download. It has the amazing capability to record as well as stream your gameplays. If you like you can even record your game video locally other than streaming to the social platforms. 

The software is designed such that it places the video feed on the top left corner of the screen and lets you to follow your recording as you play. You can have a control over the streaming status, sound level, capture settings, etc then and there. Furthermore, you can customize the scenes and overlays using the ones provided in the software. You can add your own text, graphics, animations and enhance your game video. It’s easier to set up when compared to other similar software which makes it one of the best capture cards for switch. 

AVerCapture HD (GL310)

The AVerCapture HD is an external, USB capture card which can be used with Xbox, WiiU, PlayStation, NES Classic Edition in addition to the Nintendo Switch. With the built-in H.264 hardware encoder, it can deliver an enriched video with full HD 1080p resolution.

The hardware encoder reduces the burden on the CPU with limited usage of its resources even with the full HD footage. The CPU processing power consumed is lesser with this capture card. This is possible with the generation of smaller MP4 format files, thereby, improving the efficiency.

The HD processing of the video is taken care of by the hardware encoder and gives an amazing video quality. It also helps maintain a stable frame rate throughout the recording. It ensures a flawless output even if you do the recording and streaming, simultaneously.

The card comes with the AVerMedia RECentral software that is included with the product. The video generated can be instantly shared to various social platforms like YouTube, Twitch, DailyMotion, etc. This you can do directly from your account. The streaming can be accompanied with your voice as you can add your comments while playing your favorite games. You can do this by enabling the voice commentary option.

The technical support from AVerMedia is always open to help its customers with any queries related to their product. They offer a 2 year warranty period once you register at their website. The good thing about this capture card is that it is relatively less expensive when compared to other similar products. So budget-wise, this will be a right choice.

AVerMedia Live Gamer (GC570)

The AVerMedia Live Gamer or LGX comes with a full HD 1080p and multi-card support feature. It works in compatibility with Nintendo, Xbox, PS4, PC gameplays and so on. It is versatile across all the WIndows versions except for Windows 7. It offers a real-time gameplay experience with a low latency.

The flexible audio enables you to customize your voice recordings. As seen before, the multi-cards support allows for capturing multiple channels simultaneously. The capturing of compressed or uncompressed video is purely your choice. This allows you to have more control over the bandwidth that is used.

The Live Gamer card is designed to work with applications like XSplit, Streamlabs, OBS. This gives you an opportunity to develop content using the powerful tools. By just setting up the card without any driver, you are set to stream your game videos on various social platforms like Twitch or YouTube.

As mentioned, the card doesn't require any driver installations. In general, users find it tiresome to install any software using drivers.The designers of LGX have addressed this concern and have designed this card such that it doesn't involve any driver installation processes. Just insert the card into the PCIe slot, and that’s it. You are set to go.

The capture card comes with additional audio options than you can find in any other capture card. You can either connect the card digitally (via HDMI port) or use the 3.5 mm analog port and start recording the audio. You can record the audio either from the console or PC or you can output it to the mixers for audio mixing.

AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus

This is yet another capture card from AVerMedia, but with some attractive features added in. There are some unique aspects that are found here, which you normally won't find in other capture cards. Let's check them out now.

The Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is equipped with the UVC technology. What this means is that, everything you need is already in there, and you just have to plug it in and start using it. No wonder, this card is known among its users for its simplicity. The next fascinating feature is its PC-free mode.

There are three modes that are supported by the card- PC mode, PC-free mode and Storage mode. PC mode is known to us already, it is when the capture card uses a PC or a Mac to capture or stream videos. The PC-free mode is what makes it special. In this mode, the capture card does not need a PC or a Mac to capture videos. You can take it on your tour, and don’t have to carry a PC or a laptop. Just tap on the hot button and this will initialize the recording.

The videos get saved in the microSD card without the need of external devices or hardware. Nevertheless to say, you will need a USB source for powering it while you are travelling. Like the Live Gamer, this one too supports the XSplit, Streamlabs, OBS applications enabling you to produce powerful contents. The “no driver initialization” process too applies here.

The card requires the RECentral 4 software which you can download for free. This will help you record video with the settings you desire. Some of the prominent controls include the presets, QSV or H.264 codecs, record, stream, capture screenshot, and so on. A live-editing option is provided so that you can edit the recorded video before you can save it to the drives.

AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini

This capture card from AVerMedia is compactly constructed and gives you a rich quality of video streaming. The full HD 1080p resolution ensures the best outcome of your gameplay videos. The videos are recorded at 60 fps, and you shouldn’t be surprised with its clarity and definition.

The next highlighting feature is the zero-lag pass-through video delivery. You can enjoy the uncompressed version of the gameplay video with zero latency. This will give a real-life experience both for you and the viewers who will be watching it. You can thereby earn more viewerships on various social platforms like Youtube, DailyMotion, etc.

The initialization processes are very simple, and you can instantly start using the capture card. Just plug into the PC or the device in which you are going to record your gameplays, and that’s it. You can start recording and streaming the very next moment.

The CPU power usage is greatly reduced, thanks to the H.264 hardware encoder. It encodes the recorded videos into smaller file formats and makes sure that the CPU is less burdened as the result of recording/streaming the gameplay videos. This will maintain the system CPU performance and hence, you can be assured that your system is working at its maximum capacity, even during your gameplay sessions. You should be using the RECentral streaming software, as we saw with the other AVerMedia Live Gamer products. As the software comes with power-packed features like multi-stream, overlays, chroma keys, etc, you can be assured of quality output streaming.

Things to look for when buying a capture card

1. Ports - This is something to do with your device, from which you are going to capture the gaming videos. Before choosing a capture card for your device, make sure that your device has the HDMI input port in it. This is the one which is going to help you in capturing videos from your device. If you are planning to use a VCR along with your device, you may need RCA A/V inputs. So consider all the acceptable input and output ports in your device before going ahead with the capture cards.

2. Recording Resolution - A rich quality of video enhances your viewership on online platforms. So this is probably an important factor to consider before selecting a capture card. A high frame rate ensures that every detail of your game footage can be accurately captured. For powerful streaming, you should be looking for a full HD or 4K resolution that supports the capture card hardware.

3. Software Support - The capture card that you choose should be compatible to the gaming unit or PC you are using. It must also be compatible with the hardware factors like memory, speed and storage space. You should check that you are buying the capture cards from the reliable manufacturers. They should be able to support you via their customer services, manuals and tutorials.

4. Types: 2 (internal & external) - Capture cards can be either internal or external. The external capture cards connect in between the output peripheral unit and the gaming console. They are smaller compared to the internal capture cards.

Internal capture cards connect directly to the motherboard of the unit via PCI-e slot, this enables an increased data processing compared to the external capture card.

So, the type of capture card that you plan to use with your gaming unit is to be considered before choosing one. The internal and external capture cards differ in various aspects like data transfer speed, streaming rate, initial set-up costs, to name a few.

5. Price - Budget plays an important role in buying products. The same goes with capture cards too. The cost actually depends on your usage. If you plan to capture game videos only occasionally, you need not go for a costly option. But if you are planning for a regular streaming and uploading, you should go for a branded one that will be a bit costly compared to the normal products. If you are a professional game player, you should be ready to spend more money, as it will help in recording videos with rich quality.

6. User-friendly - Choosing a user-friendly capture card reduces your hassles of learning many technical stuffs. If you are a person who needs things to be easy, you should be selecting a product whose features look simple and easy to understand at the first look. It also helps you to concentrate on playing games rather than spending much time with the initialization and connecting processes.

Final Words

So by now, you should have gained some knowledge on what a capture card is and what are the key features to look for while buying one. The list of capture cards that you saw here are some of the best selling products and are sure to fulfill your game streaming and uploading needs. If you are an avid game player, you should definitely consider buying a capture card. When playing games can entertain you, and at the same time, can bring you some revenue too, why not go for it?

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