Head-to-head · Best Capture Cards for Streaming

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573) vs Elgato 4K X

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Elgato 4K X comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about professional streamers and content creators who output 4K HDR or 4K120/144 and want HDMI 2.1 throughout — read the strengths below before deciding.

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)

Ranked #5 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)

4.3

$299as of May 19

The Live Gamer 4K is the pick for streamers running a single-PC setup with a free PCIe slot. Internal PCIe means lower CPU overhead than USB cards and zero USB bandwidth contention, which matters when you're also running USB mics, controllers, and audio interfaces. The trade-off is portability: you can't move this between rigs the way you can a Ripsaw or HD60 X. If your streaming PC is your daily driver and stays put, it's a quietly underrated pick.

Strengths

— PCIe internal card — frees up a USB port and avoids USB bandwidth contention
— 4K60 HDR10 capture, 4K HDR passthrough on a single PC
— RECentral software offers more capture configuration than Elgato's lighter app

Watch-outs

— Requires a desktop PC with a free PCIe x4 slot — laptops and consoles can't use it
— Setup is heavier than external USB cards (case open, driver install, BIOS sometimes)
— Streamers who use a separate streaming PC need to factor in a second machine

$299 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming

Elgato 4K X

4.6

$248as of May 19

The 4K X is what you buy when you want zero compromises. HDMI 2.1 across the board, 4K144 HDR10 capture and passthrough, VRR support, and a single USB cable connection. PC Gamer calls it the best capture card overall for 2026. The only reason to look elsewhere is price — at $230, it's roughly double the Razer Ripsaw HD and 50% more than the Elgato HD60 X.

Strengths

— HDMI 2.1 input and output with full 4K144 HDR10 passthrough and capture
— VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) passthrough means PS5 and Xbox Series X games stay smooth
— USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 single-cable connection — no separate power adapter required

Watch-outs

— Most expensive pick in this round-up
— Requires USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) for full 4K144 — older USB ports will downscale
— 4K144 capture files are huge — plan storage and bitrate accordingly

$248 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)

Only PCIe internal pick in this lineup — the Elgato 4K X, Elgato HD60 X, AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S, and Razer Ripsaw HD are all external USB. Matches the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S on 4K60 capture spec but trades the Ultra S's portability for internal-card-only setup. Loses to the Elgato 4K X on 4K144 capability.

Elgato 4K X

Most capable card here on every axis — capture resolution, refresh rate, HDR, passthrough latency. The AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S matches 4K60 capture at a lower price but lacks the 4K144 ceiling. The Elgato HD60 X tops out at 1080p60 capture. PCIe-based AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K matches on capture spec but needs a desktop and a free PCIe slot.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)	Elgato 4K X
Capture Resolution	Up to 4K60 HDR10	Up to 4K144 HDR10
Passthrough	Up to 4K HDR	Up to 4K144 HDR10 VRR
Interface	PCIe x4	USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps)
Connectivity	HDMI 2.0 in/out	HDMI 2.1 in/out
Form Factor	Internal expansion card	External (4.4 x 2.8 x 0.7 in)
Software	RECentral 4	—
OS Support	Windows 10/11 x64	Windows, macOS

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