Best Capture Cards for Steam Deck

It’s no secret that broadcasting video games on websites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming can be a very thrilling and gratifying experience. Streamers must have the right gear for their streams to look great and sound well. A capture card, which enables you to record and broadcast gameplay straight from your gaming console or PC, is one of the most crucial pieces of technology for any streamer. This article will examine some of the best Steam Deck capture cards.

Elgato HD60 X

The Elgato HD60 X has always been one of the top choices for gamers regarding capture cards. Thanks to its sophisticated capabilities, you may record and stream your gaming experiences in beautiful detail. You can now record your gaming experiences in breathtaking 4K clarity with a video capture resolution ranging from 480p to 2160p30. On Windows PC, it also has HDR 10-bit passthrough, allowing you to see the actual colors of your gaming experience.

It’s simple to set up and operate the Elgato HD60 X. It is simple to set up and start the stream quickly on Windows and Mac, thanks to driverless setup. Additionally, it has no watermark and a latency of less than 100 ms, allowing you to broadcast without interruption. You also won’t need to worry about additional charges as a subscription is not required.

Any console may use the Elgato HD60 X, which includes an audio input on the front for easier use. This eliminates the need to fiddle with the back of your PC or gaming console to connect to your headset or microphone and start streaming.

Pros

  • Reliable
  • Lag-free passthrough
  • Compatible with most of the popular streaming apps

Cons

  • You can either stream at high resolution or high fps; there’s no option for both simultaneously
  • Issues in audio
  • Expensive

NZXT Signal 4K30

The NZXT Signal 4K30 is undoubtedly among the top gadgets for recording gaming and streaming activities. This gadget enables 4k30fps recording with a maximum quality of 4K60 HDR, 1440p144Hz HDR, or 1080p240Hz HDR with zero-lag passthrough for an unbelievable price of $179.99. Connect to your gaming console, smartphone, computer, or camera to achieve lag-free recording. 

With its PC Connection via USB-C to USB-A, the NZXT Signal 4K30 also functions well with broadcasting and video conferencing programs like Skype, Zoom, Discord, and others. Additionally, it has two channels (16-bit, 48 kHz) of audio, complies with DVI 1.0 and HDMI 2.0 standards, supports HDR10 passthrough with hardware SDR color conversion, and has hardware scaling and scaling up to 1080p. With loop-through HDMI 2.0 Input & Output, get a live preview. The NZXT Signal 4K30 will also be a dependable and long-lasting ally for your streaming and gaming requirements, thanks to a two-year Warranty.

Pros

  • 4K30fps video capture resolution
  • 4K 60 Hz passthrough
  • Compatible with Windows 11

Cons

  • An HDMI out cable must be connected to get the full sound
  • A high-speed USB is mandatory
  • Lack of HDR recording

EVGA XR1 Lite

The EVGA XR1 Lite is the best affordable capture card for content producers and gamers. The XR1 Lite can record and send over video resolutions up to 4K @60fps using a USB 3.0 Type-C interface and an HDMI input and output interface. That’s right, input and pass-through are 4K At 60 fps. Imagine breathtaking recording images at 1080p At 60fps and engaging in 4K @ 60fps gaming. For streamers that want the highest quality video on a tight budget, it’s the ideal answer.

Along with other honors, the EVGA XR1 Lite also received the TechPowerUp Editor’s Choice, TechPowerUp Great Value, and EposVox Best Budget Capture Card accolades. These recognitions demonstrate that the XR1 Lite will provide excellent video capture and pass-through.

Pros

  • Good built quality
  • LED indicators
  • 40,000 kbps max bitrate

Cons

  • Noticeable audio latency
  • Progressive audio issues during long streaming sessions
  • Max video capture resolution is only 1080p@60fps

ELGATO 4K60 S+

The ELGATO 4K60 S+ Lite is the ideal high-end gadget for recording and broadcasting your gaming. It costs $399 and has standalone U3 V30 SD Card recording, 4K60 HDR10 Capture, and onboard HEVC Encoding. For recording and streaming 4K 60 FPS in HDR, it offers an HDMI input and an HDMI output (lag-free pass-through).

There is no support for 1440p, although resolutions up to 2160p60 are supported. Additionally, it supports AVC/H.264 and HEVC/H.265 HDR encoding. Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards are compatible with them. You require a Windows 10 operating system, an AMD Ryzen 7 or better CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10xx or higher GPU, and an Intel Core i5-6xxx processor or better to utilize the ELGATO 4K60 S+ Lite. The ELGATO 4K60 S+ Lite is the ideal gadget for gamers who wish to record and broadcast their games in 4K HDR, thanks to all these capabilities.

Pros

  • Excellent output quality
  • Standalone capability
  • Zero-latency passthrough

Cons

  • Hefty pricing
  • No support for 1440p recording
  • A high-end PC is mandatory to run this device

AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt is the first Thunderbolt™ 3 capture card.  The Live Gamer Bolt, which has a robust interface, enables for highest resolution recording with up to 2160p60 HDR pass-through, 1440p144, and 1080p240. It also gives the speed and dependability of a Thunderbolt 3 connection. Resolutions of 2160p, 1440p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, and 480p are also supported by the Live Gamer Bolt for both capturing and pass-through. It features a 3.5m audio connection and records in the well-liked MPEG 4 codec with the high-definition versions h.264 and h.265 for the best possible audio recording. 

A strong system is necessary for The Live Gamer Bolt to perform to its maximum capacity. You need a Windows 10 64-bit PC with a 6th Gen Intel Core i5 or higher, an AMD Ryzen 3 or above, an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 5700 or above, and 8GB dual-channel RAM to record in 4K60 HDR quality.

For streamers and video creators searching for the most dependable and high-quality recording device, the Live Gamer Bolt is the ideal option. It includes an HDMI 2.0 cable, a Thunderbolt 3 cable, and a 3.5m audio wire to start recording as soon as you open the box. Utilize your recordings to their full potential with the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt.

Pros

  • Max pixel clock of 3440×1440
  • Low-latency streaming
  • Max pass-through of 2160p60 HDR

Cons

  • No internal recording
  • High pricing
  • A high-end graphics card is required for smooth functioning

Overall, several variables, including cost, function, and convenience of usage, determine which capture cards are suitable for a Steam Deck. The cards mentioned in this article are formidable competitors, providing various features and performance levels to meet various requirements. Sharing your gaming exploits with the world is simpler than ever, thanks to the highest-quality streaming and recording capabilities the correct card offers.