Gaming Capture Cards — Full Comparison
Elgato Neo, 4K S, 4K X and 4K Pro compared by capture resolution, passthrough, VRR and HDR support. Plus when to choose Magewell instead.
Elgato Game Capture 4K X
HDMI 2.1 passthrough for 4K120fps VRR HDR to TV while capturing 4K60 for streaming. The top USB gaming capture card. Console and PC.
View Elgato range →Elgato Game Capture Neo
Entry-level 1080p60 capture with 4K30 passthrough. For streamers starting out on PS5, Xbox or Switch — great image quality at a lower price.
View Elgato range →Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro
PCIe card for the streaming PC in a dual-PC setup. More stable than USB for permanent gaming rigs. 4K60 capture with 4K60 HDR passthrough.
View Elgato range →Magewell USB Capture HDMI Plus
For content creators who also need broadcast reliability — medical, lecture, conferencing. Loop-through included. More versatile than Elgato. £287 ex-VAT.
View product →⚠️ PS5 reminder: Always disable HDCP on PS5 before using any capture card — Settings → System → HDMI → Enable HDCP → Off. Xbox and Switch do not need any changes.
Full Specification Comparison
Scroll right on mobile · ✓ = yes · — = no
| Product | Interface | Capture max | Passthrough | HDMI standard | VRR passthrough | HDR passthrough | 4K capture | Loop-through | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgato Game Capture Neo | USB 3.0 | 1080p60 | 4K30 | HDMI 2.0 | — | ✓ HDR10 | — | ✓ | POA |
| Elgato Game Capture 4K S | USB 3.0 | 4K60 | 4K60 HDR | HDMI 2.0 | — | ✓ HDR10 | ✓ | ✓ | POA |
| Elgato Game Capture 4K X | USB 3.0 | 4K60 | 4K120fps VRR HDR | HDMI 2.1 | ✓ | ✓ HDR10 | ✓ | ✓ | POA |
| Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro | PCIe x4 | 4K60 | 4K60 HDR | HDMI 2.0 | — | ✓ HDR10 | ✓ | ✓ | POA |
| Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2 | USB 3.0 | 1080p60 | — | HDMI 1.4 | — | — | — | — | £231 |
| Magewell USB Capture HDMI Plus | USB 3.0 | 1080p60 | Yes (HDMI loop) | HDMI 1.4 | — | — | — | ✓ HDMI | £287 |
| Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus | USB 3.0 | 4K60 | Yes (HDMI loop) | HDMI 2.0 | — | — | ✓ | ✓ HDMI | £385 |
When to choose Magewell over Elgato
Elgato is purpose-built for gaming — the better choice for consoles and streaming. Magewell is broadcast-grade — more reliable across OS updates, works equally well for gaming, conferencing, medical imaging and lecture capture. Choose Magewell if you need the same card to serve multiple professional purposes, or if you're deploying at scale (universities, NHS trusts) where long-term driver stability matters more than gaming-specific features like VRR passthrough.
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