Nintendo Switch Capture Card: Which Are the Best Ones? Know Them Here
Streaming games was not simple before. Not many people used to involve themselves in streaming. But, with the advancement in technological devices, streaming games is simpler than ever! If you own an Xbox or PlayStation, you can directly stream the game on popular services such as Twitch, but it is not that simple for Nintendo Switch people. But hey, you need not worry as we, in this article, are going to discuss various Nintendo Switch Capture Card.
Following are various capture cards that will serve the best:
GOODAN USB 2.0 Video Capture Card
If you are looking for an affordable one, this one is the one you are in search of! GOODAN USB 2.0 is quite affordable and an easy-to-use capture card. With simple Plug and Play technology, the device fits the budget easily. The only thing that this device lacks is the output quality. It gives the output at only 30 FPS at 1080. If you are using consoles other than Nintendo, experts say that this device might not suit you the best.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 S
Widely recognized as one of the best capture cards, Elgato Game Capture HD60 S is the perfect capture card for streaming. With the usage of Instant Gameview, one can instantly stream to Twitch as well as YouTube. It also gives output at 1080 and at 60 fps, which serves great quality to viewers. If you think to devote more time and be a professional and full-time streamer, this card is one of the best in the market.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+
The next-gen model of Elgato Game Capture HD60 S, the Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+ is stylishly similar to the HD60 S. However, the “+” point is that it supports 4k60 pass with HDR. It is still limited to the 60 fps and 1080p output, however, can capture, at 30 fps, 4K too. It is simple to use and can be used with any console whatsoever.
To start with, just join the cables to both ends, while maintaining the connection of USB to the computer. If you are using any streaming software, such as OBS, it will automatically detect the console. If you are using a Windows machine, the prerequisites are 6th generation Intel i5 along with 4 GB RAM. On the GPU end, you will be requiring an Nvidia GTX-10 series. It, however, lacks behind in the H264 encoder and also has limited editing capabilities.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro for Nintendo Switch
Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro is also one of the commonly used Capture cards. The company has great value in the market and hence, the products are reliable. It also captures the output at 60 fps and 1080p. However, the product is also quite pricey. Not everyone can afford it. The portability is also an issue. You cannot carry it everywhere. It must be attached to a PCI-e slot.
AverMedia Live Gamer Mini
The AverMedia Live Gamer Mini is a capture card that comes off at quite a low price. The item is available at 100 dollars and at that price, it servers extremely well. It also supports 1080p output at 60 frames per second, giving quality results to the viewers. Moreover, it has a zero-lag passthrough, and hence, the real-time output can be displayed to the audience.
The encoding task is not done by the CPU and hence, the workload is less on the Processing Unit. The card itself takes the responsibility for encoding, and hence, you can back up your recording with the help of StreamEngine. For those of you who do not know, StreamEngine is software that comes along with AverMedia Live Gamer Mini, and with the help of it, you can record the stream before it moves to the software which does the broadcasting.
Here, MAC users are restricted to the express version of RECentral. However, the software also supports the chroma key and audio mixer. On the other hand, you can notice that live editing is not supported up to the mark in this device.
AverMedia Live Gamer Duo
Most Capture Cards come with a simple thing. 1 input and 1 output. Hence, you can only stream a single thing at a time. However, the AverMedia Live Gamer Duo does not work that way and allows you to record two different sources at a particular time. Hence, you can take the camera or even an additional DSLR as the second input. The primary, or say, the first input supports HDR and hence, connects the console with it. Both the sources are supported via 1080p and 60 fps, which is quite wonderful.
One thing to know is that it is also a PCIe card, which means that a slot on your PC is required. It costs around 250 $, making it a mid-range buy. Also, it does not support 4k streaming. It does not have H.264 encoder, so the PC requirements are quite high.
A 6th generation i5 processor and a GTX 1050 are required to ensure the device runs smoothly. Not only that but a whopping 8GB of RAM is also required! That being said, there is no doubt about the quality of the stream and hence, it is a reliable product.
AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus for Nintendo Switch
This AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus for Nintendo Switch is an amazing device. What makes it more amazing is the ease through which one can use it. All you need to do is appropriately connect the HDMI cables. PC-free mode is also available and hence, you can record without a computer.
It gives an output of 1080p, however, 4k streaming is not possible, which critics rate as a vital downside. The device is available on leading e-commerce sites and ranges around 150 $ which makes it a mid-range buy.
Razer Ripsaw HD
Razer Ripsaw HD was originally make for the Xbox One X; however, it is still support for the next-gen consoles. If you own an Xbox Series X, the device will pair up magnificently well. What’s more? With the usage of a 4K60 passthrough, you can enjoy the alluring visuals of the console. As we mentioned that the device pairs well with Xbox Series X, it still works incredibly great with other devices such as PC, PS4, etc.
Elgato offers its users HDR support which makes it quite a good buy at that price. On the other hand, Ripsaw HD does not support HDR for passthrough as well as for capture. 1080p 60 stream is support in uncompressed form, and with the help of it, you can edit and stream your gameplay clips.
The Razer Ripsaw HD connects to your PC via a USB-C to USB-A cable (5Gbps). It also includes separate headphones and microphone jacks on the front so you can easily record quality commentary while you play.
You can connect this device to your PC with the help of a USB-C type to USB-type Cable. If you want to do a commentary while streaming, (doing it is more fun and might attract more viewers!) there is an additional microphone jack along with a headphone jack on the front.
However, it does not offer proprietary software and hence, despite costing the same as Elgato, it lacks in this area. You have to use certain third-party software to stream. OBS is one such software that might fulfill the purpose. If you own a MAC device, we are sorry to inform you but there is no support for Mac Devices. At least 6th gen i3 processor along with Nvidia GTX 660 is require.
Elgato 4K60 Pro
Talking about capture cards and this Elgato 4K60 does not seem to be there in the list? maybe you are searching in the wrong list! Ending all the debates, Elgato 4k60 is an internal card coming with a hefty price. What’s that good? Well, it can record at 2160p at 60 frames-per-second! HDR10, as well as 1080p60, is also support.
As we said, it is an internal card and hence, it is for PC gamers. Moreover, if you are owning a Mac device, this one isn’t for you!
It only supports the Windows Machine. The requirements are high as well, as the capture card requires a minimum 6th generation i7 processor along with Nvidia 10 series GPU.
This was all about Nintendo Switch Capture Card. There are different capture cards that we discussed. Some of them supported 1080p at 60 fps while some didn’t. Some came with an extra microphone jack while some didn’t support it. All in all, it narrows down to personal preference, and hence, we advise you to pick the one as per your need. We hope that this article has served its purpose and will help you in picking one capture card for your streaming!
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