Head-to-head · Best Capture Cards for Streaming

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573) vs AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro)

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

AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro) comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Streamers who want 4K60 HDR capture from a PS5 or Xbox Series X without paying flagship prices. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)

4.3

$159.99as of Jun 7

The AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573) is the internal-card pick, delivering 4K60 HDR10 capture and high-frame-rate 1440p144/1080p240 modes from a PCIe slot. Reviewers praise its low latency and superb footage, and it often undercuts Elgato's internal 4K60 Pro. The catch is a documented PCIe-bandwidth quirk that can cap capture near 55fps on some setups, so slot placement matters.

Strengths

— 4K60 HDR10 capture and passthrough as an internal PCIe card
— Supports high-frame-rate 1440p144 and 1080p240 capture
— Very low latency capture with playable preview window

Watch-outs

— PCIe x4 bandwidth quirk can cap capture near 55fps on some boards
— Passthrough latency too high to game on the return signal
— Best 4K/HDR/high-fps recording historically favored NVIDIA GPUs

$159.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming

AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro)

4.5

$139.99as of Jun 7

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro) is the value champion of the category, delivering 4K60 HDR capture with VRR plus 1440p144 and 1080p240 high-frame-rate modes at well under half the cost of the top Elgato. Reviewers found its 4K60 footage from a PS5 nearly indistinguishable from the pricier Elgato 4K X. The only real ceiling is the lack of HDMI 2.1, which most streamers will never miss.

Strengths

— 4K60 capture and passthrough with HDR and VRR support
— High-frame-rate modes: 1440p144 and 1080p240 capture
— Costs far less than the Elgato 4K X for near-identical 4K60 footage

Watch-outs

— No HDMI 2.1, so no 4K120 capture
— Tops out at 4K60 versus the 4K X's 4K144
— Bundled software is less polished than Elgato's suite

$139.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)

The GC573 is the only internal PCIe card here, capturing 4K60 like the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro) but inside the case. It lacks the 4K144 ceiling of the Elgato 4K X and the plug-and-play ease of the external Elgato HD60 X, and its passthrough latency is worse than those external boxes.

AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro)

The GC553Pro hits the 4K60 sweet spot for far less than the Elgato 4K X, which only matters if you capture above 4K60. It beats the Elgato HD60 X on capture resolution (4K60 vs 1080p60) and, unlike the internal AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573), stays external with no PCIe-bandwidth caps.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573)	AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro)
Max Capture	4K60 HDR10 (1440p144 / 1080p240)	4K60 HDR (1440p144 / 1080p240)
Passthrough	4K60 HDR10, 1440p144, 1080p240	4K60 HDR, 1440p144, 1080p240, VRR
Interface	PCIe x4 (internal)	USB 3.2 (USB-C)
HDMI	HDMI 2.0 in / out	HDMI 2.0
HDR	HDR10 capture + passthrough	HDR capture + passthrough
Compatibility	Desktop PC (PCIe slot required)	—
Form Factor	Internal add-in card	External
Audio	—	5.1 surround capture

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