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Head-to-head · Best Capture Cards for Streaming

Elgato 4K X vs Razer Ripsaw HD

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 clear margin (4.6 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about Serious streamers and creators capturing high-refresh 4K gameplay from a PS5 or modern PC who want maximum headroom. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Elgato 4K X
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming
Elgato 4K X
$201.71as of Jun 7

The Elgato 4K X is the most capable external capture card you can buy right now, pushing all the way to 4K144 capture with HDR10 and HDMI 2.1 passthrough. Reviewers treat it as the gold standard for serious creators who want headroom beyond 4K60. It costs more than the competition and demands a fast PC, but nothing else in the external class matches its ceiling.

Strengths
  • — Captures up to 4K144 with HDR10, far beyond most external cards
  • — HDMI 2.1 in and out with lag-free VRR passthrough for OLED and high-refresh panels
  • — USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) keeps it external and PC-and-Mac friendly
Watch-outs
  • — Most expensive external card here at around $200
  • — 4K144 capture needs serious storage and CPU headroom
  • — HDR10 capture is Windows-only
$201.71 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Razer Ripsaw HD
Ranked #5 in Best Capture Cards for Streaming
Razer Ripsaw HD
$136.97as of Jun 7

The Razer Ripsaw HD is the budget entry point, capturing crisp 1080p60 with 4K60 passthrough at the lowest price of this group. TweakTown crowned it the king of entry-level capture cards, and reviewers love the plug-and-play simplicity. The big caveats are no first-party capture software and a 1080p capture ceiling, so it suits beginners more than 4K creators.

Strengths
  • — Sharp, uncompressed-looking 1080p60 capture for the price
  • — 4K60 HDMI passthrough so you keep playing in full resolution
  • — Simple plug-and-play USB 3.0 setup with no drivers fuss
Watch-outs
  • — No dedicated capture software of its own
  • — Capture limited to 1080p60 with no 4K recording
  • — Earlier Ripsaw hardware had freezing and compatibility complaints
$136.97 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Elgato 4K X

The 4K X is the only card here that captures past 4K60, beating the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro) which caps at 4K60. It is external like the Elgato HD60 X but far more capable, and unlike the internal AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573) it needs no PCIe slot.

Razer Ripsaw HD

The Ripsaw HD is the cheapest card here and captures 1080p60 like the Elgato HD60 X but without first-party software. It cannot match the 4K60 capture of the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S (GC553Pro) or AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573), nor the 4K144 ceiling of the Elgato 4K X.

Specs side-by-side

SpecElgato 4K XRazer Ripsaw HD
Max Capture4K144 (2160p144) HDR101080p60
Passthrough4K144 (4K120 on DSC displays), VRR4K60
InterfaceUSB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C)USB 3.0
HDMIHDMI 2.1 in / outHDMI in / out
HDRHDR10 capture (Windows) + passthrough—
CompatibilityPS5, Xbox Series X, Switch, PC, Mac, iPadPC, PS5/PS4, Xbox, Switch
Form FactorExternalExternal
Audio—Aux mic / audio mix-in
← See the full ranking of best capture cards for streaming