Compact 4K power for streamers and creators - Elgato Game Capture 4K S review
4K - Plug & Play.
Elgato’s Game Capture 4K S proves to be a smart, hassle-free tool for gamers and content creators alike. With true plug-and-play setup, smooth 4K recording at 60 fps, and impressive versatility, this compact capture card can handle everything from console gameplay to DSLR webcam use or digitizing old footage (if HDMI is available).Christian Hintze (translated by Christian Hintze) Published 🇩🇪
Verdict - Plug & Play
In our tests, the 4K S worked flawlessly right out of the box. Marketed primarily for 4K/60 fps game capture, it also handles a wide range of other tasks effortlessly — from using a DSLR as a webcam to recording presentations or desktop tutorials. The image quality is impressive, and the stream can be easily integrated into a multi-camera setup via OBS or similar software.
Pros
Cons
Capture cards are incredibly versatile. Most people will use them to record or stream gameplay from devices like PS5, Xbox, Switch, or PC via HDMI to Twitch or YouTube. Thanks to an impressively low latency of just 30 ms, you can even stream games from your phone to your TV and play on the big screen.
Beyond gaming, the 4K S can digitize old VHS tapes (if HDMI is available), turn older digital cameras into webcams, record desktop tutorials, or integrate multiple camera feeds in real time with OBS, vMix, or Wirecast.
A major advantage: using an external capture card offloads recording from your gaming PC, freeing up system resources and improving in-game performance. The video signal still passes through to your display via HDMI passthrough.
Specifications
| Feature | Elgato Game Capture 4K S |
| Type | Externe Capture Card |
| Connection | USB-C |
| Input/Output | HDMI |
| Capture resolution | 2160p60; 1440p60; 1080p120; 1080p60; 720p60; 576p; 480p |
| HDR10 capture | up to 1080p60 |
| Passthrough resolution | up to 2160p60; 1440p120; 1080p240 |
| HDR10 / VRR passthrough | up to 2160p60 |
| Accessories | HDMI 2.0 cable, USB-C-to-C cable |
| Price | $159,99 |
While many cheaper cards support 4K passthrough but record only in Full HD, the 4K S can actually record in 4K at 60 fps — justifying its higher price tag. The even pricier 4K X model offers HDMI 2.1 instead of 2.0, enabling even higher refresh rates (up to 4K/144 Hz).
Case & Ports – HDMI 2.0 and USB-C
The 4K S is compact and very light weight, built into a black plastic shell. Ports include HDMI-in, HDMI-out, USB-C (for the recording PC), and a 3.5 mm audio-in jack for adding a separate sound source.
In the box
You get the capture card itself, a high-quality HDMI 2.0 cable, and a USB-C-to-C cable — so you’re ready to go immediately.
What’s missing, though, is a proper manual. The box only includes quick setup icons and a download link (no QR code). Luckily, setup is intuitive.
Software – Elgato Studio
The software isn’t essential — the 4K S works perfectly fine with OBS or other recording tools.
On first launch, Elgato Studio offers a firmware update, which is useful, but recording options are limited, you can't change any quality settings. Bitrates vary between 38–49 Mb/s in our 4K tests, with frame rates hovering around 55–56 fps. A six-minute 4K file took up roughly 1.18 GB.
Test setup – multiple scenarios
We tested the 4K S in several real-world situations:
- Using a DSLR as a webcam: We connected our old DSLR Canon EOS 550D to the 4K S via HDMI to use it as a webcam.
- PC gaming capture: We connected an XMG Pro 16 gaming laptop to the 4K S and recorded gameplay from Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K. A second laptop was connected to the capture card via USB-C, responsible for recording in the Elgato app or OBS. We also looked at the latency.
1. Using a DSLR as a webcam
While the camera itself caused some overlay issues (no clean HDMI output, Magic Lantern helps) the capture card worked flawlessly.
2. PC gaming capture
Game capture worked flawlessly as well, whether we recorded through Elgato Studio or OBS. In our test with Cyberpunk 2077 running in 4K, we didn’t notice any delay or frame drops when passing the signal through to an external display — gameplay felt completely smooth and responsive.
There was a slight delay in the stream preview on the recording PC, with the captured feed lagging a few frames behind the live gameplay. However, this is perfectly normal for most capture setups and doesn’t affect the quality or accuracy of the recorded footage.
The video below shows several captured 4K gameplay scenes from Cyberpunk 2077. After editing, the footage was converted to H.264, shrinking the file size from around 2 GB to just 185 MB — so the original recording actually looks even sharper and cleaner than what you see here.
Conclusion
The Elgato 4K S is a straightforward, reliable, and flexible capture card that delivers smooth 4K recording without burdening your main PC.
Transparency
The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was given to the author by the manufacturer free of charge for the purposes of review. There was no third-party influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
