New Elgato 4K S Capture Card Makes its Debut

Arguably the biggest mainstream video game and streaming hardware manufacturer is Elgato. This is a company that has gone from smaller products to some of the most iconic and almost universally used streaming equipment in the industry. Platforms like Twitch wouldn’t be the same without a company like Elgato, bringing products such as capture cards and Stream Decks to the masses, increasing productivity by a significant margin.

While the company has been focusing on their Stream Deck line of products as of lately, that doesn’t mean their capture card division hasn’t been working on anything. Today, the Corsair-owned company has revealed their latest device in their long catalog of capture cards: the Elgato Game Capture 4K S.

Keeping Up with Expectations

This is a huge step-up for the Elgato. They originally released the Elgato 4K X last year, offering a non-PCIe capture card that is capable of decoding and rendering a 4K video source. Elgato is looking to capitalize on the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 console, having a more compact capture device to not only use at home but travel with, as well. While it will require a half-decent PC to utilize, this allows for a lot more flexibility.

“When we built the first capture card specifically for gamers back in 2012, we didn’t just launch a product, we propelled a movement,” said Julian Fest, General Manager at Elgato. “From YouTube Let’s Play videos to Twitch streams and esports broadcasts, Elgato has empowered the creator revolution from day one. Now, with 4K S, we’re setting the new standard for game capture—one that’s more accessible, more dialed in, and more powerful than ever.”

The Elgato 4K S also comes alongside Elgato Studio, a new capture program to replace the company’s 4K Capture Utility. This should be a huge step-up considering we always thought the Capture Utility was a little lacking, so hopefully this will help expand Elgato’s capturing capabilities. All of this combined offers a low-latency experience, with less of a load on your computer while using the device.

New Hardware, New Software

As you might expect from its name, the new capture device will feature 4K capabilities, supporting frame rates of up to 240hz. The Elgato 4K S allows for 4K60, 1440p120 and 1080p240, ensuring your gaming experience isn’t compromised by any technical limitations. There will also be HRD10 passthrough alongside VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support. This will work on Windows 11, macOS 13 and iPadOS 18, functioning with programs such as OBS Studio, Streamlabs, Zoom and much more.

The Elgato 4K S is available starting today for the surprisingly affordable price of $159.99.