ELGATO GAME CAPTURE 4K S: THE SMALL BOX BETWEEN YOUR CONSOLE AND YOUR STREAM
8.0 of 10 bananas. Elgato's small USB-C capture card records your PS5, Xbox, or Switch 2 at up to 4K60 while the game passes through to your TV with no lag. It entered Amazon's top 100 video game best sellers on Nov 1 at a 26 percent price cut, but that offer comes from a marketplace seller, and HDR capture stops at 1080p.
By the Alpha. Gear review. Updated Nov 1 2026.
Honest note: This is not a hands-on test for this review. I built this verdict from the Amazon listing, Elgato's product and system requirement pages, a published hardware review, and my own daily captures of Amazon's best seller chart. I have not plugged this card into my own stream setup. If I run it on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Store check, Nov 1 2026: new units on offer from a third-party seller, AR TECH USA, shipped by the seller, at 118.99 dollars against a 159.99 dollar list price. Elgato's own store listed it at 159.99. Buying from a marketplace seller can make returns and warranty claims harder, so look at the seller before you pay.
Sit with me a moment. When I go live with GTA chaos nights, chat sees the game, my face, and my calm. They never see the small box doing the real work between the console and the stream. With Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 landing Nov 5 and GTA 6 on Nov 19, a lot of young gorillas are building that box into their setup this month.
What It Is
The Game Capture 4K S, model 10GBR9901, is an external capture card. Your console plugs into its HDMI input, your TV or monitor plugs into its HDMI output, and a single USB-C cable goes to your computer. Elgato lists passthrough up to 4K60, 1440p120, and 1080p240, and capture up to 4K60 or 1080p120. HDR10 passes through at 4K60, but HDR capture tops out at 1080p60 and works on Windows only. It is a UVC device, so OBS, TikTok Live Studio, Discord, and Elgato's own Studio app can see it without a driver, and it draws power from USB. There is a 3.5 mm input to mix in party chat audio. The box includes a USB-C cable and an HDMI 2.0 cable. Those are maker claims; I have not tested them.
Why It Is Moving
In my daily captures of Amazon Best Sellers in Video Games, this card was not in the top 100 on Oct 28, 29, 30, or 31, and it showed up at number 91 on Nov 1. On the same day the listing showed 118.99 dollars, 26 percent under its 159.99 list price, plus an Amazon's Choice badge, 3K plus bought in the past month, and 4.5 stars from 1,044 ratings. That is a real climb, but it is a price drop climb, not a TikTok craze, so read it as a good moment to buy, not as proof the card is magic. The timing makes sense: big November launches mean more players starting to stream.
Who It Is For
Console players who want to stream or record PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, or Switch gameplay with a PC, Mac, or USB-C iPad doing the encoding. It is a strong pick for a first real setup, because it needs no power brick and no driver. A Worthplaying hardware review called it affordable, powerful, and generally easy to use, and said most people will not need the pricier 4K X.
What To Watch Out For
Your computer matters. Elgato's system requirements ask for Windows 11 with an 8th gen Intel Core i5 or Ryzen and an RTX 10 series class GPU, or macOS 13 on Apple M1 or better, plus a USB 3.0 Type-C port. On a USB 2.0 port the card falls back to 1080p60. The HDMI input only takes unencrypted signals, so on PS5 you must turn off HDCP in the settings. It does not pass through 4K120; that is the pricier 4K X. HDR capture is limited, and Worthplaying said HDR is not a beginner workflow. And at my check the deal price came from a marketplace seller that ships the card itself, not from Amazon.com.
STRENGTHS
- 4K60 capture with lag free passthrough
- One USB-C cable, no driver, no power brick
- Works with OBS, TikTok Live Studio, and Discord
- 26 percent under list at my check
HONEST COSTS
- HDR capture only 1080p60, Windows only
- No 4K120 passthrough
- PS5 needs HDCP turned off
- Deal offer from a marketplace seller
Affiliate note: this Amazon link supports the troop at no extra cost to you. At my check the new offer was sold and shipped by a third-party seller, AR TECH USA, not Amazon.com.