Best Capture Card for Nintendo Switch in 2023

Back then, Nintendo users weren’t able to stream more than 30-seconds video clips, and it turned out to be an absolute bummer for those who are looking forward to making a fortune off Twitch, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. Not to mention, the internal hardware of Nintendo Switch is not powerful enough to stream games Live; hence, the need for the “Capture Card.” Well, the capture card allows the user to stream games online on any given streaming platform without restrictions.

Related Article: Is the Nintendo Switch worth it in 2022?

Today, I will be enlisting all the best capture cards for Nintendo Switch, so you can flash out top-tier models for your console. So, without any further ado, let’s begin the guide to finding the best capture card for the switch!

List of 8 Best Nintendo Switch Capture Cards

Image	Product	Awards	Price
	Elgato HD60 Pro 1080p 60	best overall	Check Price
	Elgato HD60 S+	best alternative	Check Price
	AverMedia Live Gamer Mini Capture card	best cheap	Check Price
	AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus	best portable	Check Price
	Razer Ripsaw HD Game streaming capture card	best versatile	Check Price
	Lyleyu upgraded Video capture card	best alternative budget	Check Price
	AverMedia Live Gamer Duo	best value-added	Check Price
	Elgato HD60 S Capture Card	best powerful	Check Price

Elgato HD60 Pro 1080p 60

(best overall capture card for Nintendo Switch)

Capture cards go a long way when it comes to versatility. The pre-requisites of having a capture are as follows: Console, PC, and display. Well, Elgato HD60 Pro 1080P makes things easier for you in terms of setting up. All you have to do is connect the switch with the card, the card to the PC, and the last piece of wiring directly gets attached to the display. For what it’s worth, the HD60 Pro is an upgrade from its predecessor, which means the connectivity, and productivity is enhanced by many folds.

Stream and recording quality

The Elgato HD60 Pro 1080P allows you to tune up your streaming quality with the help of PCIe express. When testing the product, I was able to do a test run on Twitch, and the quality was insurmountable. There were no lags due to the PCIe and the high-quality embedded sub-components. Apart from this, the onboard H.264 encoder seasons the experience of the users. Not to mention, you can easily crank up the settings to 1080p60 without any issues (with a bit rate of 60Mbps).

Freedom of choice

It was surprising to see that the card allowed me to have dual copies. One master copy that I can translate to any streaming platform, and the other copy for editing purposes (separating track and blemishing things up). Moreover, I was able to add overlays, webcam connectivity, and a myriad of other features on the fly. It was truly inspiring for such a device to give me an option of live commentary and flashback recording. I was in awe when using this capture card.

Hence, the freedom of choice is the biggest factor that enables me to recommend the Elgato HD60 to the readers.

Elgato HD60 S+

(The best alternative capture card for Nintendo Switch)

Since Elgato HD60 S+ is somewhat as par the status of HD60 Pro, expect it to perform similarly to its successor. Well, the HD60 S+ brings in all the utility features at a subsidized cost, which means you can have a similar streaming experience pitched in by the HD60 Pro.

Professional capture and performance

While testing the product, I came across something splendid. The capture card was able to stream flawlessly on platforms like Twitch with zero lag issues. On top of that, the FPS count was frozen at 60, which means no input/output lags. However, you need to keep in mind that you also require a consistent internet connection for real-time projection because the live commentary is a thing in this capture card. Not to mention, I was easily able to achieve 4k60 HDR 10 with a passthrough process which isn’t complicated at all.

Last but not least, the capture card is extensively capable of working with Xbox series X/S, Xbox one X, PS5, and PS4 without any latency issues.

Ease of Installation

All I did was attach the HDMI-in cable with the HD60 S+ capture card and the HDMI out with the display. For the USB-C type, it got directly connected to my PC. So, if you are looking forward to streaming, you do need a medium-tier PC.

I would say the plug-and-play formula is the only thing that made me recommend the product to you. It’s quite easy to set up the capture card; even a layman can do it.

AverMedia Live Gamer Mini Capture card

(The best cheap capture card for Nintendo Switch)

If you are tight on budget and still want to have a capture card at your disposal, then the AverMedia Live gamer Mini capture card is what you should be rooting for.

Budget-friendly and profound features

For what it’s worth, I was quite surprised that the AverMedia Live Gamer Mini capture card only cost me around $80, which is half the price of all the available capture cards in the market. Yes, I did have dual thoughts on this, but I was completely perplexed by its lightning-speed performance when I used the card. I was able to crank up the settings to 1080P with nominal lags. To be honest, there were none (read: lags). On top of that, the plug-and-play formula made my life easier. I didn’t have to wire things around constantly for seamless streaming performance.

Portable and user-friendly

As the name suggests, “Mini,” the card is extremely portable. This means that you don’t have to worry about transferring it from one place to another just because it’s bulky (which it’s not). On top of that, the H.264 encoder was able to surpass my expectations. I was easily able to achieve flawless and resounding video quality with a constant 60 FPS. What else does one need? Last but not least, if you want support from external software (RECentral streaming), then this card allows you to have that as well, which is coupled with great functionality, multi-stream capabilities, and rich overlays.

Hence, I would recommend this for those who are looking forward to having portability, and at the same time, mesmerizing video quality.

AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus

(The best portable capture card for streaming Nintendo Switch games)

This product also belongs to AverMedia but is more formidable and prominent in terms of performance ratio and streaming quality. It goes without saying that this capture card is one of the finest available for the user if they are seeking portability. The card comes with a PC and PC-free mode and has headset compatibility. This means you can use it with speakers and headphones alike.

Video quality

As far as video quality is concerned, it’s top-notch. It’s because of the pre-defined variables imported from its predecessor (LGP2). Not to mention, the AverMedia Live Gamer portable 2 Plus was able to reach the resolution of HD 4K on my system with a constant 60 FPS. Isn’t that amazing? On top of that, while streaming on the YouTube channel, there were zero lags which means that the integrity of the video remained preserved throughout the live session. But there’s a bummer! The capture card does not support HDR, which means you have to disregard any option that entails HDR usage.

Storage mode

The surprising thing about the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is its embedded storage mode. You can access the files directly with the card (acts as a card reader). Do you know why I want you to buy this card? It’s because of the incorporated UVC technology. It’s the latest video capture solution (simply plug and stream), and not many capture cards have it, so yeah.

Razer Ripsaw HD Game streaming capture card

(The best versatile and High-end capture card for Nintendo Switch)

Albeit being an expensive one, the Razer Ripsaw HD game streaming capture card has surpassed every expectation. First thing first, the capture card has an on-fleek design coupled with an extremely portable body. This allows the user to transport the card easily and ensures that you get to flaunt it equally in front of your friends.

Power charts and streaming capabilities

It wasn’t shocking to see the streaming quality surpass normal boundaries because here we are talking about Razer. They have always been crusading against other brands to gain the upper hand in terms of competition and quality. Not to mention, the output audio was crispy and music to ears. With this, I mean that the capture card retains the HD quality of the video and ensures that the audio quality is preserved as well. For what it’s worth, the FPS count stagnated at 60 (absolutely flawless performance).

Let me also mention that while gaming on 4K resolution, the recording will be at 1080P; otherwise, the viewers might experience lag or latency while viewing the live stream. This is perfect because it allows the viewers to have a seamless viewing experience, which in turn can skyrocket your view count/subscribers on different streaming platforms.

Connectivity

As far as the connectivity is concerned, all you need to do is connect your headset/speaker, a microphone for speaking, an HDMI input to the gaming PC, an HDMI output to the gaming monitor, and a USB cable C/A to a streaming PC. I know it might turn out to be kind of a quagmire if you are not keeping a check on wiring, but it’s still comprehensive. There’s not much to shuffle around as long as you are straightforward. This is the sole reason why you should buy this capture card. It not only pitches in insurmountable audio and video quality but also ensures that you get your work done without any hurdles.

Lyleyu upgraded Video capture card

(The best alternative budget capture card for Nintendo Switch)

If you are not in a position to spend around 50 bucks, or even 100, then I have something extraordinary and special for you. It’s Lyleyu upgraded video capture card that only costs around $17. Wait, what? How’s that even possible? Well, it’s because of its size. It’s a portable USB capture card that gets directly attached to your streaming PC.

Recording quality

In layman terms, you call it an HDMI capture card. For what it’s worth, the HDMI capture card runs like a charm on 1080P settings. Not to mention, while testing the extensively portable capture card, I was able to top 60 FPS count without any issues. On top of that, the capture card supports L-PCM audio format and 8/10/12bit deep color as far as the video format is concerned.

Connectivity

For the connectivity, all you have to do is set up the cam recorder/webcam, connect the capture card with the PC (with the HDMI output), and bingo, that’s it. It was quite shocking for me as well. But again, the card has its limitations, and you really don’t get to experience all the high-end features that come with more expensive capture cards, so do remember that in mind. For device compatibility, you can easily run this capture card on PS3, PS4, XBOX, and Nintendo Switch, so yeah, there’s that too. This is the reason why you should be getting the capture card. Also, it’s extremely handy. Just put it in your pants pocket, and take it anywhere.

AverMedia Live Gamer Duo

(The best value-added capture card for Nintendo Switch)

Statistically, most users go for a product that offers a myriad of features at a decent cost. Well, the AverMedia Live Gamer Duo is just the same and brings in a surfeit of value-added features for the user. To begin with, the capture inaugurates two input slots which means you can stream multiple videos across different streaming platforms.

Gaming experience

When using this capture card on my streaming system, I was quite perplexed by seeing that the capture card can sustain around 240FPS without any lag issues. This is tremendous in the sense that you can play games at higher settings without having a fear of a drop in FPS count. It usually happens when you are streaming simultaneously, but it’s not the case here! The streaming quality stands at 1080p60, which is assuring in every way.

Value-added features

For what it’s worth, the onboard video processing formula is just spell bounding. What it does is refine the input signal before it reaches the PC and does all the texture mapping settings beforehand, so your PC is not burdened. Basically, every up-scale and down-scale is done beforehand, so yeah, it’s a good thing, in my opinion. Also, it’s quite easy to connect the capture card. All you have to do is have an HDMI input cable that directly gets attached to your gaming PC, the one to a streaming PC, one HDMI output to the monitor, and a camera slot if you want to self-record. This is why you really should be getting this majestic piece before the stock gets empty!

Elgato HD60 S Capture Card

(The best powerful capture card for Nintendo Switch)

Elgato HD60 S capture card is the last entity on the list and one of the finest capture cards. The S+ variant precedes the “S” variant, and both of them are just out-class. As for this product, you are getting the majority of the features, including the capture quality of 1080P.

Instant performance

The capture card projects an exceptional performance ratio and ensures that the aesthetics are preserved equally. With this capture card, you get a striking LED status strip that constantly updates you with the current status of the capture card. What’s cherry on top is its ability to have enhanced connectivity with the help of a USB Type-C connector.

Results

When testing the product, I was pretty much astounded. With this capture card, I was able to share my entire live stream on streaming platforms without any issues. On top of that, the HD60 S harbors the power of GPU acceleration, which means the quality of the video is retained at any cost. This is coupled with a lot of options like flashback recording, Max bitrate of 60 Mbps, and a clone copy for editing.

This is the reason why you should be getting this capture card for yourself, as it comes at a remarkable price point with all the features as mentioned earlier.

Final words

I hope the products mentioned above must have made you decisive enough to make a decision. If you think something was missing from the article, feel free to comment below. Apart from this, I will be recommending a few top-notch products, so do have a look at them before departing from the site. Here are my recommendations:

• If you need versatility and top-quality final results, then have a look at Elgato HD60 Pro 1080p 60.
• If you are tight on budget, then I would definitely recommend buying a Lyleyu upgraded Video capture card.
• This one is equally as per the standard of HD60 Pro, so if you can’t buy the latest version, then have a look at Elgato HD60 S+.

Muhammad Bilal

Hey, I’m Muhammad Bilal. I’m a tech fanatic (also read: Gamer), who loves scrutinizing fine details. I aim to strive hard in my respective fields (as a writer and software programmer). Before pursuing my majors in a university (right now in A-levels), I want to spend time exploring and reviewing the latest technology.