The Elgato Game Capture 4K S is Elgato’s latest portable capture card, offering crisp 4K/60 recording in a package small enough to lose in your backpack. We’ve come a long way from the days of grainy 720p footage, and while 4K/60 isn’t exactly cutting-edge anymore, the 4K S might just be the simplest and least headache-inducing way to record in that quality.
So, is this the one capture card to rule them all, or just another step on the road to your “perfect” streaming setup? Let’s find out.
Design and Build Quality
The Elgato Game Capture 4K S is about as portable as capture cards get, measuring just 112 x 72 x 18 mm and weighing a feather-light 90 grams. Because of this, it's almost perfect to use if you’re heading to an event and need to record gameplay without hauling half your setup.
Build-wise, it is mostly made of plastic, but don’t let that scare you. It feels solid enough to survive being jostled around in a bag, and although only time will tell whether it withstands general wear and tear, the pace of gaming tech and improvements right now means there’ll probably be a shinier, faster option long before this one gives up on you.
The design is a real highlight, offering a clean and minimal finish, with two rubber strips underneath to stop it from skating across your desk mid-recording. You only need three cables to start capturing from something like a PS5, so there’s no real mess of wires cluttering up your workspace when using it either.
I'd say the 4K S is sleek, fuss-free, and incredibly travel-friendly, which makes it a great pocket-sized tool for capturing gameplay no matter where you are.
Setup and Installation
Out of the box, the Elgato Game Capture 4K S keeps things simple. You get the capture card itself, a USB-C to USB-C cable (150 cm), and an HDMI 2.0 cable (150 cm).
Setup with all of these items is a breeze, provided you know which HDMI goes where. In my case, I had it running from my Switch 2 to my monitor, with the USB cable heading to my laptop for recording. I did watch a quick YouTube setup video just to confirm I wasn’t creating an accidental HDMI loop, but honestly, you probably won’t need more than a couple of minutes to figure it out.
Installing Elgato’s Studio software (more on this later) is equally painless. You just search for your product on Elgato’s Download section, install the recommended software, and you’re basically ready to record.
The only part that might slow you down isn’t the installation itself, but fine-tuning. What I mean by this is adjusting the recording resolution, frame rate, or juggling multiple source inputs if, for example, you're recording/streaming in OBS. But that’s more about perfecting your setup over time than wrestling with the initial setup.
Capture Quality and Recording Experience
Raw capture performance is solid. Thanks to its HDMI In/Out design, you get zero-latency passthrough, meaning gameplay feeds through instantly to your display while the device captures the action in parallel.
Passthrough resolutions top out at 2160p/60, 1440p/120, and 1080p/240, while capture resolutions include 2160p/60, 1440p/60, 1080p/120, and a few lower options like 720p/60 and 480p if you really, really need them.
The HDMI 2.0 ports support HDR10 (up to 1080p/60 on Windows), along with Variable Refresh Rates and Auto Low Latency Mode, so whether you’re streaming in glorious 4K or chasing silky frame rates in a fast-paced shooter, the Elgato's capture isn't going to hold you back.
In practice, recording is easy to start and stop via Elgato Studio, and the near-zero latency genuinely impressed me. You could even play directly from the preview window in the software, and while I wouldn’t recommend that for competitive shooters (unless you enjoy being at a slight disadvantage), it’s still impressively accurate to the live gameplay on your TV/monitor.
There is one important caveat, though: console audio. If you’re playing on PS4, PS5, Switch, or Switch 2 and want to capture both game sound and your friends’ at once, you’ll need the Elgato ChatLink Pro accessory. It plugs right into the front of the 4K S and solves the issue, but it’s worth knowing you won’t get full audio coverage out of the box. While the ChatLink Pro isn't much (under $20 at the time of writing), this is worth bearing in mind before you purchase — you might want to purchase the two together.
Software Features and Interface
As touched on already, Elgato Studio is Elgato's own recording software that instantly connects to the 4K S. It's not as in-depth and feature-rich as something like OBS, but in my experience, it does kind of nail the essentials without bogging you down in menus. The interface is clean, functional, and, crucially, easy to navigate, even if you’ve never touched capture software before.
From Elgato Studio, you can tweak your recording resolution, choose exactly where your files save, and even update the device’s firmware with a couple of clicks. A surprisingly handy touch is the real-time file size tracker that appears as soon as you hit record. This is really handy if you’re trying to keep video sizes manageable without doing post-recording math.
It's worth noting that by default, videos save as MP4s, which is ideal for easy editing and uploading. You also get a few smaller quality-of-life settings, like changing the file name prefix, switching languages, adjusting date and time formats, and even picking your preferred color theme.
One practical perk for multi-device users: Elgato Studio recognizes multiple capture cards, and you can swap between them from a simple drop-down menu. Beyond that, there’s not much else to discuss. There are no live editing tools or complex overlays, but I feel that's kind of the point. It’s straightforward, reliable, and gets you recording or streaming fast.
Compatibility and Connectivity
Fortunately for budding streamers and YouTubers, the Elgato 4K S works with just about everything: Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Mac, iPhone, and Steam Deck. You can even hook it up to an iPad and use that as your recording hub if you fancy going ultra-portable.
It's worth knowing, though, that the 4K S is HDMI 2.0-only. If you’re chasing HDMI 2.1 support and the ability to record in 4K at 144fps, you’ll need to shell out for the more expensive Elgato 4K X (around $245 at the time of writing). This is probably the 4K S’s biggest weakness, but for most people, the 2.0 connection will be more than fine.
With that being said, connectivity is kept simple: an HDMI In and HDMI Out for passthrough, plus a USB-C 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) cable for hooking up to your PC. If your system only has USB-A, you’ll need an adaptor, but thankfully, those are easy to find.
On the software side, the 4K S also plays nicely. You can use OBS Studio, TikTok Live Studio, Twitch, YouTube, Discord, and more for streaming, alongside Elgato Studio.
Elgato Studio keeps things beginner-friendly with quick setup and minimal tweaking required, as mentioned earlier. OBS, on the other hand, is where you’ll want to be for live streaming, since it allows you to manage multiple sources, like a camera, game capture, mic, and overlays, all at once.
Setting it up in OBS is easy enough: just add the 4K S as a new Video Capture Source, select it from the drop-down, and you’re off. You also get finer control over video properties in OBS, letting you adjust brightness, contrast, hue, and resolution on the fly.
In terms of output quality, both Elgato Studio and OBS produce virtually identical recordings, so your choice really comes down to whether you want an easy experience (Studio) or more advanced streaming and scene management (OBS).
The bottom line is that the 4K S is widely compatible, straightforward to connect, and versatile enough to work in everything from casual recording setups to professional streaming rigs. Just keep in mind the HDMI 2.0 limitation if you’re in pursuit of a high-frame-rate console recording.
Price and Value
At $159.99 (£149.85), the Elgato 4K S sits comfortably in the middle of Elgato’s lineup. It's not the cheapest, but far from the priciest option in Elgato's roster. For perspective, the step-up Elgato 4K X with HDMI 2.1 support comes in around $245, as mentioned earlier, while the top-tier Elgato 4K Pro with 8K/60 will set you back upwards of $280 depending on where you shop.
This positions the 4K S in a pretty sweet spot for value, especially when you compare it to rival capture cards with similar specs. You’re getting a compact, portable, and reliable capture device with solid resolution and frame rate support, HDR capability, and near-zero latency, all without breaking into high-end territory.
In my opinion, if you’re just starting your content creation journey or you’ve built some early momentum on your channel/stream, the $160 price tag feels like a reasonable first “serious” investment. It’s enough to give you quality output, without forcing you into overkill hardware you might not fully use yet.
That said, if you’re aiming for high-frame-rate 4K recording or future-proofing for next-gen consoles, the extra spend on the 4K X could be worth it. But for most creators, the 4K S hits a very comfortable balance of price and performance.
Pros and Cons
Let's break this down...
Pros
- Extremely portable and lightweight (112 x 72 x 18 mm, 90g).
- Simple, beginner-friendly setup with included cables and quick-start process.
- Zero-latency HDMI passthrough for smooth, real-time gameplay.
- Supports multiple resolutions and high frame rates (up to 2160p/60 capture, 1080p/240 passthrough).
- Works with a wide range of devices: consoles, PC, Mac, iPhone, Steam Deck, and iPad.
- Compatible with both Elgato Studio and OBS Studio.
- Real-time file size tracker and MP4 recording by default for easy editing.
- Solid value for the price compared to competitors with similar specs.
Cons
- HDMI 2.0-only — no support for 4K at 144fps or HDMI 2.1 features.
- Requires the Elgato ChatLink Pro accessory to capture game + chat audio on certain consoles.
- No built-in live editing tools or advanced overlay features in Elgato Studio.
- Requires a USB-C to USB-A adapter if your PC doesn’t have a USB-C port.
Final Verdict
So, how would I sum this up? Well, the Elgato Game Capture 4K S is a compact, travel-friendly, and highly capable capture card that strikes an excellent balance between price, performance, and ease of use. At $159.99, it’s not a huge outlay, relatively speaking, and probably a smart investment for beginner to intermediate creators who want reliable 4K/60 capture, zero-latency passthrough, and broad device compatibility.
It’s not perfect, as the HDMI 2.0-only means no ultra-high-frame-rate 4K recording, and you’ll need a ChatLink Pro for full console audio with party chat. Still, the portability, simple setup, and ability to work seamlessly with both Elgato Studio and OBS make it a versatile tool for gaming events, home setups, and streaming on the go.
