Updated: October 13, 2026

Both cards record 4K60 and both pass your game through to a TV. The real split is HDMI 2.0 vs HDMI 2.1, and whether you need high-refresh capture at all.

Scope: two Elgato USB capture cards, linked to the Elgato store (Elgato’s own US store).

Which to pick

• Pick the Game Capture 4K S if you mostly record Switch 2. Our pick because: Elgato’s spec page lists 4K60 capture and names Nintendo Switch 2 as a source, and it’s the lower tier of the two [1].
• Pick the Game Capture 4K X if you record a PC or PS5 at high refresh rates. Our pick because: Elgato lists HDMI 2.1 with capture up to 2160p144, 1440p144 and 1080p240 [2].

How we chose: research-based. We used the Elgato store (Elgato’s US store pages) and Elgato’s help-centre spec pages and articles (cited below). This comparison covers two Elgato models only. We have not physically tested these cards. All performance figures are Elgato’s.

Side-by-side

	Elgato Game Capture 4K S	Elgato Game Capture 4K X
HDMI in / out	HDMI 2.0 [1]	HDMI 2.1 [2]
PC connection	USB 3.0 Type-C [1]	USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-C [2]
Max passthrough (Elgato)	2160p60, 1440p120, 1080p240, VRR [1]	2160p144, 1440p240, 1080p240, VRR [2]
Max capture (Elgato)	2160p60, 1440p60, 1080p120 [1]*	2160p144, 1440p144, 1080p240 [2]
HDR capture	Up to 1080p60, Windows only [1]	Up to 4K144 (spec page also lists “2160p30 HDR”), Windows only [2]
Analog audio in	3.5 mm line-in [1]	3.5 mm line-in [2]
Switch 2 named by Elgato	Yes, spec page [1]	Product page yes [5]; spec page “Nintendo Switch” only [2]
HDMI cable in box	Yes (HDMI 2.0) [1]	Yes (“8K HDMI cable”) [2]
Price tier	Mid	Premium

\*Elgato’s Switch 2 article gives higher 4K S capture figures than its spec page. See below.

Price tiers are relative to the products in this article. Each tier is based on the maker’s own US store listing, checked October 13, 2026 (ET). We don’t list street or retail prices because they change. “Not assigned” means we couldn’t find a price on the maker’s own US site. Check the current price before you buy.

Does Switch 2 need the 4K X?

Elgato quotes Switch 2’s TV-mode output as a “Maximum of 3840×2160 (4K) resolution at 60 fps”, with 120 fps at 1080p/1440p [3]. The 4K S spec page lists 4K60 capture and 1440p120 passthrough [1], which covers that. Elgato’s Switch 2 article goes further and says the 4K S handles up to 4K60, 1440p120 or 1080p240 [3]; we’ve used the spec page’s lower figures in the table. So for Switch 2 alone, the 4K X’s extra headroom mostly goes unused. (Our reading of Elgato’s figures, not a test result.)

Where the 4K X pulls ahead

The 4K X uses HDMI 2.1 and a 10Gbps USB link, with capture up to 2160p144 and 1440p144 [2]. Elgato’s HDR line reads “capture (up to 4K144)”, but the same page also lists “2160p30 HDR” and “1440p60 HDR” capture modes [2], so expect HDR capture limits to depend on resolution. On the 4K S, 4K HDR is passthrough only; HDR capture tops out at 1080p60 [1]. HDR capture on both cards is, in Elgato’s words, “currently only available on Windows” [1][2].

PS5 owners: one setting first

Elgato says its capture devices “cannot capture HDMI signals with HDCP protection enabled”, and that “PlayStation 5 enables HDCP by default”. Turn it off under Settings → System → HDMI [4].

Buy

• Buy the Elgato Game Capture 4K S at the Elgato store
• Buy the Elgato Game Capture 4K X at the Elgato store

Comparing more brands? See our full guide: Capture cards for Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5

Related: SanDisk vs Samsung microSD Express for Switch 2 · Best microSD Express cards for Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is a trademark of Nintendo. PlayStation and PS5 are trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. GearSift is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nintendo or Sony.

Real gear for a better everyday.

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Sources (all checked October 13, 2026, ET)

1. Elgato Help, Elgato Game Capture 4K S Technical Specifications (specs): https://help.elgato.com/hc/en-us/articles/37196014096017-Elgato-Game-Capture-4K-S-Technical-Specifications
2. Elgato Help, Elgato Game Capture 4K X Technical Specifications (specs): https://help.elgato.com/hc/en-us/articles/23658118721421-Elgato-Game-Capture-4K-X-Technical-Specifications
3. Elgato, What’s the best capture card for Nintendo Switch 2: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/explorer/products/capture/whats-the-best-capture-card-for-nintendo-switch-2/
4. Elgato Help, HDCP and Elgato Game Capture devices: https://help.elgato.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040482032-HDCP-and-Elgato-Game-Capture-devices
5. Elgato store, Game Capture 4K X product page: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/game-capture-4k-x · Game Capture 4K S product page: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/game-capture-4k-s