As more of our gaming jumps up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, those gamers who stream and share their gaming experiences have a new challenge of capturing at that quality.
If you’ve got a flashy new high-end PC tucked under your desk, there’s a chance you could play and stream at the same time, but we’re talking about serious coin (like the latest Intel processors and top Nvidia card or cards) to manage these performance demands.
Of course we’re now gaming in 4K in other places like the Xbox One X, where streaming in 4K isn’t possible. Cue the third party solution from streaming hardware manufacturer Elgato.
The new Elgato 4K60 Pro is a PCIe x4 card that allows HDMI pass-through on unencrypted video pipelines (HDCP off). Once installed in your PC, you can connect a device like the Xbox One X, PS4 or Nintendo Switch and capture gameplay at the maximum quality possible. You then connect the HDMI cable to the out port and the other end to your display.
By pushing the capture process to a dedicated hardware device, you free up the CPU/GPU to focus on the task of rendering in-game assets and effects at maximum quality and frame rates. It will still require at least a 6th-gen Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU or better, along with a GeForce GTX 10 series or AMD Radeon RX Vega or better GPU.
Gamers can stream or capture in 4K at 60fps, out to services like YouTube and Twitch.
Pre-orders are open now for US$$399.95 and will ship 11/21/2017. We’re hoping Australia gets added to the list of countries soon, as Aussies are massive gaming fans and have many professionals that would love to take advantage of the Elgato 4K60 Pro without needing to seek import options.
More information at Elgato.