# Elgato Game Capture 4K X vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Elgato Game Capture 4K X (Elgato) and Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus (Magewell) among capture cards. Elgato Game Capture 4K X is the cheaper of the two at $249.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | Elgato Game Capture 4K X | Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $249.99 | $545 |
| Brand | Elgato | Magewell |
| Released | 2024-02 | — |
| Interface | usb | usb |
| Max passthrough | 4K144 (HDMI 2.1, VRR, HDR10) | 4K60 (HDMI 2.0 loop-through) |
| Max capture resolution | 4K (2160p) | 4K (4096x2160) |
| Max capture framerate | 144 | 30 |
| HDR passthrough | Yes | — |
| Vrr support | Yes | — |
| Input | hdmi | hdmi |
| Encoding | software | software |

## Key differences

- Max passthrough: Elgato Game Capture 4K X 4K144 (HDMI 2.1, VRR, HDR10) vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus 4K60 (HDMI 2.0 loop-through)
- Max capture resolution: Elgato Game Capture 4K X 4K (2160p) vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus 4K (4096x2160)
- Max capture framerate: Elgato Game Capture 4K X 144 vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus 30

## What reviewers say

**Elgato Game Capture 4K X** — Only one whitelisted tester offers hands-on prose on this exact model: a TechRadar senior writer used the Elgato 4K X to play Black Ops 6 on a Meta Quest 3, calling the picture excellent, latency manageable, and setup super-easy. No whitelisted outlet ran a full lab review; dedicated reviews sit on non-whitelisted sites, and Notebookcheck tested the different 4K S. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- Elgato Game Capture 4K X: https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/game-capture-4k-x (elgato.com, verified 2026-06-20)
- Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus: https://www.magewell.com/products/usb-capture-hdmi-4k-plus (magewell.com, verified 2026-06-20)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/capture-cards/elgato-game-capture-4k-x-vs-magewell-usb-capture-hdmi-4k-plus/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Elgato Game Capture 4K X ($249.99) vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus ($545) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/capture-cards/elgato-game-capture-4k-x-vs-magewell-usb-capture-hdmi-4k-plus/
License: CC BY 4.0.