AVerMedia · Updated June 2026
AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2): price, specs & release date
AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2), released 2023-10. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: shop-us.avermedia.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
- Best for Outstanding capture quality with no apparent motion or compression artifacts; Near-zero HDMI 2.1 passthrough latency; lag-free 4K144 with HDR and VRR while capturing 4K60.
- Skip if Ultrawide 3440x1440 passthrough limited to 60 Hz at launch is a dealbreaker.
Price history
$299.99How we know these prices
The curve above is one dated record of this product's price on its own source page — our own tracking combined with Internet Archive snapshots reaching back before we began. Every archived point links to the snapshot that proves it, so you can verify each one yourself.
Verify each point — 8 archived snapshots
- 2023-08-13 — $299.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2023-12-10 — $299.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2024-05-28 — $269.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2024-11-26 — $249.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2025-03-20 — $229.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2025-08-09 — $209.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2025-10-18 — $209.99 · snapshot ↗
- 2026-05-27 — $219.99 · snapshot ↗
Is the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) a good buy?
At $300, the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) is #15 cheapest of the 18 capture cards we track, where the median is $215. On the spec sheet, its max capture framerate of 144 is the highest of the 18. By release date, it is among the newer of the 13 we date.
Evidence of Record
Our dataNo independent lab has measured this product yet. 1 outlet has it on record by mention only, with no hands-on measurements published to weigh its claims against — a gap in the evidence, not a verdict on the product.
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2)
Only one whitelisted outlet, TechPowerUp, hands-on tested this exact GC553G2 model (Nov 7, 2023). Its verdict: outstanding capture quality with near-zero HDMI 2.1 passthrough latency, calling it the best choice for creating gaming content in 2023 — lag-free 4K144 passthrough with HDR and VRR while simultaneously capturing 4K60. Downsides: ultrawide 3440x1440 passthrough was capped at 60 Hz at launch (a firmware bump to 120 Hz was promised) and it's somewhat pricey at $300. With a single source, there is no cross-source consensus.
Based on 1 review · 1 lab-tested · 2023-11-07
Tested by TechPowerUp
Consistently praised
- Outstanding capture quality with no apparent motion or compression artifacts
- Near-zero HDMI 2.1 passthrough latency; lag-free 4K144 with HDR and VRR while capturing 4K60
- Compact, portable and plug-and-play UVC (no drivers), with all ports on the rear
Commonly flagged
- Ultrawide 3440x1440 passthrough limited to 60 Hz at launch
- Somewhat pricey at $300
Where reviewers disagree Only one whitelisted source (TechPowerUp) covered this exact model, so no cross-source agreement or disagreement could be measured.
The sources (1)
The HDMI passthrough latency is almost nonexistent.
The overall performance of the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 capture card is outstanding.
The only limitation of the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is that it currently doesn't play nice with ultrawide resolutions, such as 3440x1440.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $299.99 MSRP at launch; discounted to ~$200-220 at retailers in 2025-2026 |
|---|---|
| Brand | AVerMedia |
| Released | 2023-10 |
| Interface | usb |
| Max passthrough | 4K144 / 1440p240 / 1080p360 (HDMI 2.1, HDR, VRR) |
| Max capture resolution | 4K (2160p) |
| Max capture framerate | 144 |
| HDR passthrough | Yes |
| Vrr support | Yes |
| Input | hdmi |
| Encoding | software |
Source: shop-us.avermedia.com (verified 2026-06-20) · corroborated by windowscentral.com. Launch Oct 2023 confirmed (Windows Central, TechPowerUp). MSRP $299.99 confirmed from AVerMedia US shop page. USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, HDMI 2.1 input, 4K144 passthrough with HDR/VRR. CORRECTED max_capture_framerate 60 -> 144: the official AVerMedia shop spec lists max capture as 2160p144 on Windows (2160p60 on macOS); the true device maximum is 4K144, so the conservative '60' understated it. Software/UVC encoding (outputs YUY2, NV12, RGB24, P010, MJPEG; host PC encodes) confirmed.
Is the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) worth it vs cheaper capture cards?
AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) against its closest cheaper and pricier capture cards on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 18 ranked
| Product | Price | Interface | Max passthrough | Max capture resolution | Max capture framerate | HDR passthrough |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) this | $299.99 | usb | 4K144 / 1440p240 / 1080p360 (HDMI 2.1, HDR, VRR) | 4K (2160p) | 144 | Yes |
| AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (GC573) | $299 | pcie | 4K60 / 1440p144 / 1080p240 (HDMI 2.0, HDR) | 4K (2160p) | 60 | Yes |
| Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2 | $319 | usb | — | 2048x2160 | 120 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2)?
Only one whitelisted outlet, TechPowerUp, hands-on tested this exact GC553G2 model (Nov 7, 2023). Its verdict: outstanding capture quality with near-zero HDMI 2.1 passthrough latency, calling it the best choice for creating gaming content in 2023 — lag-free 4K144 passthrough with HDR and VRR while simultaneously capturing 4K60. Downsides: ultrawide 3440x1440 passthrough was capped at 60 Hz at launch (a firmware bump to 120 Hz was promised) and it's somewhat pricey at $300. With a single source, there is no cross-source consensus. Praised: Outstanding capture quality with no apparent motion or compression artifacts; Near-zero HDMI 2.1 passthrough latency; lag-free 4K144 with HDR and VRR while capturing 4K60; Compact, portable and plug-and-play UVC (no drivers), with all ports on the rear. Flagged: Ultrawide 3440x1440 passthrough limited to 60 Hz at launch; Somewhat pricey at $300. (From 1 tester review, 1 lab-tested.)
How much does the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) cost?
The AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) has a US price of $299.99 (MSRP at launch; discounted to ~$200-220 at retailers in 2025-2026), as of 2026-06-20.
How does the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) compare on price?
At $300, the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) is #15 cheapest of the 18 capture cards we track, where the median is $215.
Has the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2)'s price changed?
No — the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) has held at $299.99 since 2023-08-13.
What is the lowest price the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) has been?
The lowest we have recorded for the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) is $209.99 on 2025-08-09.
Is now a good time to buy the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2)?
The AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) is currently $299.99; the lowest we have recorded is $209.99 (2025-08-09). Every price is dated, so you can judge it against its own history.
When was the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) released?
The AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) was released 2023-10.
What are the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2)'s key specs?
AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) (AVerMedia): interface usb, max passthrough 4K144 / 1440p240 / 1080p360 (HDMI 2.1, HDR, VRR), max capture resolution 4K (2160p), max capture framerate 144, hdr passthrough Yes. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-20.
Price of record: $299.99 at shop-us.avermedia.com, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
See AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 (GC553G2) on Amazon As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Similar capture cards
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