Best Capture Card for Nintendo Switch

A quick YouTube search for Super Mario Bros. Wonder reveals hundreds of videos; walkthroughs, secrets – you name it! The catch is that if you want to stream any of the game from your Nintendo Switch, you’ll need an external capture card, as the Switch doesn’t support native streaming.

TL;DR – Here Are The Best Capture Cards For Nintendo Switch

While there are plenty of options available, not all of them work seamlessly with Nintendo Switch. So we’ve rounded up a few vital capture cards that will make streaming your favorite Switch games a breeze.

If you’re looking to expand your Nintendo Switch accessories and you’re a streamer, it’s time to invest in a capture card. One that’s compatible with broadcasting software like OBS Studio will allow you to stream videos in no time.

Best capture cards for Nintendo Switch:

1.AVerMedia GC513 Live Gamer Portable 2

Best Capture Card for Nintendo Switch

Considering the Switch can only capture about 30 seconds of gameplay, the AverMedia GC513 Live is perfect for anyone looking to capture a lot more footage. It has lag-free passthrough technology for recording 1080p/60fps gameplay without lag, and supports 4K/60fps passthrough, although that’s essentially useless for the Nintendo Switch.

But 4K compatibility isn’t constrained to Switch — this capture card is also compatible with PS5, Xbox Series X, and gaming PCs. As an added bonus, the LGP2’s plug-and-play functionality is powered by UVC technology, making it out-of-the-box compatible with Mac and PC for a seamless streaming experience.

2. Elgato HD60X

The best capture card for Nintendo Switch and other consoles

Elgato HD60X

2

The Elgato HD60 X is a classic capture card, and while its 1080p/60fps capabilities slightly outpace the Nintendo Switch, it gives a lot of freedom for this miniature handheld while also providing the flexibility for more powerful consoles. If you pair it with multiple consoles, it supports HDR recording and streaming, which adds a bit more value.

The Elgato HD60X is a diminutive capture card that will easily fit wherever you keep your console, but don’t let the size fool you. This capture device offers a ton of extra features, like HEVC encoding and flashback recording (meaning you can easily capture chilly gameplay moments even if you weren’t actively recording). And since all you really need for the HD60X is an HDMI cable, it’s compatible with pretty much every device under the sun.

3. Newhope Video Capture Card

Best Cheap Nintendo Switch Capture Card

Newhope Video Capture Card

1

There’s one problem with many of the capture cards on this list: they can be pretty pricey. If you want the cheapest option that still, you know, works, you should take a look at this capture card from Newhope — with some caveats, of course.

While it does have an HDMI input, its only output is USB, which goes to your computer. That’s great if you’re trying to employ your laptop or tablet as a gaming monitor for your Nintendo Switch, but not so much if you’re trying to stream. There’s a workaround: If you want to stream to your Nintendo Switch, all you need to do is buy an inexpensive HDMI splitter so you can send HDMI to both your capture device and your TV. It’s inelegant, but even with the cost of an HDMI splitter, it’s still the cheapest way to reliably stream from your Nintendo Switch.

And don’t worry about video quality. This capture card supports input resolutions of up to 3840×2160@30Hz and output resolutions of up to 1920×1080@60Hz. That’s certainly a discrepancy, but since the Nintendo Switch is already outputting 1080p/60fps, you’re not losing any quality here.

4. Razer Ripsaw HD

Best Pro Capture Card for Nintendo Switch

Razer Ripsaw HD

0

Audio is just as significant as video when streaming, but mixing game audio with voice commentary can be a bit of a pain, especially if you’re not comfortable doing it. That’s what makes the Razer Ripsaw HD such a great option. Right on the capture card, you’ll find a 3.5mm input and output, allowing you to plug in a microphone and monitor all your audio in real time without the lag that usually comes with recording audio on your PC.

Beyond that, the capture card supports 4K/60fps passthrough and can capture 1080p at 60fps. Again, that’s overkill for the Nintendo Switch, which can only output 1080p anyway, but it’s still a chilly feature, especially if you have other devices you want to stream from. Plus, the inclusion of HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity options ensures zero output lag and maximum detail retention.

5. Asus TUF CU4K30 Capture Card

The Best RGB Capture Card for Nintendo Switch

Asus TUF CU4K30 Capture Card

0

While the Asus TUF CU4k30 looks more like industrial hardware than something you’d employ to stream Tears of the Kingdom, it’s actually one of the best capture cards out there. This thing is incredibly adaptable, can record at up to 4K resolution at 120fps, and while that’s a bit of overkill for the Nintendo Switch, it does make it an incredibly future-proof capture card.

It also helps that the CU4k30 comes with two audio jacks on the front, which record audio directly to the device itself, rather than leaving you to record separately in OBS. But the real advantage of this Asus capture card is that you don’t have to worry about any annoying proprietary software to get it working. Just plug it in, fire up OBS, and you’re good to go. Plus, it has RGB lighting along the bottom of the device, which makes pretty much any device that much better, right?

Best Nintendo Switch Capture Cards FAQ

Does the capture card work with Nintendo Switch?

The Nintendo Switch should work with most capture cards. That’s because capture cards almost universally act as a middleman when connecting your console to your TV. You plug one HDMI cable into the card and another into your TV, and the capture card will be able to record any video information that passes through it — including your Nintendo Switch.

Can you stream content from Nintendo Switch without a capture card?

Unfortunately, while you can natively record brief snippets of gameplay on the Nintendo Switch, that’s about all you can do. If you want to stream or even record for longer than a minute, you’ll need to employ an external capture card.

What is the best video capture program for Switch?

The best video capture software for Switch is OBS Studio. It’s a free, open-source broadcasting software that allows users to stream to multiple platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook.

How to connect a capture card to Nintendo Switch?

With the Switch docked, plug an HDMI cable into the capture card’s HDMI input, then employ another HDMI cable to connect the output port to your TV. From there, most capture cards will require you to connect your device to your computer via USB and employ streaming software like X-Split or OBS to record and stream the video information.

Ural Garrett is a writer, photographer, and content curator based in Inglewood. Check him out at Uralg.com