AverMedia’s latest external capture card is ridiculous. The Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is a 4K capture card that already had VRR passthrough up to 144Hz, a convenient design, and a slew of recording features. Since I started using it, it's helped me produce some of the most breathtaking gameplay captures I’ve ever shot.
That was back when I reviewed it in February. Last week, I got an email telling me that a firmware update was improving its recording capabilities beyond 4K60, which is pretty much unheard of for external capture devices. Not only will it now record 4K footage up to 144Hz, but it now has 5.1 channel audio passthrough, and Windows Dynamic Lighting support for its RGB array. As if a software update wasn’t enough, this powerhouse of a device just dropped well below its MSRP at Amazon, going for $269.99 down from $299.99.
I’m excited for you to know about this because, in my eyes, the best capture card just got even better. It’s not often a firmware update for something like this is so significant but even rarer still is when that sort of update coincides with a price drop.
Now, in fairness, I’ll level with you. 4K144 recording capabilities are arguably overkill. VRR passthrough is going to be much more important for any creator, and the MJPEG files you’d be left with would devour even the best external hard drives for gaming. Regardless, one of the things I love most about this capture card is that it gives you so many options to record the exact spec of video you want. Having the option to record above 4K60 adds to that already extensive menu of settings, and will no doubt give you some futureproofing.
Should you buy the AverMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1?
I said the same thing when I reviewed this capture card, but not everyone needs a 4K capture card. I’ve been making gaming content on YouTube for just shy of a decade now, and I only just made the jump to 4K. If you aren’t a professional, 4K recordings probably aren’t practical - they take up a lot of storage space, they’ll require more power to edit, and the devices required to capture them are more expensive.
On the other hand, there’s no harm in futureproofing, even if you are just a hobbyist. This capture card will record from any HDMI device, so it’s versatile even for PC players. If you have a dual-PC setup for recording, an internal capture card would usually be the choice for you, but with a device this powerful, you’re giving yourself more practicality for recording in different scenarios.
AverMedia’s software is great in that it lets you choose your resolution, frame rates, audio channels, and makes it all easy to switch between thanks to presets. Granted, it isn’t perfect - I'd still like a way of knowing when a video was finished processing. Thankfully though, it hasn’t given me any glitches or crashes, which Elgato’s software has tripped me up with plenty of times over the years.
It’s also worth mentioning that the new 4K144 recording features will only work with Windows through the AverMedia software. If you’re trying to get that to work through OBS or Streamlabs, you’ll struggle. Similarly, if you’re on a Mac, you’ll be “limited” to 4K60.
In my eyes, this is the perfect external capture card for anyone looking to take their content creation to the next level. That was true before the latest firmware upgrade, but it’s even truer now. Plus, it’s not often the best gear for streaming goes cheap - save some money while you can!
For more streaming hardware, check out the best microphones for streaming and gaming, the best ring lights for streamers, and the best webcams.
