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The Nintendo Switch is incredibly popular, selling some 140 million consoles since 2016, but there’s one thing it lags behind in: streaming. Unlike the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X, the Nintendo Switch completely lacks any kind of native streaming solution, which means an external capture card is a must-have Nintendo Switch accessory for streamers.
Pretty much any capture card for Nintendo Switch will have to interface with the console externally and use broadcast software such as OBS Studios, which will run on your PC. There are dozens of capture cards out there that are technically compatible with the little portable console, but we went ahead and picked our favorites to help you out.
Considering the Switch is only able to capture about 30 seconds of gameplay, the AverMedia GC513 Live is perfect for anyone looking to record significantly more. It features lag-less passthrough technology for recording 1080p/60fps gameplay without delay, and supports 4K/ 60fps passthrough, even though that’s essentially worthless for the Nintendo Switch.
That 4K compatibility isn’t just for the Switch, though – this capture card is also compatible with the PS5, Xbox Series X and your gaming PC. As an added bonus, the LGP2's plug-and-play functionality is powered by UVC technology, making it instantly compatible with Macs and PCs for hassle-free streaming.
The Elgato HD60 X is a classic capture card, and while its 1080p/60fps capabilities outclass the Nintendo Switch a bit, it does give plenty of wiggle room for the little portable, while allowing for flexibility for more powerful consoles. Plus, if you do pair it with multiple consoles, it does support HDR recording and streaming, which adds to the value a bit.
The Elgato HD60X is a tiny little capture card, easily fitting anywhere you stow your console, but don't let the size fool you. This capture device features plenty of bonus features like HEVC encoding and flashback recording (which means you can easily capture cool gameplay moments even if you weren't actively recording.) And, because all you really need for the HD60X is an HDMI cable, it's compatible with basically any device under the sun.
There's one problem with a lot of capture cards on this list: They can get kind of expensive. If you want the cheapest option that still, you know, works, you should take a look at this capture card from Newhope – with caveats, of course.
If you're observant, you'll notice that while this has an HDMI input, the only output is USB, which goes to your computer. That's great if you're trying to use your laptop or tablet as a gaming monitor for the Nintendo Switch, not so much if you're trying to stream. But there's a way around that. If you want to stream the Nintendo Switch, all you have to do is pick up an inexpensive HDMI splitter so that you can have HDMI going both to the capture device and to your TV. It's inelegant, but even with the cost of an HDMI splitter, this is still the cheapest way to reliably stream from your Nintendo Switch.
And don't worry about video quality. This capture card supports up to 3840×2160@30Hz input and 1920×1080@60Hz output resolutions. That's a discrepancy for sure, but since the Nintendo Switch outputs at 1080p60 anyways, you're really not losing out on any quality here.
Audio is just as important as video when streaming, but it can be a bit cumbersome to mix game audio with vocal commentary, especially if you're not comfortable with it. This is what makes the Razer Ripsaw HD such a wonderful option. Right on the capture card, you'll find a 3.5mm input and output, allowing you to connect a microphone and monitor all your audio in real-time without the latency that usually gets added in when recording audio to your PC.
Beyond that, the capture card features 4K/60fps passthrough and can capture 1080p at 60fps. Again, that's overkill for the Nintendo Switch, which an only output at 1080p anyways, but it's still a nice feature to have, especially if you have other devices you want to stream from as well. Additionally, the inclusion of HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity options guarantees zero latency output and maximum detail retention.
While the Asus TUF CU4k30 kind of looks like some piece of industrial equipment, rather than something you'd use to stream Tears of the Kingdom, this is actually one of the best capture cards around. This thing is extremely flexible, able to record up to 4K resolutions at up to 120 fps, and while that's a bit overboard for the Nintendo Switch, this makes it an extremely future-proof capture card.
It also helps that the CU4k30 is equipped with dual audio jacks in the front, which directly records audio on the device itself, rather than leaving you to record seperately in OBS. But the real highlight of this Asus capture card is that you don't need to worry about dealing with annoying proprietary software to get it running. Just plug it in, run OBS and you're good to go. Couldn't be easier. Plus, it has RGB lighting along the bottom edge of the device, which makes pretty much any device just that much better, doesn't it?
Does capture card work with Nintendo Switch?
The Nintendo Switch should work with most capture cards. This is because capture cards almost universally work by acting as a go-between when plugging the console into the TV. You plug one HDMI cable into the card and another one into the TV, and the capture card will be able to record any video information that passes through it – including the Nintendo Switch.
Can you stream your Nintendo Switch without a capture card?
Unfortunately, while you can record brief tidbits of gameplay natively on the Nintendo Switch, that's all you can do. If you want to do any streaming or even recordings longer than a minute, you'll have to use an external capture card.
What is the best video capture software for Switch?
The best video capture software for the 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 do you connect a capture card to a Nintendo Switch?
While the Switch is docked, connect an HDMI cable to the capture card's input HDMI, then use a different HDMI cable to connect from the output port to your TV. From there, most capture cards will need you to connect the device to your PC through USB, and use streaming software like X-Split or OBS to record and stream your video information.
Ural Garrett is an Inglewood-based writer, photographer, and content curator. Check him out at Uralg.com
TL;DR - These are the Best Capture Cards for the Nintendo Switch
- AVerMedia GC513 Live Gamer Portable 2
- Elgato HD60 X
- Newhope Video Capture Card
- Razer Ripsaw HD
- Asus TUF CU4K30 Capture Card
Pretty much any capture card for Nintendo Switch will have to interface with the console externally and use broadcast software such as OBS Studios, which will run on your PC. There are dozens of capture cards out there that are technically compatible with the little portable console, but we went ahead and picked our favorites to help you out.
The Best Capture Cards for Nintendo Switch:
1.AVerMedia GC513 Live Gamer Portable 2
The best capture card for Nintendo Switch
Considering the Switch is only able to capture about 30 seconds of gameplay, the AverMedia GC513 Live is perfect for anyone looking to record significantly more. It features lag-less passthrough technology for recording 1080p/60fps gameplay without delay, and supports 4K/ 60fps passthrough, even though that’s essentially worthless for the Nintendo Switch.
That 4K compatibility isn’t just for the Switch, though – this capture card is also compatible with the PS5, Xbox Series X and your gaming PC. As an added bonus, the LGP2's plug-and-play functionality is powered by UVC technology, making it instantly compatible with Macs and PCs for hassle-free streaming.
2. Elgato HD60 X
Best capture card for Nintendo Switch and other consoles
The Elgato HD60 X is a classic capture card, and while its 1080p/60fps capabilities outclass the Nintendo Switch a bit, it does give plenty of wiggle room for the little portable, while allowing for flexibility for more powerful consoles. Plus, if you do pair it with multiple consoles, it does support HDR recording and streaming, which adds to the value a bit.
The Elgato HD60X is a tiny little capture card, easily fitting anywhere you stow your console, but don't let the size fool you. This capture device features plenty of bonus features like HEVC encoding and flashback recording (which means you can easily capture cool gameplay moments even if you weren't actively recording.) And, because all you really need for the HD60X is an HDMI cable, it's compatible with basically any device under the sun.
3. Newhope Video Capture Card
Best cheap Nintendo Switch capture card
There's one problem with a lot of capture cards on this list: They can get kind of expensive. If you want the cheapest option that still, you know, works, you should take a look at this capture card from Newhope – with caveats, of course.
If you're observant, you'll notice that while this has an HDMI input, the only output is USB, which goes to your computer. That's great if you're trying to use your laptop or tablet as a gaming monitor for the Nintendo Switch, not so much if you're trying to stream. But there's a way around that. If you want to stream the Nintendo Switch, all you have to do is pick up an inexpensive HDMI splitter so that you can have HDMI going both to the capture device and to your TV. It's inelegant, but even with the cost of an HDMI splitter, this is still the cheapest way to reliably stream from your Nintendo Switch.
And don't worry about video quality. This capture card supports up to 3840×2160@30Hz input and 1920×1080@60Hz output resolutions. That's a discrepancy for sure, but since the Nintendo Switch outputs at 1080p60 anyways, you're really not losing out on any quality here.
4. Razer Ripsaw HD
Best pro capture card for Nintendo Switch
Audio is just as important as video when streaming, but it can be a bit cumbersome to mix game audio with vocal commentary, especially if you're not comfortable with it. This is what makes the Razer Ripsaw HD such a wonderful option. Right on the capture card, you'll find a 3.5mm input and output, allowing you to connect a microphone and monitor all your audio in real-time without the latency that usually gets added in when recording audio to your PC.
Beyond that, the capture card features 4K/60fps passthrough and can capture 1080p at 60fps. Again, that's overkill for the Nintendo Switch, which an only output at 1080p anyways, but it's still a nice feature to have, especially if you have other devices you want to stream from as well. Additionally, the inclusion of HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity options guarantees zero latency output and maximum detail retention.
5. Asus TUF CU4K30 Capture Card
Best RGB capture card for Nintendo Switch
While the Asus TUF CU4k30 kind of looks like some piece of industrial equipment, rather than something you'd use to stream Tears of the Kingdom, this is actually one of the best capture cards around. This thing is extremely flexible, able to record up to 4K resolutions at up to 120 fps, and while that's a bit overboard for the Nintendo Switch, this makes it an extremely future-proof capture card.
It also helps that the CU4k30 is equipped with dual audio jacks in the front, which directly records audio on the device itself, rather than leaving you to record seperately in OBS. But the real highlight of this Asus capture card is that you don't need to worry about dealing with annoying proprietary software to get it running. Just plug it in, run OBS and you're good to go. Couldn't be easier. Plus, it has RGB lighting along the bottom edge of the device, which makes pretty much any device just that much better, doesn't it?
FAQ
Does capture card work with Nintendo Switch?
The Nintendo Switch should work with most capture cards. This is because capture cards almost universally work by acting as a go-between when plugging the console into the TV. You plug one HDMI cable into the card and another one into the TV, and the capture card will be able to record any video information that passes through it – including the Nintendo Switch.
Can you stream your Nintendo Switch without a capture card?
Unfortunately, while you can record brief tidbits of gameplay natively on the Nintendo Switch, that's all you can do. If you want to do any streaming or even recordings longer than a minute, you'll have to use an external capture card.
What is the best video capture software for Switch?
The best video capture software for the 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 do you connect a capture card to a Nintendo Switch?
While the Switch is docked, connect an HDMI cable to the capture card's input HDMI, then use a different HDMI cable to connect from the output port to your TV. From there, most capture cards will need you to connect the device to your PC through USB, and use streaming software like X-Split or OBS to record and stream your video information.
Ural Garrett is an Inglewood-based writer, photographer, and content curator. Check him out at Uralg.com
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