The Elgato 4K S is among the best streaming solutions available for most users, bar none. As videogame consoles continue to push into high-end PC territory, Elgato has kept pace—offering high-quality capture devices that match the growing bandwidth demands of modern HDMI standards.
I recently picked up a great deal on the Elgato 4K X, which has become my go-to device for feeding console footage into Windows—especially when experimenting with frame generation software. Like the 4K X, the Elgato 4K S features most of the same high-bandwidth capabilities as its higher-end sibling. It uses the same sleek chassis and shares identical dimensions (4.6 x 2.8 x 0.7 inches), making it perfectly portable.
Where the 4K X offers 4K 144 fps capture and HDR encoding at 4K 30 fps, the Elgato 4K S delivers 4K 120 fps capture and 1080p 60 fps with HDR enabled. In short, the only difference between the 4K S and the 4K X is bandwidth—HDMI 2.0 versus HDMI 2.1.
“The Elgato 4K S is among the best streaming solutions available for most users, bar none.”
For the vast majority of users, the Elgato 4K S provides uncompromising performance for capturing gameplay footage. These dedicated external capture cards are primarily used with home consoles, and as it stands, the 4K S can max out even the PlayStation 5 Pro—HDR content aside. And while Elgato hasn’t explicitly said so, the 4K S seems built with the Nintendo Switch 2 in mind.
Nintendo’s recently released console ups the ante, offering 4K resolution and HDR image options. While it unfortunately lacks VRR support when docked, most games top out at either 4K 60 fps or 1080p at 120 fps—making it a great match for the Elgato 4K S capture device.
Setting up the Elgato 4K S is a breeze. Simply connect the included HDMI cable and plug the device into your setup. Clearly labelled input and output ports make the process quick and painless. A single USB-C port handles both power and data transfer when connected to a PC, and there’s also a 3.5 mm jack for audio passthrough. Like earlier models, the Elgato 4K S supports not only Elgato’s own software suite but also popular streaming tools like OBS.
“Setting up the Elgato 4K S is a breeze.”
For testing, I focused mainly on Nintendo Switch 2 capture, with a bit of PlayStation 5 testing, which I’ll get to shortly. On the Switch 2 side, I tested several first-party releases—including Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza—as well as some original Switch titles like Astral Chain, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
After the Nintendo Switch 2 prompted a quick HDR recalibration upon detecting the Elgato 4K S, I was ready to go. Opening the Elgato 4K capture software initializes the device and displays a live feed of the active input. Both HDR and SDR content looked identical to the native output on my television, which I use for both console and PC play. Capturing footage was just as smooth—thanks to the USB-C connection, I experienced no observable latency or frame drops.
Eagle-eyed readers may notice that the legacy Switch games I mentioned in testing are all titles that currently don’t benefit from performance upgrades on the Nintendo Switch 2—they still run at 30 fps. I’m not a streamer, nor do I create video content, but I continue to use Elgato hardware because it offers a 1:1 feed, making it ideal for pairing with frame generation tools like Lossless Scaling on PC. It’s a niche use case, for sure—but if you’re like me and want to see how older Switch titles might look running at 60 fps or higher, the Elgato 4K S is a fantastic option.
The Switch 2 delivers a more stable 30 fps experience on legacy titles, and when combined with the Elgato 4K S and Lossless Scaling, the result is transformative for certain games—Age of Calamity and Legends Arceus in particular. For me, that alone makes the device worthwhile, even before considering its already excellent recording performance.
In conclusion, the Elgato 4K S is a solid, sleek game capture device that ticks all the right boxes for most content creators and streamers. And for Nintendo Switch 2 owners, it’s an especially perfect fit.
