What’s the difference between Elgato Game Capture 4K X and 4K Pro

Game Capture 4K X and Game Capture 4K Pro both pass HDMI 2.1 signals through to your TV or monitor, so you can play at high refresh rates while you record or stream. The right one comes down to three things: the computer you're connecting to, whether you want to capture in HDR, and which frame rates matter to you.

This comparison covers how they connect, what they pass through, what they capture, and which setups each one fits. If you're also considering a more compact USB option, see how 4K S compares to 4K X.

First, here’s a table with a high-level comparison before we dive into the details.

Want every supported resolution, frame rate, and format? See the full lists for 4K X and 4K Pro.

4K X plugs in over USB-C, so it goes wherever you do: a laptop, a desktop, even an iPad. 4K Pro is a PCIe card that lives inside a desktop PC, in any open x4, x8, or x16 slot.

To get everything 4K X can do, plug it into a 10Gbps USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2). Slower ports still work. You just give up some formats:

• 5Gbps (USB 3.0 or USB 3.2 Gen 1): compressed capture still reaches 4K144, but uncompressed capture drops to 4K30, and 4K30 HDR isn't available.
• USB 2.0: capture tops out at 1080p120.

4K Pro skips the port question entirely. All it needs is a free slot.

If you're on a laptop or iPad, or you move your setup around, go with 4K X. If you have a Windows desktop or run a two-PC streaming setup, 4K Pro is the better fit.

Both cards have HDMI 2.1 (40Gbps) in and out. Your game runs through the card and on to your TV or monitor without added lag, and what you play at is separate from what you record. If that distinction is new to you, our explainer on passthrough vs capture breaks it down.

Both pass through HDR10 and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), plus Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). On PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, or Xbox Series X|S, you can keep playing at 4K120 with HDR on a compatible display.

4K X passes through up to 4K144, 1440p240, and 1080p240. 4K Pro goes further, up to 4K240 and 8K60, which matters if you game on a high-end PC monitor or an 8K TV.

Neither card supports Display Stream Compression (DSC). If your monitor relies on DSC for its top refresh rate, you'll get a lower mode through the card.

4K X still gives you options: 4K30, 1440p60, or 1080p120 in HDR. It scales the signal for you, so you can play PlayStation 5 at 4K120 HDR and record at whichever of those fits your video.

On current firmware, 4K Pro also records HDR at 1440p240 and 1080p360. One thing to note, when the input is 4K120 HDR, 4K Pro's HDR capture drops to 1080p120. For full 4K120, record in SDR.

HDR capture works on Windows only, and requires an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 series GPU or newer. When you're ready to try it, here's how to record HDR gameplay with OBS Studio.

If 4K30 HDR is enough for you, 4K X has you covered. For 4K60 HDR, you'll want 4K Pro.

At 4K, 4K X captures the higher frame rate: up to 4K144, compared with 4K120 on 4K Pro. Drop to 1440p and both reach 240fps. At 1080p, 4K Pro goes further, up to 360fps, for competitive PC games.

Recording an HDR source in SDR? Both cards tone map the signal on the device before it reaches your computer. You get SDR video that works in any streaming or recording app, and your PC doesn't do the conversion work. Learn more about how HDR tone mapping works, or read our take on whether to record in HDR or SDR.

Before you pick a recording format, keep these in mind:

• 4K X at 4K120 and 4K144 records in MJPG, a compressed format. Uncompressed capture on 4K X goes up to 4K60.
• 4K Pro at 4K120 records in 8-bit SDR.
• 4K Pro can't capture inputs above 4K120 (4K144, 4K240, or 8K60). They still pass through to your display. To record, set your source to 4K120 or lower.

Playing PlayStation 5 at 4K120 HDR? Either card can record full 4K120 in SDR while you keep playing in HDR.

Both 4K X and 4K Pro support HDR tonemapping. Tonemapping is the process by which an HDR10 signal with its expanded 10bit color, wide color gamut and per-pixel brightness information is converted to standard dynamic range or SDR. Both 4K X and 4K Pro have hardware onboard to do the tonemapping on-device, freeing up precious computer resources and ensuring compatibility with software that does not support HDR video input.

4K X has one port 4K Pro doesn't: a 3.5mm line in. Pair it with Chat Link Pro and you can record party or lobby chat from PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch alongside your game audio.

4K Pro sits inside your PC, so there's no line in on the card. Plug Chat Link Pro into your PC's line-in or mic input instead. Our Chat Link Pro guide covers the setup.

Choose 4K X if you:

• Use a laptop, Mac, or iPad, or move your setup between machines
• Want the highest SDR frame rate at 4K (4K144)
• Capture console gameplay and want a line-in for party chat

Choose 4K Pro if you:

• Have a Windows desktop with a free PCIe slot
• Want to capture 4K60 HDR
• Play on a 4K240 or 8K60 display, or want 1080p360 capture for competitive PC games
• Record ultrawide PC gameplay, up to 5120×2160

Still comparing? Our guide to choosing the right Elgato capture card lines up the full range, including smaller USB options.