Picture formats
Read HDR, VRR and high-refresh tables carefully
Video specifications are combinations, not a list of independent badges. HDR support may apply only to passthrough, only to a lower capture resolution, or only on one operating system. A high-refresh mode can require a faster USB connection or a particular codec. Variable refresh rate describes a display path and does not mean a recording file contains VRR.
Ask where HDR is preserved
Check separate fields for HDR passthrough and HDR capture. The first describes what can continue to a compatible display. The second describes what reaches the computer as an HDR recording or stream. Tone-mapping converts an HDR source for an SDR workflow; it can be useful, but it is not an HDR master. A per-platform note may say that Windows supports HDR capture while Mac or iPad captures a tone-mapped SDR image.
Check the exact refresh rate at the exact resolution
“240 fps” without a resolution is incomplete. A card may pass 1080p240 but capture at a lower frame rate, or capture a high-frame-rate source only with a particular codec or bus. Read the row that matches the resolution and destination. If the available tables separate capture from passthrough, preserve that separation in your decision.
VRR needs a source, card and display path
VRR can depend on a console or GPU setting, a compatible monitor and the capture device's pass-through implementation. Even when the card supports VRR passthrough, the capture app may receive a fixed frame-rate output. Do not infer a VRR recording format from a VRR passthrough badge. Check the device's exact mode chart and the display's support range.
Use the model's own support page
The Elgato Game Capture 4K S resolution page distinguishes passthrough and capture tables, identifies codec choices and notes that available modes vary with USB port type. It also limits HDR capture to OBS Studio at up to 1080p60 on Windows while listing HDR passthrough up to 4K60. These details illustrate why a single “4K HDR” label is not enough to choose a host/app workflow.
Before ordering, record the exact model and revision, source mode, desired display mode, capture mode, operating system, app and USB/PCIe connection. Verify that the source table or manual supports the combination. If it does not, choose a lower setting that is explicitly named or seek confirmation from the manufacturer.
Answer the passthrough choices
4K60 passthrough
Twenty-seven reviewed models document a 4K60 display-passthrough route, including Razer Ripsaw HD alongside capture cards whose recording ceilings are different. The Ripsaw HD review treats that 4K60 figure only as pass-through and keeps recording at a conservative 1080p60 plan; compare the single-output Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus LT and dual-output Dual HDMI 4K Plus LT for different PCIe/loop configurations. Check the exact input, display and HDCP conditions. Find models documenting 4K60 display passthrough.
The HDMI 4K Pro and SDI 4K Pro each have a documented 4K60 loop-through path, but their separate capture plans are not combined with the loop path here.
The Neo is an explicit 4K60 HDR display / 1080p60 capture example, while the 4K X serves higher-refresh workflows. GC553Pro and GC553G2 list 4K60 HDR/VRR pass-through, and the GC551G2 lists 4K60 HDR passthrough but captures only up to 4K30, not 4K60. GC311G2 specifies 4K60 HDR passthrough alongside a 1080p60 capture ceiling. GC575, GC573 and GC571 also list this display-path mode, but their capture ceiling and PCIe requirements differ. The GC313Pro accepts USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode source video and outputs HDMI; HDMI-input GC531 and GC535 have distinct capture and display mode tables. The GC570D has a 4K60 HDR display path but records only up to 1080p60, with HDR recording listed for Input 1 alone. Magewell's HDMI Plus accepts 4Kp60 4:2:0 for a lower 2K capture stream; the separate HDMI 4K Plus uses an HDMI 2.0 4K60 loop-through path with its own lower recording table. Do not interpret either as 4K60 recording. A display-path HDR label is not the same as HDR in the recorded file.
Magewell Pro Capture AIO 4K (11170), AIO 4K Plus (11140) and Pro Capture DVI (11030) list capture inputs but no monitor output, so they do not meet a passthrough requirement. Their capture rates—including the Plus model's HDMI 4K60 mode—must not be mistaken for display passthrough.
The AVerMedia GC515 documents a 4K60 display-passthrough route from a USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode source when the source uses DP 1.4; its HDMI connector is display output, not a capture input, and simultaneous recording is limited to 1080p60. Find every model documenting 4K60 passthrough.
1440p144 passthrough
Decision: Thirteen current-reference models document 1440p144 display passthrough. Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus LT (11152) is the new PCIe example: Magewell's model-specific workflow imports an EDID configuration and uses its loop-through output. GC570D, GC531, GC535 and the other models have their own input-generation and HDR/VRR conditions; compare capture separately.
For the Magewell EDID-dependent route, see the 11152 LT review before treating 1440p144 as plug-and-play; the finder match identifies a documented supported arrangement, not a guarantee for every source/display.
Use the 4K X or 4K S assessment to compare external USB installation with the internal 4K Pro. GC553Pro and GC553G2 also list this display mode; the GC311G2 adds a 1440p144 HDR pass-through row but not 1440p144 recording. The GC575 and GC573 list 1440p144 display output on internal PCIe plans. GC571 is not counted at 1440p144 because the current product page and datasheet list 1440p60, despite an older guide's 1440p144 entry. HDMI 2.0 model GC531 and the HDMI 2.0 default mode of GC535 also list this display rate; the latter's separate HDMI 2.1 selection is needed for higher-rate modes. The GC570D adds another 1440p144 output path, but captures only up to 1080p60. The Magewell HDMI 4K Plus also documents 1440p144 loop-through while its technical capture table lists 1440p60, not 1440p144. Check HDR and the display's actual input path separately.
1080p240 passthrough
Decision: Thirteen current-reference models document 1080p240 passthrough, including GC570D, GC531 and GC535; confirm the selected HDMI mode, HDR/VRR conditions and separate capture rate.
Compare the desktop 4K Pro with the external 4K X or 4K S. GC553Pro and GC553G2 also document 1080p240 pass-through; the GC551G2 lists that output-path rate while its capture table stops at 1080p60. GC311G2 lists this high-refresh display path while capturing only up to 1080p60. GC575, GC573 and GC571 also list this passthrough mode, but GC571's capture maximum is only 4K30/1080p120. The GC531 documents the mode on its HDMI 2.0 path; GC535 has it in both default HDMI 2.0 and selected HDMI 2.1 tables. The GC570D adds an HDMI 2.0 pass-through output at 1080p240, but its maximum capture is 1080p60. Confirm the display and source support the required rate.
4K120 passthrough
Decision: Five current-reference models document 4K120 passthrough, including GC535 when its HDMI 2.1 mode is selected; the HDMI 2.0 default is limited to 4K60.
The GC575 is an internal HDMI 2.1 PCIe card; the 4K Pro uses PCIe, the 4K X uses USB, and GC553G2 adds an external HDMI 2.1 route. GC535 reaches 4K120 with its HDMI 2.1 setting rather than the default HDMI 2.0 route. Check source/display capability, HDR, DSC behavior and the capture target independently.
1440p240 passthrough
Decision: Five current-reference models document 1440p240 passthrough; GC535 reaches this display mode through its selected HDMI 2.1 configuration, not the 1440p144 HDMI 2.0 default path.
Review GC575 for the HDMI 2.1 PCIe route and its 1440p240 capture/passthrough matrix, or the 4K X and 4K Pro for external USB and desktop PCIe alternatives; GC553G2 also lists this display-path mode. The GC535 reaches 1440p240 only after selecting HDMI 2.1; its default HDMI 2.0 passthrough table tops out at 1440p144. Neither label alone guarantees a recording at that rate.
4K144 passthrough
Decision: Five current-reference models document 4K144 passthrough, including GC535 after selecting HDMI 2.1; its default HDMI 2.0 path is limited to 4K60.
Compare the GC575, 4K X and 4K Pro by host slot, cable and exact display compatibility. GC553G2 also lists 4K144 HDR/VRR, but some DSC monitor arrangements may fall to 4K120; GC575's manufacturer page makes a similar DSC caveat. GC535 needs the HDMI 2.1 selection for 4K144 rather than its default HDMI 2.0 mode. Keep HDR, capture mode and passthrough mode distinct when checking the source table.
4K240 passthrough
Decision: The 4K Pro is the sole reviewed model in this library documenting 4K240 passthrough, and the figure is a display-path ceiling rather than a capture mode.
Check the host's PCIe requirements and the source, cable and display's supported 4K240 chain before buying. The 4K Pro assessment separates this passthrough plan from capture modes.
8K60 passthrough
Decision: 4K Pro is the only reviewed model documenting 8K60 passthrough; its 8K figure does not describe 8K recording to the computer.
Confirm that the source and display both support the intended 8K60 signal and check the product-specific mode conditions. The 4K Pro review keeps this output path apart from its captured-file options.
Answer the HDR-recording choices
Windows HDR recording up to 1080p60
Blackmagic's HDR metadata, HLG/PQ or HDMI HDR references do not establish a rate-specific 1080p60 HDR recording plan for Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G or DeckLink 8K Pro G2.
Decision: Fourteen current-reference models document a Windows HDR capture mode up to 1080p60, including standalone AJA KONA X, KONA 4 and KONA HDMI Control Room metadata-capture plans, GC570D on Input 1, GC531/GC535 matrix-supported 1080p60 cells and Magewell HDMI 4K Pro's SDK-only HDR route; a display HDR maximum alone is not an HDR-recording match.
The HDMI 4K Pro review explains why its 1080p60 HDR row requires direct SDK support rather than ordinary OBS/UVC capture. AJA's KONA HDMI review separately covers Control Room HDR-metadata capture; that is not an OBS promise or a display-passthrough claim.
For the external path, compare 4K S and 4K X; the 4K Pro is the PCIe alternative. Standalone KONA 4 is a professional SDI route: AJA documents Control Room capture of HDR metadata in a `.mov` file, but this guide assigns only a Windows 1080p60 plan, not 4K60 HDR or an OBS HDR plan. GC553Pro documents this Windows HDR ceiling but not at 4K60 capture; GC553G2 has selected HDR rows in its Windows matrix. Camera-oriented BU113G2 also lists Windows-only 1080p60 P010 HDR10, but the checked sources do not establish an OBS/HDR mode pairing. The GC575, GC531 and GC535 matrices add 1080p60 HDR capture cells for supported input modes; their software, USB and matrix pairing still needs checking. The new GC570D adds 1080p60 HDR capture on Input 1 only; Input 2 lacks an HDR claim, and the card's 4K60 HDR figure describes its separate display output. HDR passthrough is not the same as an HDR recording file.
Find models documenting 1080p60 HDR capture on Windows
For Windows SDI 1080p60 HDR recording in Control Room, two reviewed models match: standalone KONA 4 and KONA X. AJA's Control Room HDR Capture settings affect metadata saved with the video; neither row is a blanket OBS or 4K60 HDR mode. Find this same SDI/1080p60/Windows/PCIe/Control Room/HDR setup.
No reviewed plan establishes simultaneous Windows SDI 1080p60 HDR capture in OBS; KONA 4 and KONA X have Control Room-specific HDR-metadata plans, not OBS HDR plans. Their OBS format compatibility does not prove HDR recording. Check this exact SDI/1080p60/Windows/PCIe/OBS/HDR combination.
Windows HDR recording up to 1080p120
Blackmagic's general HDR and transfer-characteristic listings do not establish 1080p120 HDR capture for Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G or DeckLink 8K Pro G2; that rate requires an exact capture-mode pairing, not a general HDR flag.
Decision: Six current-reference models document Windows HDR capture up to 1080p120, including GC535's matrix-marked row and Magewell HDMI 4K Pro's SDK-only 10-bit mode; compare the exact USB tier, source format and capture app.
For the Magewell result, see the HDMI 4K Pro assessment; it does not turn the general OBS compatibility listing into an HDR/OBS mode.
The 4K X offers an external USB path and the 4K Pro an internal PCIe path. GC553G2, GC575 and GC535 have matrix-marked Windows HDR modes; GC553G2's 4K144 capture maximum and GC535's 4K60 capture row are separate SDR Streaming Center/NV12 cases. Check source format, app and GPU requirements rather than assuming all 1080p120 modes are HDR.
4K60 HDR recording
For Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G and DeckLink 8K Pro G2, HDR metadata or signal support is not a verified 4K60 HDR recording mode. Their HDMI output sockets likewise do not document a 4K60 input-to-display route.
Decision: Nine current-reference products document a 4K60 HDR capture arrangement: Elgato 4K Pro, AVerMedia GC573, AJA KONA X and KONA HDMI through Windows Control Room metadata capture, Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro through direct SDK software, Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus (11150), Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus LT (11152) and Dual HDMI 4K Plus LT (11260) through their applicable Capture Express/SDK paths, and UltraStudio 4K Mini. For both KONA models, these are app-dependent recording routes, not HDMI display-through claims. For both new LT models, HDR capture is a separate Windows plan from the general OBS path; 11260's two-channel SDR statement is not a dual-channel HDR-encoding guarantee. Eco Capture HDMI 4K Plus M.2 supports HDR10 input but lacks a documented HDR recording workflow. The AIO 4K Plus (11140) is not added because its 4K60 HDMI and HDR10 features are documented separately, not as one simultaneous HDR capture mode.
Read the USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro review, part 11150 review, 11152 LT assessment, 11260 LT assessment and AIO 4K Plus (11140) assessment before treating a Magewell HDR workflow as a confirmed match; its Capture Express/SDK path is distinct from OBS, and 11140's exact 4K60 HDR combination remains unverified.
Do not substitute a 4K60 HDR passthrough claim: the captured file needs its own supported record mode. Check the 4K Pro and GC573 assessments for host, software and source restrictions before relying on either result. GC575's 4K60 capture matrix is SDR-only.
Pro Capture AIO 4K Plus (11140) is not added to the broad 4K60 HDR set: Magewell lists its 2160p60 HDMI capture and HDR10 workflow separately, without confirming the combined mode. Keep its HDR Capture Express/SDK route distinct from OBS, and do not infer 4K60 HDR recording on the base AIO 4K or DVI card either.
Format boundary: The current nine-product 4K60 HDR set includes the UltraStudio 4K Mini, for which Blackmagic lists 8/10-bit HDR capture through 4K DCI 60p and a separate 12-bit HDR limit at 30p, plus AJA's KONA X and KONA HDMI Control Room metadata paths. Do not combine the UltraStudio's 12-bit and 60p limits into an unsupported mode or turn either KONA capture workflow into a display-through claim.
4K60 HDR capture with OBS on Windows
The Intensity Pro 4K, DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G and DeckLink 8K Pro G2 do not have a reviewed HDMI/4K60/Windows/OBS HDR recording plan. The G2's HDMI HDR support and the other cards' HLG/PQ or metadata entries are not substitutes for that exact application-and-mode pairing.
Decision: For 4K60 HDR recording with OBS, Windows and unencrypted HDMI, Elgato 4K Pro and AVerMedia GC573 remain the two supported matches. Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro, Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus (11152) and Dual HDMI 4K Plus LT (11260) are excluded because their documented HDR paths require SDK/Capture Express software rather than the general OBS plan; the 11260 assessment also does not claim two simultaneous HDR-encoded channels. Eco Capture HDMI 4K Plus M.2 has HDR10 input support but no documented HDR recording mode.
The 4K Pro and GC573 assessments explain their distinct supported plans; GC573 requires its documented NVIDIA-capable Windows tier. GC575's 4K60 capture matrix is SDR-only, so its HDR/VRR passthrough does not satisfy the HDR-file requirement.
The newly reviewed AIO 4K Plus (11140) is excluded from this exact OBS interaction because its HDR route uses Capture Express or SDK with HDR-capable EDID, not the general OBS plan. It also is not a confirmed 4K60 HDR match on another application: Magewell documents its HDMI 4K60 and HDR10 support separately. Its 4K60 capture route is HDMI-only; the SDI 4K ceiling is 30fps. The base AIO 4K (11170) and DVI (11030) likewise do not carry a documented 4K60 HDR tag.
1080p60 HDR with Windows OBS
Decision: Nine reviewed models document a Windows/OBS 1080p60 HDR capture plan: 4K Pro, 4K S, 4K X, GC553Pro, GC553G2, GC575, GC531, GC535 and GC570D. The GC570D match is Input 1 only; Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro and Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus each have a separate SDK/Capture Express HDR path rather than an OBS HDR plan, while Eco Capture's HDR10 input is not a documented HDR recording row. HDR passthrough does not substitute for a recorded-file mode.
The 4K S and 4K X are external USB options; the 4K Pro is PCIe. GC553Pro caps its conservative HDR plan at 1080p60; GC553G2 has a corresponding Windows matrix row, and GC575 adds an input-specific 1080p60 HDR cell with the supported OBS-plugin workflow. The GC531 and GC535 also match through specific HDR-marked input/output cells, not by inheriting their general passthrough claims. The GC570D has a manufacturer-listed Windows OBS workflow for its dual-input card; the supported 1080p60 HDR plan is Input 1, not Input 2. The BU113G2's Windows HDR format is not carried into the separate OBS plan, so it is excluded from this exact combination. Compare the source-mode and GPU/app requirements in each assessment.
1080p120 HDR with Windows OBS
Decision: Five current-reference models document the combined Windows/OBS 1080p120 HDR path: 4K Pro, 4K X, GC553G2, GC575 and GC535. GC535 contributes a matrix-marked 1080p120 HDR row; neither Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro nor Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus turns a separate SDK/Capture Express HDR path into an OBS match, and Eco Capture has no documented HDR recording mode. These product limits remain distinct from their SDR capture rows.
The 4K Pro and 4K X use different host connections; GC553G2, GC575 and GC535 add Windows matrix HDR cells. GC553G2 does not give OBS its separate 4K144 Streaming Center maximum, and GC575's 4K120/144 capture is also Streaming Center-only. Confirm the source and exact supported capture setup before assuming a standard-SDR 1080p120 mode preserves HDR.