AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1 GC575 review

The Live Gamer 4K 2.1 GC575 is AVerMedia’s internal HDMI 2.1 capture card for a Windows desktop. Its headline—4K144 passthrough and capture up to 4K144—needs careful unpacking: the manufacturer limits 4K144 recording to Streaming Center, restricts the supported input-to-capture combinations in a model-specific table, and warns that a display using DSC can reduce the passthrough ceiling to 4K120. This assessment is based on current manufacturer material, not hands-on use or performance testing.

What the GC575 adds to the signal path

Compared with AVerMedia’s HDMI 2.0 GC573 and GC571, the GC575 uses HDMI 2.1 in/out and a PCIe Gen 3 x4 host connection. A desktop with a suitable electrical slot is therefore part of the purchase, as is a current Windows x64 setup; it is not a portable USB option. The official GC575 specification page lists 4K144, 3440×1440 at 120 Hz, 1440p240 and 1080p360 passthrough with HDR/VRR support. It gives a maximum capture resolution of 4K144, with 4K144 capture available only in Streaming Center. The page also describes 4K120 capture as an added Streaming Center mode.

That wording should not be read as a universal simultaneous maximum. AVerMedia’s GC553G2/GC575 resolution matrix maps input/passthrough mode columns to capture outputs and marks whether a cell can be SDR or SDR/HDR. For example, 4K144 capture is listed from a 4K144 input, while 4K120 capture is listed from 4K144 or 4K120 input. The 4K60 capture cells are SDR; a 4K60 display path with HDR does not make the captured file 4K60 HDR. The table instead marks HDR capture in several lower recording modes, including 4K30 and selected 1440p/1080p outputs. Check the exact source/display column and capture row rather than pairing separate maxima by intuition.

Where this model is a strong shortlist candidate

The GC575 is the AVerMedia choice to examine when a Windows desktop, internal PCIe slot and HDMI 2.1 chain are all acceptable, especially for high-refresh display passthrough or a specifically supported 4K120/144 capture setup. Its matrix offers more useful planning detail than a single maximum number because it makes the source mode part of the answer. The manufacturer says the 4K144 capture route uses Streaming Center; an OBS plug-in is also named, but that does not transfer every Streaming Center-only mode to OBS. Test your intended app workflow against the latest driver and software documentation before buying for an exact mode.

For audio, AVerMedia lists 5.1-channel capture in Streaming Center and Streaming Center Plug for OBS on Windows, while LPCM is stereo. That distinction matters if a multichannel recording is essential; a broad “surround sound” label does not establish every codec or application route. Protected HDCP content is not supported for capture, recording or streaming. Ordinary unencrypted HDMI is the relevant source scope.

Installation limits and compatibility checks

PCIe Gen 3 x4 is the physical and electrical requirement to check in the desktop manual. Confirm that the intended slot has the required lanes, is not disabled or bandwidth-shared in a way that conflicts with the graphics card, and leaves room for the card. The product is specified for Windows, not macOS or iPadOS. A 2026 quick-start guide documents the internal installation and HDMI 2.1 connections; the manufacturer recommends using the supplied cables and checking that both source and display support the intended HDMI path.

DSC is a material caveat for a 4K144 display chain: AVerMedia warns that the maximum pass-through may become 4K120 with a DSC monitor. That limitation is about the display path and should not be confused with the separate capture ceiling. Verify the source console or PC, display input, HDMI cable, color format, refresh rate, HDR state and capture application as one planned setup.

GC575 versus the GC573 and GC571

The older GC573 is an HDMI 2.0 PCIe Gen 2 x4 card with a documented 4K60 HDR capture/pass-through route and lower 1440p144 and 1080p240 ceilings; it may be a better fit if 4K120/144 display modes are unnecessary. The GC571 trades those higher recording modes for a PCIe Gen 3 x1 card with 4K30 capture and up to 1080p120 capture, while its 4K60 figure belongs to passthrough. Compare the separately authored GC573 assessment and GC571 assessment before choosing between these distinct boards.

AVerMedia’s US listing identifies the product as GC575, but current price, stock, latency, image quality and sustained behavior were not independently verified. Check the exact card, package and current software requirements at the seller. This is a research-based fit assessment, not a claim of ownership, testing or measured performance.