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Start with the whole capture path

A capture card sits inside a chain, not in isolation. Before comparing model names, write down four things: what signal leaves the source, what you want the computer to receive, what must reach a display, and which host will run the capture app. The format must be supported at every relevant point in that chain.

1. Identify the source output

Start at the device you want to capture: console, gaming PC, camera, camcorder, playback deck or another video source. Record the actual output connector and signal family—HDMI, SDI, component/composite analog, or something else—and whether the signal is unencrypted. A cable can change connector shape but cannot turn an unsupported source protocol into a supported one. Cameras may use micro-HDMI or mini-HDMI; consoles may need a dock. Confirm those pieces from the source-device manual instead of assuming they are in the capture-card box.

Copy protection is a separate boundary. This library treats unencrypted HDMI as a source requirement where the manufacturer says so; it does not explain or recommend bypassing protected video. Check that your source is allowed to output a capture signal for your intended use.

2. Separate the captured feed from passthrough

Capture is the format delivered to the computer and used by an app for recording, streaming or a video call. Passthrough is the separate output sent to a monitor or television. A device may pass a 4K signal to a display while sending a lower-resolution recording to the host. Conversely, an impressive capture ceiling does not guarantee that the same resolution and refresh rate reaches your monitor through the device.

Write each target independently: resolution, frame rate, HDR, VRR and any audio needs. If you need a 4K60 display path with a 1080p60 recording, look for a source-supported example of that combination. Do not combine the highest number from the passthrough table with the highest number from the capture table unless a manufacturer compatibility table confirms the pair.

3. Check the host before the card

External USB models require a compatible host port and enough data bandwidth. A USB-C socket is a connector; it does not, by itself, prove USB 3.0 or 5 Gbps support. Internal cards need a compatible motherboard slot, clearance, lane/bandwidth availability and often a desktop Windows environment. A card that fits the signal but not the host is not a useful match.

Then check the operating system, app and hardware requirements together. The manufacturer may list different minimum operating-system versions or capture modes by app. HDR capture can be restricted to a specific platform even when HDR passthrough works to a display on other platforms.

4. Decide how audio should travel

HDMI can carry embedded sound, but a console headset, chat microphone or mixer may use another route. If a card has an analog line-in, determine what that jack accepts and whether an additional headset adapter is needed. Do not assume a 3.5 mm connector means microphone, line-level and headset routing are interchangeable. Check whether the capture application sees audio as a separate input and whether the intended game/chat mix can be created without mutually incompatible accessories.

5. Build a short exact-model checklist

• Exact model name, suffix, hardware revision and US package.
• Input type, resolution and copy-protection status of the source.
• Capture resolution, frame rate, codec, HDR and app.
• Passthrough resolution, refresh, HDR/VRR and display input.
• USB generation or PCIe slot and the host's system requirements.
• Required audio cable, adapter, dock and what is actually included.
• Firmware, current driver/app support and any setup-specific restrictions.

Only after those details agree should you compare convenience, size, number of inputs or price. The current Capture Card Fit library is an incremental research set, not a complete market survey. Its model finder can help test documented conditions, but an empty result means that this small evidence library has no confirmed match—not that the market has none.