Show off your smooth gaming moves with this new video capture box.
This is a new version of Elgato’s HDMI capture box, designed to let you plug an HDMI source such as a games console into your Mac and record what it produces. They’re often used by gamers to broadcast themselves playing. This new version is aimed at PS4 and Xbox One owners who want to show off new-gen games at their best – at 1080p and 60 frames per second, rather than 720p60/1080p30 on the original model. Analog input is gone, though, so you can’t record from PS3 (its digital output is copyprotected) or retro consoles.
The HD60 uses the same Mac app as the older model, which gained Twitch, Ustream and YouTube streaming in a previous update. It has an improved layout, with buttons for recording input and live commentary and for streaming across the bottom of its window.
Game Capture HD’s convenient Flashback Recording feature is also a key feature of the HD60. The app uses colour better to distinguish between that feature passively recording gameplay and when you’re actively recording live gameplay. Stream Command adds your webcam feed and overlays to a live stream; it’s not in the software yet, but promised for a future update. Note that on Windows it needs a Core i7.
Capturing at this quality, and continuously while disk space is available, beats the new consoles’ built-in 720p30 and limited-duration recording features. The higher frame rate makes a big difference when playing, but its benefit when watching is subjective and partly dependent on the game type. Alan Stonebridge
The Game Capture HD60 is an excellent way to show off your skills with the latest consoles at high quality.