A capture card is a tap on a water pipe. Your console or camera is the source, your TV is where the water keeps flowing, and your PC is the bucket you fill. Passthrough specs describe the pipe to the TV, which is often wider than the tap. Capture specs describe what reaches the bucket. The host connection is the hose to the PC. Check that the tap matches your source and your recording goals, and do not mistake a wide pipe for a big tap.
Whether the card installs inside a desktop PC as a PCIe card or connects externally over USB.
When it matters: Internal cards suit long streams on one desktop. External cards move between PCs and work with laptops. Mini-ITX builds with one slot usually need an external card.
How the card connects to the PC, such as USB 3.x or PCIe x4, and the speed of that link.
When it matters: External cards need USB 3.0 or better; USB 2.0 cannot carry 1080p60. High-end internal cards need a PCIe x4 slot, which can share lanes with M.2 drives on some boards.
The video ports the card accepts, such as HDMI 2.0, HDMI 2.1 or older analog inputs, and how many sources at once.
When it matters: Match the port to your source. Retro consoles need composite or component input or an upscaler. Multi-input cards suit multi-camera production.
The highest resolution and frame rate the card can record to your PC.
When it matters: Trap: a "4K" card may only pass 4K to the TV while recording 1080p. Most streams are 1080p60, so 4K capture matters mainly for recorded YouTube video.
The delay between the source and the video on your PC, in milliseconds.
When it matters: Low latency matters if you play from the PC preview window or need the stream in sync. Capture always adds some delay; plan to play off the passthrough screen.
Skip it if you play from the passthrough display.
How many shades per color channel the card records: 8-bit for standard video, 10-bit for HDR and smoother gradients.
When it matters: 10-bit reduces banding in skies and dark scenes and is needed for HDR. Files are larger, and editing software must support it.
Skip it if you only stream.
How much color detail is kept: 4:4:4 keeps full color, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 keep less to save bandwidth.
When it matters: 4:2:0 is fine for games and streams. Full 4:4:4 keeps small colored text sharp when capturing PC desktops.
Skip it if: Skip it unless you capture desktop text or do color grading.
Whether the card can record to a memory card or USB drive without a PC.
When it matters: Useful for recording consoles away from a computer. These modes usually have lower settings than PC capture.
Skip it if you always record on a PC.
The output that sends the source's picture on to your TV or monitor so you can play normally.
When it matters: Passthrough specs are often higher than capture specs, such as 4K144 passthrough with 1080p60 capture. Check it matches your display so you keep full quality while playing.
Whether the passthrough output adds no noticeable delay to your gameplay.
When it matters: Lets you play on the TV with no lag while capture delay only affects the recording. Without it, play from the passthrough screen, not the preview window on your PC.
Whether VRR (variable refresh rate) reaches your display through the card.
When it matters: VRR keeps games smooth when frame rates dip. Without it, your TV loses VRR while the card is connected.
Skip it if your display or console does not use VRR.
Whether the card records HDR (high dynamic range) video and passes it through to your display.
When it matters: HDR passthrough keeps HDR while you play. HDR capture needs editing or streaming workflows that handle HDR; otherwise footage looks washed out unless converted.
Skip it if: Skip HDR capture if you only stream in standard range.
Whether the card compresses video itself, such as to H.264 or HEVC, instead of sending it raw to the PC.
When it matters: Onboard encoding helps weak PCs. Cards that send uncompressed video look better but need your PC's GPU or CPU to encode. Cheap onboard encoders can soften the picture.
HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is copy protection. This says how the card handles protected video.
When it matters: Most cards will not capture HDCP-protected sources. Trap: consoles often send HDCP by default; PlayStation has a setting to disable it for games. Streaming apps stay blocked.
Whether the card needs a driver installed or works plug and play as a standard USB video device (UVC).
When it matters: Driverless cards work across Windows, macOS and Linux more easily. Driver-based cards may lose features or not work on some systems.
Which operating systems the card supports and which recording apps, such as OBS, work with it.
When it matters: Mac and Linux support is narrower. Check your streaming app is listed, as some features only work in the maker's own software.
Extra audio jacks on the card, such as a mic or party chat input, and whether game audio is carried over HDMI.
When it matters: An audio input lets you mix a headset or chat into the capture without extra software. HDMI embedded audio keeps game sound in sync.
Skip it if you mix audio in your streaming software.
How the card gets power: from the USB or PCIe connection, or a separate adapter.
When it matters: Bus-powered cards are simpler. Some need extra power for 4K passthrough, especially on laptop USB ports.
Skip it if: Skip it for internal cards.
The card's physical dimensions and weight.
When it matters: Matters for travel and for internal cards next to a large graphics card, where space and airflow are tight.
Skip it if space is not tight.