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AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus: Comparison

What is the difference between AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K and Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus?

Start with latency, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2 ms against Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus 15 ms, 650% in favour of AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K. Form factor is not the same on both, Internal PCIe on the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K versus External USB on the Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus. There is a split on connection type as well, PCIe x4 on the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K versus USB-C / Thunderbolt on the Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus.

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K vs Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus: which one fits your build

it is the wrong buy for HDMI 2.1 features like VRR passthrough, get the GC575 instead and laptop users, this is an internal desktop-only PCIe card. It is equally the pick for budget buyers who can find this discounted now that GC575 has replaced it. It is not the one for HDR console capture, this card doesn't support HDR metadata at all. The Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus is the one to take for AV and broadcast professionals needing driver-free, cross-platform UVC capture. The same goes for church, corporate, or event production setups where IT won't allow custom drivers. Avoid it for console gamers, this is priced and built for professional AV use, not gaming. Our rating of the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K (6/10): still a capable 4K PCIe capture card if you can find it cheap and don't need HDR, otherwise the GC575 replaced it for good reason. Our rating of the Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus (8/10): A dependable, driver-free 4K capture device for AV professionals who value UVC reliability over gaming-oriented extras.

What AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K and Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus have in common

Everything else lines up. Max recording resolution, passthrough resolution and hdr support read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Form Factor

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    Internal PCIe
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    External USB
  • Brand

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    AVerMedia
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    Magewell
  • Model Number

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    Live Gamer 4K (GC573)
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
  • Connection Type

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    PCIe x4
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    USB-C / Thunderbolt
  • Max Recording Resolution

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    4K30
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    4K30
  • Passthrough Resolution

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    4K60
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    4K60
  • HDR Support

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    No
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    No
  • Latency

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
    2 msBest
    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    15 ms-650%

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K if you want the lower latency (2 ms vs 15 ms).

    Choose Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerAVerMedia Live Gamer 4KMagewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus
    AmazonView on AmazonView on Amazon
    NeweggView on NeweggView on Newegg

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

    Verdict

    AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K

    6 / 10 Expert Rating

    Still a capable 4K PCIe capture card if you can find it cheap and don't need HDR, otherwise the GC575 replaced it for good reason.

    Magewell USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus

    8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A dependable, driver-free 4K capture device for AV professionals who value UVC reliability over gaming-oriented extras.

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