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Elgato Game Capture Neo vs Roland VC-1-DL: Comparison

Elgato Game Capture Neo vs Roland VC-1-DL latency compared

Start with latency, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Elgato Game Capture Neo 30 ms against Roland VC-1-DL 17 ms, 76% in favour of Roland VC-1-DL. They differ on connection type too, USB 3.0 / 3.2 Gen 1 on the Elgato Game Capture Neo versus USB-C / Thunderbolt on the Roland VC-1-DL.

Who each one is for

The Elgato Game Capture Neo suits budget buyers who don't need 4K passthrough at all and anyone upgrading from an older, unsupported Elgato capture card, though it is not the pick for anyone wanting AVerMedia's RECentral software instead of Elgato's ecosystem. It is equally the pick for 1080p streamers wanting Elgato's software ecosystem at the lowest entry price. Avoid it for 4K or HDR display owners, the HD60 X's passthrough is worth the extra cost. The Roland VC-1-DL is the one to take for conference rooms and event production with mixed, older display equipment and anyone needing genuinely near-zero latency signal conversion, not just capture, though it is not built for 4K workflows, this converter tops out at 1080p60 and budget buyers, Roland's pro-AV pricing reflects its niche capability set. The same goes for AV integrators dealing with legacy DVI or VGA sources alongside HDMI. It is the wrong buy for console or PC gaming capture, this is priced and built for pro AV conversion. Our rating of the Elgato Game Capture Neo (6/10): the cheapest legitimate entry into Elgato's ecosystem, reasonable only if you're certain you'll never need 4K passthrough. Our rating of the Roland VC-1-DL (7/10): A genuinely useful multi-format converter for legacy AV environments, far more niche and pricier than a typical gaming capture card.

What Elgato Game Capture Neo and Roland VC-1-DL have in common

Where they agree, they agree completely, form factor, max recording resolution, passthrough resolution and hdr support included, so the decision does not turn on any of those.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Form Factor

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    External USB
    Roland VC-1-DL
    External USB
  • Brand

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    Elgato
    Roland VC-1-DL
    Roland
  • Model Number

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    Game Capture Neo
    Roland VC-1-DL
    VC-1-DL
  • Connection Type

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    USB 3.0 / 3.2 Gen 1
    Roland VC-1-DL
    USB-C / Thunderbolt
  • Max Recording Resolution

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    1080p60
    Roland VC-1-DL
    1080p60
  • Passthrough Resolution

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    1080p60
    Roland VC-1-DL
    1080p60
  • HDR Support

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    No
    Roland VC-1-DL
    No
  • Latency

    Elgato Game Capture Neo
    30 ms-76%
    Roland VC-1-DL
    17 msBest

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose Elgato Game Capture Neo if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Choose Roland VC-1-DL if you want the lower latency (17 ms vs 30 ms).

    Price comparison

    RetailerElgato Game Capture NeoRoland VC-1-DL
    AmazonView on Amazon

    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

    Elgato Game Capture Neo

    6 / 10 Expert Rating

    The cheapest legitimate entry into Elgato's ecosystem, reasonable only if you're certain you'll never need 4K passthrough.

    Roland VC-1-DL

    7 / 10 Expert Rating

    A genuinely useful multi-format converter for legacy AV environments, far more niche and pricier than a typical gaming capture card.

    More comparisons in Capture Cards