AVerMedia

AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt

Expert rating8 / 10

Capture CardsView on avermedia.com

Form Factor:: Standalone (PC-Free)
Max Recording Resolution:: 4K30 HDR
Passthrough Resolution:: 4K60 HDR
HDR Support:: Yes

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Manufacturer: AVerMedia Last updated: September 12, 2026

AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt (GC551) (Standalone PC-Free / 4K30 HDR Capture to SSD / 4K60 HDR Passthrough / Built-in WiFi Streaming) Review

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt GC551 is a standalone, PC-free capture box that records 4K30 HDR straight to its own storage and streams over built-in WiFi, passing through 4K60 HDR to your display without a computer in the loop at all.

The Bolt is for people who want to record and stream console footage without a gaming PC or laptop anywhere in the setup. It has dual HDMI inputs, records directly to an internal SSD or external drive, and can push a stream out over its own WiFi connection to Twitch or YouTube. That independence costs real money and the interface is more limited than editing through OBS on a full PC, but for a pure console-to-stream pipeline with zero computer required, nothing else in this list does the same job.

Genuinely PC-Free Operation

Recording, streaming, and switching between the two HDMI inputs all happen on the Bolt's own hardware and touchscreen interface. You never need to plug it into a computer unless you want to pull footage off for editing.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against the AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus already in our catalog, the Bolt adds a second HDMI input, HDR support, and built-in WiFi streaming that the Portable 2 Plus lacks, at a meaningfully higher price. Against any of the internal PCIe cards in this list like the Live Gamer 4K GC573, the Bolt trades raw capture resolution and PC-side editing flexibility for the ability to run entirely without a computer.

Specifications

Identity

Brand	AVerMedia

Design

Form Factor	Standalone (PC-Free)
Connection Type	USB-C / Thunderbolt

Performance

Max Recording Resolution	4K30 HDR
Passthrough Resolution	4K60 HDR
HDR Support	Yes

Signal handling

Latency	12 ms

Model	Live Gamer Bolt (GC551)

Expert Review

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating8 / 10

The clear pick for genuinely PC-free console streaming, at a price that only makes sense if you actually need that independence.

Best for

Console streamers who don't own or don't want to use a gaming PC.
Multi-console setups needing to switch between two HDMI sources on one device.
Anyone wanting an independent backup recorder that keeps working if the main PC crashes.

Not for

PC-based streamers who already run OBS, a PCIe or USB card is cheaper and more flexible.
Buyers wanting the highest possible capture resolution, PC-based cards go higher.
Budget shoppers, standalone PC-free hardware costs a real premium over PC-tethered cards.

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt (GC551) (Standalone PC-Free / 4K30 HDR Capture to SSD / 4K60 HDR Passthrough / Built-in WiFi Streaming)?

The AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt (GC551) (Standalone PC-Free / 4K30 HDR Capture to SSD / 4K60 HDR Passthrough / Built-in WiFi Streaming) is a capture card from AVerMedia. Key specs: Connection Type USB-C / Thunderbolt, Max Recording Resolution 4K30 HDR, Passthrough Resolution 4K60 HDR, HDR Support Yes, Latency 12.

Who is the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt (GC551) (Standalone PC-Free / 4K30 HDR Capture to SSD / 4K60 HDR Passthrough / Built-in WiFi Streaming) best suited to?

It suits console streamers who don't own or don't want to use a gaming pc., multi-console setups needing to switch between two hdmi sources on one device., anyone wanting an independent backup recorder that keeps working if the main pc crashes..

What are the drawbacks of the AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt (GC551) (Standalone PC-Free / 4K30 HDR Capture to SSD / 4K60 HDR Passthrough / Built-in WiFi Streaming)?

It is a poor fit for pc-based streamers who already run obs, a pcie or usb card is cheaper and more flexible., buyers wanting the highest possible capture resolution, pc-based cards go higher., budget shoppers, standalone pc-free hardware costs a real premium over pc-tethered cards..