Our Elgato 4K Pro Review will focus on the latest PCIe capture card from the company. This new product is the upgraded version of its predecessor, the 4K60 Pro. What makes it impressive is it offers up to 8K60 HDR10 passthrough and 4K60 HDR10 capture.
With state-of-the-art chipsets and impressive specifications, this capture card allows creators to deliver optimal viewing experiences across all platforms. It does not compromise top-notch gaming experiences on high-end PCs, gaming consoles, and handheld consoles.
If you are a streamer or content creator, our review will cover all the details about the 4K Pro. We will discuss its appearance, construction, specs, features, and performance.
Elgato 4K Pro Packaging
Elgato packed the 4K Pro in a simple blue package sporting the company branding. You will see the product image with several primary features in front, while more details are on the rear.
The package contains only the 4K Pro and the 8K HDMI cable. With the latter being 200cm long, connecting our devices was easy while testing for this Elgato 4K Pro Review.
Elgato 4K Pro Review – Design and Functionality
The 4K Pro is an update of the 4K60 Pro. Its primary highlight is the switch from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1, but it also has other notable improvements.
One of the implemented updates is its audio that uses 5.1 Surround Sound. Plus, it supports YouTube for this feature.
This new capture card records and broadcasts in 4K60, a significant upgrade from the previous 2K60. Also, it supports up to 8K60, 4K120 or 1080p240 resolutions, making it work with new monitors.
The capture card has a simple build and design, making it ideal for users without any PC building experience. On top, you will find the 4K Pro in bold, white text and grilles towards the front. The front portion features the PCIe pins exposed for connecting to your device.
Its rear features the HDMI in and out ports labelled with white text. The rightmost portion of this area also features the Elgato logo.
One impressive thing we noticed while observing the product for this Elgato 4K Pro Review was its quality. Although it does not have flashy aesthetics and RGB zones, its body feels premium and durable. Also, Elgato prioritises what is under the hood: top-notch components that can deliver high-quality captures.
Key Features of the Elgato 4K Pro
What makes the 4K Pro better than its predecessor, the 4K60 Pro? Our Elgato 4K Pro Review will discuss each primary feature to determine if it is worth purchasing the upgraded version.
Capture in High Resolution and Frame Rates Without Compromise
The 4K Pro allows broadcasting in high resolutions and frame rates up to 4K60. It can handle all the power of your gaming PC or console. With this capture card, you can create impressive viewing experiences for your audiences on YouTube, Twitch, and other platforms.
HDMI 2.1
HDMI 2.1 offers higher frame rates and resolutions, making your gameplay and capture feed look smoother.
Works With 8K60 and True HDR10
VRR and HDR10 support lets you play the latest titles in incredible resolutions.
HDR10 reproduces videos and images with darker shadows and deeper colours, making your gameplay more immersive, cinematic, and vibrant.
Variable Refresh Rate and Multi-App Support
The 4K Pro eliminates stuttering, ghosting, and screen tearing. It also supports capturing on multiple apps simultaneously.
Capture on PC, Consoles, and Handheld
Capture Xbox Series X, PS5, Nintendo Switch, ROG Ally, Steam Deck, high-end gaming PCs, and even your iPhone. Elgato ensures the 4K Pro lets you enjoy high-quality gameplay once you plug it in.
Increase the Frame Rates with the Elgato 4K Pro
The 4K Pro is an excellent companion for your gaming PC. It lets you capture 240fps with low latency to keep you competitive when speed and accuracy are crucial.
The Ultimate Studio Powerhouse
Like other Elgato capture cards, the 4K Pro powers more gaming channels than other devices. Use it with apps like OBS Studio to enjoy the most advanced streaming setup.
Instant Game View With the Elgato 4K Pro
Your gameplay and preview stay in sync with the ultra-low latency technology of the 4K Pro.
Record and Stream Simultaneously
The 4K Pro can send your capture feed to many apps, allowing raw gameplay recording to your hard drive. You can also stream in OBS or Zoom simultaneously.
Capture Without Limits and Watermarks
The 4K Pro lets you capture gameplay, cutscenes, and chats without time limits or watermarks. This capture card lets you enjoy recording high-quality content without such hindrances.
Live Commentary
Connect and include your microphone as a separate track. You can conveniently mute the audio or adjust its volume.
Ready for Editing
A notable feature we want to highlight in this Elgato 4K Pro Review is its convenience. Exporting separate video and audio tracks as AAF readies your files for editing in Vegas Pro, Adobe Premiere, etc.
Library With Intelligent Tools
Smart Folders and other intelligent tools identify your files and allow you to organise your archive in groups.
Specifications
- Input: HDMI (unencrypted)
- Output: HDMI (lag-free passthrough)
- Recording Resolutions: up to 4K60
- Passthrough Resolutions: up to 8K60
Elgato 4K Pro System Requirements
- Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (or higher)
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i5 CPU (i5-8xxx) / AMD Ryzen 5 (or better)
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10xx (or better)
- PCIe Slots: x4/x8/x16
Hands-on with the Elgato 4K Pro
We used the 4K Pro to test its performance and capture quality. Before we share our user experience, let us focus on its companion software, the Elgato 4K Game Capture Utility.
Capturing high-resolution content with the 4K Pro requires installing the 4K Game Capture Utility. Also, you will need to install the Game Capture HD software for firmware updates.
The 4K Game Capture Utility is primarily for capturing footage and screenshots. It also has a Library section where you can access all your recordings.
This software provides access to various configurations, including device settings, video encoding, mic settings, storage location, and more. You can adjust standard picture settings, including brightness, hue, saturation, and contrast.
We appreciate the simple interface of the Elgato 4K Game Capture. All menus are well laid out and easy to navigate.
Installing the 4K Pro is straightforward since it is almost plug-and-play. Streaming software like OBS Studio recognised the card immediately when we tested the product.
Aside from the plug-and-play design, the capture card integrated seamlessly into our setup. It provided real-time feedback during our streaming and recording tests for this Elgato 4K Pro Review.
The 4K Pro worked flawlessly with various gaming consoles and our PC. We enjoyed how the product worked instantly with a click of a button.
Our streams were all seamless regardless of the gaming device we used. We did not encounter issues with connectivity, audio, and input lags. Also, we did not configure many settings since it worked perfectly out of the box.
Passthrough is crucial for good gameplay, so we tested it for this Elgato 4K Pro Review.
Elgato promises ultra-low latency with the 4K Pro. However, the company did not provide any numbers and figures on how much it can reduce latency.
Using the OBS Studio preview window causes delay, resulting in a poor gaming experience. Fortunately, the 4K Pro solved this issue with the ultra-low latency technology.
We used the 4K Pro with a 4K screen and measured its lag on different zones. The results impressed us since there was minimal latency and only had a 0.03ms difference.
When using OBS Studio, the latency was only 70ms. Our test streams had impressive feedback, and the 4K Pro performed better than USB capture cards.
The captures with the 4K Pro had incredible quality. We played various titles at 2160p60 resolution at the highest bitrate, and the recording quality was flawless. We also lowered the bitrate to reduce the file sizes, and the 4K Pro delivered high-quality captures.
Streaming at 140Mbps consumes 61GB per hour while reducing the bitrate to 35Mbps decreases the usage to 15GB per hour.
Elgato 4K Pro Review Summary
As expected from Elgato, the 4K Pro is a high-quality capture card that implements all the necessary upgrades. It is a simple product without the unnecessary gimmicks and delivers everything it promises.
We had an enjoyable experience when testing the product for this Elgato 4K Pro Review. Our streams and recordings were seamless since the capture card supports high resolutions and frame rates.
The 4K Pro is a PCIe capture card, making it more reliable than USB capture cards due to lower latency. Although it is less flexible than the latter, it delivers better reliability and speed.
This product is a successful upgrade from the 4K60 Pro. It has all the necessary changes and improvements to support higher-quality streams, high resolutions, and newer monitors.
We highly recommend this product to content creators and gamers who want to stream without compromising performance. This PCIe capture card makes seamless captures, but you will need a dual-PC setup or an external DSLR camera.
Visit the official product page of Elgato for more details about the 4K Pro.
