The Champ is here
I have had the desire to do more content creation; streaming in particular. My primary system is Xbox and I always used the on-console Twitch streaming ability but it was never quite the quality I wanted. I had tried the Elgato HD60S but was hindered by its inability to work with 4K proper so I ended up giving up. Enter Elgato’s newest, the 4K S – this powerhouse card has turned me into the small-time streamer I have always wanted to be’ delivering on some big features coming packed into is very small profile.
Design & Setup
The Elgato 4K S is about the size of a deck of cards, but don’t let that fool you. It’s small, matte black, USB-powered, and designed to disappear behind your monitor or into your travel bag. You get HDMI In, HDMI Out, USB-C, and a 3.5mm input. No external power brick. No dongle spaghetti. Just one cable to rule them all.
MSRP: $159.99
Price I’d Pay: $159.99
Setup? Couldn’t be smoother. Plug it into your console or gaming PC, run the USB-C to your system, and it shows up instantly in OBS, Streamlabs, or Elgato’s own new-and-improved Studio software. No drivers. No black screen headaches. Just capture-ready in under 60 seconds.
Capture Performance
Let’s talk brass tacks. The 4K S captures:
- 4K60 SDR flawlessly
- 1080p60 HDR on Windows
- Passthrough up to 4K60 HDR10, 1440p144, and 1080p240
- With VRR and ALLM support baked in
The footage looks ridiculously sharp. Whether I was slicing through Darkspawn in Dragon Age: Veilguard or blasting fools as Iron Man in Marvel Rivals, the final output looked clean enough to air on Netflix. No stuttering. No dropped frames. Just raw, uncompressed eye candy. Elgato claims 30ms preview delay, and I believe them. Playing through the preview window? Totally doable. Even on fighting games. No perceptible input lag. That’s rare air for an external box at this price.
Software
Elgato Studio replaces the old 4K Capture Utility, and while it won’t win UX design awards, it gets the job done. It’s light on your system, easy to navigate, and integrates with Stream Deck out the gate. You can toggle overlays, snapshots, audio sync, and bitrate on the fly without digging through settings menus.
And if Studio’s not your thing? OBS, Streamlabs, and any UVC-compatible app pick up the 4K S instantly. Zero configuration, zero BS.
Weak Spots
As good as the 4K S is, there are limits.
- No HDMI 2.1 – If you want to capture 4K120 or 4K VRR content, you’ll need to step up to Elgato’s 4K X.
- HDR capture is Windows-only and capped at 1080p – A weird limitation in 2025.
- Basic editing tools – Elgato Studio isn’t replacing Premiere or DaVinci anytime soon.
Still, none of these are dealbreakers at this price.
Speaking of price, at $159.99, Elgato didn’t just undercut the competition they cannibalized their own lineup. The 4K S is cheaper than the HD60 X and matches or beats it in every measurable way.
If you’re chasing 4K60 with clean HDR passthrough and a rock-solid recording pipeline, this is the best deal in the game right now. Period.
The Elgato 4K S doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It just makes a better one and sells it at a price that makes you question every other piece of gear you own. It’s fast, reliable, incredibly portable, and delivers premium performance without the premium tax. Whether you’re just starting out and dabbling in streaming like myself or already pumping out content daily, the 4K S belongs in your kit.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
