Our Verdict
The Elgato HD60 X is a pretty neat little capture card. It's not a massive upgrade on the HD60 S+ that came before it but is better suited to high-end gaming monitors with VRR support. Thankfully it also launches at the same price.
For
- Support for VRR and HDR passthrough
- Great for modern gaming monitors
- USB Type-C connectivity
- Good looking 1080p 60fps capture
- Same launch price as HD60 S+
Against
- Look elsewhere for 4K capture
- Only simple to set-up at 1080p
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The passthrough functionality of the HD60 X is, however, fully capable of running at 4:4:4, or in other words, uncompressed. So while your recording may lose some of that information, you don't have to suffer through a low picture quality while you're recording. That's the theory, anyways: I ran into an issue with my monitor, the Gigabyte M28U, that prevented it from running at 4K and 60fps once the HD60 X was installed.
Above: 1080p60 gameplay from Destiny 2 captured on the Elgato HD60 X.
As a 4K capture card, there are significantly more capable options available, too—those that are more adept at 4K, for a premium price. Elgato's own 4K capture cards, the 4K60 Pro and 4K60 S+, can sometimes be found for less cash, and Avermedia offers some cards with equally high-end capabilities for quite a bit less.
Though only a few of these 4K cards are standalone units, most being PCIe add-in when you get down to near the price of the HD60 X. Some of the flexibility is removed when you ditch the external connection from your capture card: Not only will you have to make space inside your PC, but you're removing the ability to run your stream or recording off a laptop close-by. You also lose the option to easily travel around with your capture card, though let's be honest I can't imagine that's of massive importance for many.
Ultimately, a PCIe add-in capture card tends to get you more bang for your buck at 4K, and comes with heaps of benefits in other ways to make up for its lack of portability. So the flexibility of how you wish to set up your streaming setup is something to weigh up before hitting purchase on an external unit like this HD60 X.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Header Cell - Column 0 | HD60 X | HD60 S+ |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p@60fps | Yes | Yes |
| 4K@30fps | Yes (though fiddly) | No |
| 4K passthrough | Yes | Yes |
| VRR support | Yes | No |
| Connection | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| Launch price | $200/£190 | $200/£190 |
If you're hot on the idea of an external capture card, Elgato is delivering a few extras on top of the HD60 S+ package for roughly the same price at MSRP with the HD60 X—perhaps a little more cash in practice as the HD60 S+ is often found going for cheaper today. Still, that means it's probably not much of an immediate upgrade for users of the HD60 S+.
At least it's an easier recommendation for gamers either buying a capture card for the first time or those using a much older device. If you're choosing between the HD60 X or HD60 S+, and they're roughly the same price, then go for the former. However, I will say that a big enough discount on the HD60 S+ could still be enticing.
As a user of the original Elgato Game Capture HD and then the HD60 S, I'll admit the HD60X doesn't feel like a revelatory new product. I'm yet to find any external capture card that makes capturing gameplay as much of a doddle as I'd like to think it to be. That said, there are some things I probably couldn't go without now that I have used the HD60 X. Adroit 1080p at 60fps recording, yes, though more so the low latency passthrough, VRR, and HDR support. All of which makes it so I don't have to sacrifice my own gaming experience to record it for others.
The Verdict
Elgato HD60 X
The Elgato HD60 X is a pretty neat little capture card. It's not a massive upgrade on the HD60 S+ that came before it but is better suited to high-end gaming monitors with VRR support. Thankfully it also launches at the same price.
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