AverMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 External Capture Card | Review

Jesse 'Doncabesa' Norris May 28, 2024Last Updated: June 20, 2024

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AverMedia was kind enough to send over their brand new Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 External USB-C Capture Card, and it’s really freakin nice. Last week I covered Elgato’s offering, and while AverMedia’s falls short on one area it shines in others.

AverMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 External Capture Card

Specs

Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10Gbps)
Input & Output (Pass-through): HDMI 2.1
Max Pass-Through Resolution: 2160p144 HDR/VRR, 3440x1440p120 HDR/VRR, 1440p240 HDR/VRR, 1080p360 HDR/VRR
Max Capture Resolution: 2160p144 (Windows*), 2160p60 (macOS)

*Check the list of supported resolutions and frame rates on AverMedia’s website here.

Supported Resolution: 2160p, 3440x1440p, 1440p, 2560x1080p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i
Video Format: YUY2, NV12, RGB24, P010(HDR), MJPEG
Headset Audio Input & Output : 4-Pole 3.5mm Jack
Gamepad Audio Input & Output: 4-Pole 3.5mm Jack
Dimension (W x D x H): 120 x 70 x 27.6 mm (4.72 x 2.76 x 1.09 in.)
Weight: 115 g (4.06 oz.)

Setup

Much like the Elgato, AverMedia’s offering is a simple three-wire setup. USB-C for power/transfer to PC, HDMI 2.1 In, and HDMI 2.1 Out. Performance-wise you get all of the same benefits. I used this capture card with my LG 42″ OLED running at 4k resolution and 120hz refresh rate with HDR and VRR enabled. I mostly used OBS to capture footage, which was a flawless experience. I didn’t have the HDMI handshake issues I occasionally ran into with the Elgato. The back also offers audio outputs for headsets and gamepads.

Use

For most users the AverMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is going to be all you need. The 4k/60fps capture matched with VRR and HDR on passthrough is what most content creators would need for YouTube and even less for Twitch. One area this card falls a bit behind is in the ability to capture up to 240fps, though that is a niche use case for the Elgato and limits resolution to 1080p. You’ll need to use AverMedia’s software to get up to 144hz capture, as well. OBS will only be able to reach 60fps, though again, that’s fine for nearly most creators.

Where AverMedia’s card vastly outperformed the Elgato was in passthrough input latency. When attempting to control a game through OBS with the AverMedia capture card it felt just a hair off of native. Elgato’s offering on the other hand has noticeable input lag when you attempt to use it through capture software. It’s not the biggest thing for most, but as someone who likes to prepare ahead of times for streams it let me futz around with my Xbox more easily without having to switch inputs.

Price

This is the other area that AverMedia’s offer falters. While it looks better if left on your desk thanks to its included RGB, it retails at $270 (price lowered to $250 in June, 2024). That is (was) a full $40 more than Elgato’s offering. It makes it tough to recommend over it, despite its better input latency and fewer HDMI handshake issues.

Wrapping Things Up

If you’re an AverMedia fan then this is the best capture card they’ve made. It’s pricey, it looks nicey, but I’m not sure I can recommend it over the Elgato 4K X until the costs are closer.