AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575) Review

THE AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575) emerges as a formidable competitor in the world of HDMI 2.1 PCIe capture cards, aimed primarily at console and PC gamers. This is the first gaming-focused card to enter the fray, with AVerMedia presumably aiming to gain traction before competitors start to emerge. It has already caused a sensation with the USB Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (which I tested previously), and I am now interested in the PCIe version.

We feel the quality

The Live Gamer 4K 2.1, with its sturdy build quality and gamer RGB lighting, feels and looks great, which should help soften the blow of the $269.99 price tag. Installing the capture card is very simple and fits into the available PCIe slot on a motherboard. It might not be as quick as plugging in a USB cable, but it's almost as easy.

HDMI included

It's good to see an HDMI 2.1 cable included in the box, as it can be difficult to track down compatible wires. Combine the included cable with the one that came with your current generation console, or the one you already use between your PC and an HDMI 2.1 compatible monitor, and you're ready to go. Of course, there is backwards compatibility between older consoles and PCs that don't have HDMI 2.1.

Unhindered passage

The card's main feature, 4K144 and 4K120 pass-through, is impressive but comes with caveats. The support for HDR and VRR is fantastic to see and experience, but the inability to capture in 4K120 is disappointing. While it may be a niche resolution and frame rate, the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 is clearly intended to be used for many years, and it would have been nice to see this feature available at launch.

If you're not looking for 4K 120 FPS capture though, and I admit very few content creators will be, then the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 ticks the majority of the boxes.

• Interface: PCIe Gen 3 x4
• Video input: HDMI 2.1
• Video output (Pass-Through): HDMI 2.1
• Maximum passthrough resolutions: 2160p144 HDR/VRR, 3440x1440p 120 HDR/VRR, 1440p240 HDR/VRR, 1080p360 HDR/VRR
• Maximum capture resolution: 2160p60
• Video format: YUY2, NV12, RGB24, P010 (HDR)
• Dimensions: (W x D x H): 121 x 160.5 x 21.5 mm (4.76 x 6.32 x 0.85 inches)
• Weight: 150.5 g (5.31 ounces)

Capture this

AVerMedia gives users the choice to use the capture software of their choice. Although the company provides RECentral, its own application which has evolved to become very robust over the years, users are still free to use applications like OBS.

Pay to play

At $269.99, AVerMedia touts the Live Gamer 4K 2.1 as a flagship offering a premium experience. While I agree that this is a solid choice for gamers and content creators looking for a reliable, high-performance capture card, I'm curious what the competition might release soon and what impact this will have on the market.

Disclosure: Live Gamer 4K 2.1 review sample provided by AVerMedia.