Elgato has announced that its latest 4K-capable capture card, the cunningly-named Elgato 4K S, is 100% compatible with the Switch 2 - and it's available for purchase right now! (Thanks, Engadget).
The 4K S, which is also the most budget-friendly card in Elgato's range, coming in at a price of $159.99/£149.99, sits externally to almost any console you can think of, to capture your latest Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza antics at up to 4K/60fps with zero-latency passthrough.
The card replaces the ever-popular Elgato HD60 X, which was only capable of 4k/30fps (and was more expensive at launch), and you can betcha there's gonna be some clamouring for them right here at Nintendo Life HQ. Oh yes, sir.
Here's some more official details from Elgato:
Capture in True 4K60
Capture crystal-clear 4K gameplay at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second. Colors pop, details shine, and your footage looks amazing in every moment. On Windows, you can even capture vibrant 1080p HDR gameplay, perfect for bringing cinematic moments to life.Gameplay First, Capture Second
4K S keeps your games smooth and responsive while you record. You can:
Enjoy full 4K60 passthrough with HDR and VRR, so your gameplay stays crisp and tear-free
Chasing higher frame rates? Play at up to 1080p240 or 1440p144Next-gen ready by design
Nintendo Switch 2
Capture gameplay in 4K60, 1440p120, or 1080p60 HDR while you play titles like Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza.Capture Audio, Your Way
Thanks to 4K S’s ultra-low latency, you don’t need extra gear to monitor or record game audio.
Need real-time audio to your headset? Chat Link Pro delivers zero-latency audio for both game and chat, ideal when timing is everything.
With regards to the card itself, and whether or not you should be excited to run out and nab one, well our very own Alex, the lovely person, is a bit of an expert when it comes to these things and he's weighed in with some buyer's advice from his time with the 4K X, which we'll stick here for further reading!
"It's always great to see cheaper hardware appear alongside premium options, but I do think it's important to consider Elgato's software support with the 4K X, which is less than stellar to say the least. I've been using the card for the Switch 2 since before launch, and at every turn I've had to either sacrifice control, quality, or performance.
I've battled with dropped frames, terrible HDR tonemapping, a lack of audio downmixing, sync drift, and many other problems besides. OBS seems to be the way to go, as their own software comes with its own issues and you'll have to sacrifice all sense of control.When the card works, it works well, but if the 4K S is anything like its big brother, be prepared for a lot of frustrating hoops and hurdles to achieve acceptable results. Just be wary before taking the plunge."
Now, we're off to record some primo footage of our best run in Balan Wonderworld. Beautiful 4K Wonderworld...
Will you be grabbing a 4K S to capture your greatest S witch 2 gaming moments? Make sure to let us know!