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If you want to start streaming on Twitch, this needs to be on your Amazon Prime Day wish list
Get yourself an Elgato capture card in the sale this year, you really won’t regret it
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Streaming video games on Twitch is fun, strangely rewarding, and incredibly entertaining. Nothing beats having an audience cheering you on as you depart on your Herculean mission to hunt down Manaphy in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, or if you’re big enough, go wild with the emotes when you take down that bush camper in Fortnite.
But one thing I realised when I first started dabbling in the world of Twitch streaming was that I couldn’t just start. I needed stuff, and that wasn’t because I felt I had to have the same gadgets and gizmos as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins in order to make my set-up look as professional as possible before going live.
I’m a big proponent of start now or you never will, then get better as you go on. Oh, and also not needlessly spending money. The problem is, if I wanted to start streaming games off my Nintendo Switch right that second, I physically couldn’t.
Unlike Microsoft’s Xbox series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5, which let you broadcast your gameplay straight from the console themselves, the Nintendo Switch doesn’t have this capability. And even then, you can’t use Streamlabs or OBS to add fun overlays or alerts when streaming directly from any console – PS5 or otherwise.
I needed an external capture card, and for the best streaming experience, I knew I needed to get one from Elgato.
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Bad news? These things aren’t cheap. Good news? Elgato capture cards are frequently on sale during big-ticket sale events such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday, which is when I bought the Elgato HD 60 S+ (£169, Amazon.co.uk) at a discount. It still remains one of the best purchases I’ve made to this date.
Even if I don’t stream now as much as I thought I would, the convenience of being able to stream my Nintendo Switch to my laptop instead of my TV, and game at my desk is a real joy.
I expect Elgato’s range of capture cards to go on sale again this Prime Day, and if you’re looking to start streaming, these should absolutely be at the top of your wish list.
Capture cards aren’t the only things set to go on sale this Prime Day. Other gaming gear, the latest tech products, TVs, Apple gadgets and Amazon devices are also due discounts this year.
If you’re intrigued to find out when exactly the event is going to take place and what you can expect from the event this year, have a read of our extensive Prime Day shopping guide. But if you’re interested in getting an Elgato capture card and are curious about what kind of discounts to expect, I’ve got you covered.
Elgato HD60 S+: £169, Amazon.co.uk
The Elgato HD 60 S+ is the best capture card for most gamers and Twitch streamers, especially if you’re just starting out. It’s a small plug and play USB-C device that allows you to capture gameplay on your Switch, Xbox or PS5 and stream it onto your computer.
The HD 60 S+ is able to capture 1080p gameplay while providing 4K 60FPS passthrough or 2160p with HDR. It basically extracts your live gameplay data from the HDMI cable and sends it all back via the USB-C to your computer. It works brilliantly and delivers stunning picture quality. The only issue is that it converts the incoming 4K 60FPS HDR signal into 1080p 60FPS HDR, so you won’t get the same 4K resolution passthrough on your PC.
On Black Friday, I was able to pick this up for £129.98, giving me a 25 per cent discount. With the new model out (more on this below), I’m hoping for an even better discount on Prime Day this year.
Elgato HD 60 X: £189.99, Amazon.co.uk
Released in April 2022, the HD 60 X is the latest plug and play capture card from Elgato, and is a successor to the Elgato HD 60 S+. So what’s different?
This is a capture card designed for next-gen gaming. It can capture up to 4K 30FPS or 1080p 60FPS. The new HD60 X also supports up to 4K 60FPS HDR passthrough, including VRR (variable refresh rate), new for this model. That means you’ll be able to stream super buttery smooth content.
If you’re playing games at an extremely high refresh rate, the HD 60 X also supports 1440p 120 FPS or 1080p 240FPS passthrough, good for streaming any 120FPS titles. While I don’t know whether this one will be going on sale this Prime Day, considering how new it is, I’m quietly hopeful.
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For the latest discounts on tech, gadgets and more, try the links below:
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Your ultimate guide to Amazon Prime Day 2022 – Expert insight on what to expect, how to get the best deals and confirmed dates
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Your ultimate guide to tech Prime Day offers – Our experts share insight into the gadgets to watch, from tablets to headphones
The top gaming discounts to know this Amazon Prime Day – Any gaming heads will want to bookmark this guide, where we detail the best deals based on this year’s releases and last year’s top sellers
Best Amazon device deals to watch out for this Prime Day – The tech giant offers huge discounts on its own-brand devices, and we’ve got all the latest insight
Amazon Prime Day Nintendo Switch offers to expect – Following the release of the latest Switch OLED late last year, we share our predictions for this year’s sales event
The Prime Day Apple deals to know – Whether you’re in the market for a MacBook or a shiny new iPad, read our guide for all the details
The fitness deals to expect this Prime Day– From New Balance trainers to Sweaty Betty gym leggings and Nutribullets, here’s everything you need to kow
Best alcohol deals to shop this Amazon Prime Day – Whether you’re a vodka lover or whisky fanatic, we’re expecting some serious price cuts in the booze department
The top laptop discounts to know for Prime Day 2022 – We’re predicting some big savings on Dell, Lenovo, Surface and more
The best Amazon Prime Day TV deals to expect– The shopping bonanza is the perfect time to snap up a seriously discounted 4K or OLED telly
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