CES 2024 Highlights: Elgato Unveils HDMI 2.1 Capture Cards with 8K Passthrough
CES 2024, held in Las Vegas from January 9-12, brought several exciting announcements for the video capture industry. The biggest news came from Elgato, which unveiled its first generation of HDMI 2.1 capture cards, marking a significant leap forward in consumer capture card technology.
Elgato 4K Pro: Internal PCIe Powerhouse
The standout announcement was the Elgato 4K Pro, an internal PCIe capture card that succeeds the popular 4K60 Pro Mark II.
Key specifications:
- HDMI 2.1 input and output
- 8K@60fps HDR passthrough
- 4K@60fps simultaneous recording
- 1080p@240Hz high frame rate capture
- PCIe 3.0 x4 interface
The jump from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1 is transformative. HDMI 2.1’s 48 Gbps bandwidth (compared to HDMI 2.0’s 18 Gbps) enables the 4K Pro to pass through 8K signals while simultaneously recording at 4K@60fps — a capability that was previously impossible with consumer capture cards.
Elgato 4K X: External HDMI 2.1
Alongside the internal 4K Pro, Elgato also showed the 4K X, an external capture card that brings HDMI 2.1 capabilities to a portable form factor.
Key specifications:
- HDMI 2.1 connectivity
- 4K@144Hz recording capability
- 1080p@240Hz high frame rate support
- External USB connection
The 4K X succeeds the HD60 external card that has been on the market since 2019, representing a massive generational leap in external capture card performance.
Why HDMI 2.1 Matters
The move to HDMI 2.1 in capture cards addresses several long-standing limitations:
- Higher Bandwidth: 48 Gbps vs. 18 Gbps allows for higher resolutions and frame rates
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): Passthrough of VRR signals from gaming consoles and PCs
- 8K Support: Future-proofing for next-generation display standards
- 4K@120Hz+: Supporting high frame rate gaming from PS5 and Xbox Series X
Camera and Video Technology at CES 2024
Beyond capture cards, CES 2024 showcased broader advances in video capture technology. Digital Camera World reported on several camera innovations, while Canon showcased its latest imaging technology developments.
The trend across the show floor was clear: higher resolutions, higher frame rates, and smarter processing are driving the entire video capture industry forward.
What This Means for Content Creators
The introduction of HDMI 2.1 capture cards at CES 2024 signals that the consumer capture card market is ready for the next generation of video content:
- Gamers can now capture PS5 and Xbox Series X gameplay at their native 4K@120fps output
- Content creators can work with 8K source material while maintaining a clean 4K recording workflow
- Professionals gain access to VRR passthrough, eliminating the screen tearing artifacts that plagued earlier capture setups
As these products begin shipping throughout 2024, the capture card landscape will be fundamentally transformed.
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