The Best Capture Card for WII U | Best Picks + Buyers Guide
Gaming is one of the most popular hobbies in the world right now. With tons of people all over the world experiencing brand new experiences with games both old and new. Alongside gaming, content creation has also seen a massive evolution. Gamers everywhere upload their game sessions to YouTube or they decide to stream their experiences live on Twitch. Turning their fun gaming time into enjoyable content for others to have fun with. But to become a content creator yourself, there’s one vital piece of equipment that you’re going to need. So let’s jump right into our list for the Best Capture Card for WII U.
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Best Capture Card for WII U
Capture cards are a way to record gameplay from your game console to your PC. Allowing you to use that footage for videos or live capture it and use it while streaming. It’s the only real way that you can actually gain good, high-quality footage from your consoles. But the hard part is finding out which capture card you should get. This is why we’ve put together this list of some of the best capture cards you can get right now. This list is going to be focusing on the best capture cards that you can use for the Wii U specifically.
GOODAN Audio Video Capture Card
We’re starting this list off with a really simple capture device that is perfect for those who are just starting out with recording footage. We’ve gone for this GOODAN capture card for its accessibility and ease and ease of use. At first glance, this is a really simple capture card and that’s because it is. Plugging into a USB 2.0 (or above) port, this capture card simply needs you to connect your input device into the HDMI port. After that, you should be all set to start recording your game sessions. Its ease of use is a massive positive and it’s also really small since it’s only a USB device. Meaning that it’s really easy to carry it around and take it anywhere you might need to.
But there are also a few downsides here which might annoy those who perhaps already have a capture card and want an upgrade. First up, this capture card can’t output a refresh rate that is higher than 30fps when outputting with a 1080p resolution. Though it does go up to 60fps when you output at a 720p resolution. Obviously this isn’t really ideal for most recording situations nowadays, but if you have fairly slow internet speeds, you won’t need to stream at 1080p anyway. But this is still a great, cheap option for those who are just starting out. Another great positive here is that it doesn’t require multiple HDMI cables or a separate USB cable for extra power. The user experience here is really simple and it’s a fantastic place to start. Especially for use with the Wii U console and the games on the system.
Pros:
- Easy to Use
- Small and Light
- Affordable
Cons:
- Can’t Record 1080p/60fps
- Uses USB 2.0
LEADNOVO Audio Video Capture Card
Our next option on this list is probably something that looks a lot more familiar to those who know about capture cards. We’ve gone for this option from LEADNOVO for its great capture quality and its ease of use. This is immediately a step up from our last option, with this card supporting 1080p/60fps recording. Immediately this is a fantastic choice for those who are starting to get serious about content creation. It also supports 4K in 60fps too which is fantastic for those who also game with a 4K display. For those who want to make a good impression with their content, this is a pretty good place to start.
Though this might not be the best choice for those who have absolutely no idea what they’re doing. The setup for this capture card is not much more complicated than some of the higher up choices, but it’s still a bit complicated. You’ll need to have two HDMI cables as well as a USB 3.0 cable (which comes with the capture card) to connect everything together. So already, the setup here is more involved, but after it’s all done you won’t need to mess with it too much. The other cool parts to this capture card are that it has a headphone and microphone port. Allowing you to listen to and record audio through the capture card. Making the entire process a little easier. Just lookout for the mess of cables for when you plug everything in. It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to take cable management lessons to prep for this card if you plan to get it.
Pros:
- 4K/60fps
- Great Quality
- Uses USB 3.0
Cons:
- Requires Some Set-up
- Requires Extra HDMI Cables
QGeeM HDMI Capture Card
Our next option on this list combines some of the elements from the earlier choices on this list. We’ve gone for this capture card from QGeeM for its ease of use, small size and great capture quality. So at first glance this looks like a cross between the small USB design with the larger functionality of the larger capture cards. Encased in a small 3.15” x 1.97” x 1.18” silver body. This capture card is really lightweight and doesn’t take up too much space. This ultimately makes this a card that is nice and small while still being powerful enough to output at 1080p/60fps. You won’t be getting 4K here but if you’ll be using this for recording footage from a Wii U, you won’t need 4K.
The general quality of the footage being outputted here is fantastic. With very little noticeable latency, meaning that your streams or your recorded footage is going to sync up a lot better. This card is still going to take some setting up but the entire process is a little bit easier due to its smaller size. You won’t need to get a separate USB 3.0 cable for this since it’s built in to the capture card this time around. You will still need to get two HDMI cables though, so be sure you have those before purchasing this card. It also has three ports for a mic, a mic/earphone and an earphone. Allowing you to record and monitor the audio straight from the capture card. This card is a great way to step up the quality of your footage.
Pros:
- 1080p/60fps
- Great Capture Quality
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Requires Some Set-up
- Requires Extra HDMI Cables
Elgato Game Capture Card HD60S
If you know anything about content creation or if you follow any popular streamers you have most likely heard of this next option. We’ve gone for this Elgato capture card for its ease of use and fantastic capture quality. Elgato is by far the most popular brand when it comes to equipment for streaming and recording gameplay. That reputation is pretty accurate too since they make some really cool and high-quality gear. This specific capture card outputs at 1080p/60fps which is fantastic for those who are going to be using it for Wii U as it’s pretty much all you need. It’s also nice and small at 4.41” x 2.95” x 0.75”.
In terms of setup, this card is fairly simple but you’ll still need to have some extra HDMI cables laying around. It does come with a USB 3.0 cable and at least one HDMI cable. But to be on the safe side, make sure you have access to those cables before purchasing. The main benefit of getting an Elgato capture card is the software that it comes with. It’s also a mandatory thing so if that bothers you, it’s best to look elsewhere. The software has to be downloaded from their site and lets you see a live feed of the game you’re capturing. It also lets you record and stream directly from the application and lets you set up scenes with ease. For those who are already serious about content creation, it’s likely you already have this. But for those who are just starting to get big into either YouTube or Twitch, this is a fantastic choice.
Pros:
- 1080p/60fps
- Great Capture Quality
- Great Companion Software
Cons:
- Requires Extra HDMI Cables
- Mandatory Software
Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro
Our final option on this list is for those who want nothing but the best when it comes to recording their game footage. We’ve gone for another Elgato product for its fantastic capture quality that sits at the professional level. This capture card looks very different from all of the other ones on this list and that’s for good reason. This is an internal capture card, meaning that it has to be set up inside your PC and inserted into a PCIe slot. Basically the setup here is more involved than other options on this list. If you want a capture card with a nice and easy setup you should look elsewhere. But for the tech-savvy, these few extra steps are likely not an issue.
Performance-wise, here is a card that is going to be able to record your footage in amazing quality. Supporting 4K/60fps capture with next to no latency means that your recordings are going to be really high quality. Alongside the software that is mandatory for use with this capture card, you’ll be able to do a lot. Now with a Wii U console, you may not get the full benefits that you would with games on other systems due to that console’s graphical limitations. But this is a card for those who want something that is great at recording everything. If you decide to go with this card, make sure you can install it or get help to install it. The only downside to this card is how expensive it is and if you’re a small creator, it isn’t recommended to get this card just yet. But for those who desperately need an upgrade for their audience, this is an amazing choice.
Pros:
- 4K/60fps
- Amazing Capture Quality
- Great Companion Software
Cons:
- Requires Technical Know-How
- Mandatory Software
Buying Guide
If you’ve looked through all the choices but none of them are really what you’re looking for, don’t worry. In this section we’ll be giving you some extra advice and helpful tips to help you out on your journey.
Don’t overspend on what you don’t need
There are a lot of really fancy pieces of tech out there and they all serve a purpose. Specifically, capture cards come in all different shapes and sizes with each of them being good for different levels of content creator. Essentially you shouldn’t be spending a huge amount of money on a capture card that you won’t be using to its full extent. At that point it’s just a waste of both money and resources. Instead you should focus on what you will be using the capture card on. In this case, we’re using a Wii U, so you won’t really need a capture card that outputs 4K/60fps. Aiming to get a card that records at 1080p and 60fps will be plenty of power. You could even aim for a card that outputs 1080p and 30fps if the frame rate doesn’t bother you all that much. Ultimately just aim to get a card that fits in with what you need.
Additionally you should make sure to get a capture card from a place that you trust. A lot of capture cards on the cheaper end can give you a distorted image or severely reduced quality. So be careful with which card you decide to get and be sure to double check reviews from places you trust. A great way to find out the quality of a capture card is to check out in-depth reviews and videos that are actually using the card. That way you get a very thorough look at what kind of quality you can be expecting.
How to start recording and streaming
Once you actually get your hands on a capture card it might be a little confusing to know what to do with it. Especially for cards on the lower end that don’t come with their own software and detailed instructions. But the process is pretty simple and only takes a few steps to get started.
First up, you should know that whether you want to stream or record footage for YouTube videos, the software is largely the same for both. The three most popular pieces of software for this are OBS, Streamlabs OBS and XSplit. Each one is really good and they all come with their own little quirks. For complete beginners to content creation the best choice here is Streamlabs OBS. It has the most straightforward user interface and is really easy to work with. Allowing you to customise your scenes with ease and build up your platform. Both OBS and XSplit are in the same boat where they offer you a lot of control over how your streams and recordings look. But they are a little more daunting at first glance. With a user interface that is less colourful and more plain looking. XSplit in particular is a little bit overwhelming at first and can take a little getting used to. Especially if you are used to using Streamlabs OBS. They’re all really good pieces of software though and whichever one you choose will be a good choice.
Tips:
- If you intend to stream or make videos make sure you get some equipment alongside the capture card. Aim to get a good quality microphone and a decent camera too (if you want to film yourself).
- Make sure you have a good enough PC that will let you stream and record without too much lag or slowdown.
- If you decide to get an Elgato capture card, the software will be mandatory to get the full use out of the card.
- Check out which capture card your favourite content creators use to figure out which cards are the best.
Verdict – Best Capture Card for WII U
That’s that for our list of ‘The Best Capture Card for WII U’. If it helped you out and led you to making some cool content, let us know! Thanks for reading.
