Avermedia live gamer ultra gc553 review in Spanish

Although Avermedia recently gave information about its new capture machines, now we already have among us its Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 model, an external capture device that adapts to the new needs of the market, that is, support for resolutions up to 4K at 60 fps and HDR technology, and is capable of capturing even a high refresh rate of up to 240 Hz and 120 fps in 1080p. Like everything, on paper it looks quite good, so we will appreciate that such is its performance, use and final evaluation.

Technical characteristics Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553

Unboxing

The Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 comes with a double packaging, an outer box with the image of the grabber and some information about it in many languages.

And another black interior, in which we find the grabber well padded with cardboard, if we remove this insert, we will find the rest of the accessories that are included. The set is made up:

• Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 Capturer. USB 3.1 Type A to Type C Cable. HDMI 2.0 Cable. Quick Guide. Key Card for PowerDirector 15.

Design

Avermedia has made a truly minimalist and compact rectangular design of the outer shell, while adding lines and a latticework in the plastic that marry the gaming style that is so fashionable now. Its dimensions are 112.6 x 66.2 x 26 mm and 116 grams of weight.

This time we will not find any button or switch in the entire device, since the general handling will be controlled by software.

In the upper part, as well as in the upper sides, there are red ventilation grills, in addition, in one corner of this area, there is also an LED to indicate the on or off of the grabber.

The remaining sides house the different connection ports. On the one hand, the microUSB type C connector, which has both the function of supplying data to the PC and receiving electrical current for its operation.

If we go to the other end, we find two HDMI ports, one input where we will connect the console or device that emits the video signal; and another output port, where we will connect our television or monitor.

Finally, at the base of the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553, four non-slip rubber feet have been arranged that perform quite effectively their function of preventing the device from moving from its place.

software

As the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 does not have any card slot as in previous models, the video capture is done directly on the PC. To start using the capture device, it will be necessary to connect all the cables and, obviously, it will be important to connect the USB to a port that is at least 3.0 to take advantage of the greater bandwidth, since it will not work with older version USB ports.

Once these steps have been completed, it will be necessary to download and install the RECentral program in its current version 4, through which we will control the capture and streaming of videos.

The first time we open the program with the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553, it will recognize it and ask us for a firmware update, something that is always appreciated when it comes to solving previous failures.

Among the RECentral 4 options, in addition to being able to capture our games on the PC and broadcast them live, we can also select the output resolution of the video, the codec to use, configure the audio devices and their volume level, if we want Take snapshots and we can even configure the multi-screen capture mode to overlay a window with our webcam in pip mode.

Luckily, we have the option to create different profiles with resolutions, fps and codecs, and we can put a name on them and save them for later quick access.

With a button, we can jump from the capture tab, to the settings tab and to the storage folder of the files made. In the settings tab we have the option to automatically detect devices with HDCP protection to try to capture video on some devices that do not allow it. In the case of PS4, for example, this detection cannot do anything and it is necessary to enter the console settings to deactivate it from there.

Minimum and recommended requirements

Entering the performance itself, we must take into account the minimum requirements required for the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 to work depending on the resolution and frames that we want to capture.

If we want to capture 1080p video at 60 fps we will need:

• Minimum an Intel Core i5-3330 or higher, although the company recommends an i7-3770. To these requirements we must add a minimum of an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 650 or an AMD Radeon R7 250X or higher and 4 or 8 GB of RAM. On notebooks an i7-4810MQ is recommended along with the NVIDIA geforce GTX 870M or higher and 4 or 8 GB of RAM.

To capture 4K at 30 fps or 1080p at 120 fps it is recommended:

• An Intel Core i5-6xxx or better together with an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1060 or better and 8 GB of Dual-Channel RAM memory, while in notebooks an i7-7700HQ or better is recommended along with an NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1050 Ti or better and 8 GB of Dual-Channel RAM memory.

performance

As we see, to achieve a good performance of the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 it will be necessary to take into account the equipment we have and which we will get the most out of the higher its range. To capture at 1080p, a mid-range will suffice, but for higher resolutions and frames, a higher-end equipment will be necessary. The company also recommends using an Intel chipset.

It is important to note that the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 works on Windows 10 64-bit, but not on MacOS.

During the tests carried out with high-end equipment with the recommended requirements, we have been able to verify that the video capture in both 1080p at 60 fps, 1080p at 120 fps and 4K at 30 fps occurs smoothly and without problems. We have not seen any loss of quality or frames or any lag when streaming or in the captured and later saved videos. All this in reference to the use of the default codec that makes use of the GPU for the most part.

Capture using the h.264 codec has resulted in more erratic results and less stability during capture by pulling more of the CPU. Although other programs can be used to capture and stream, h.265 compression only works with RECentral.

The capture of HDR is done properly and a fairly faithful reproduction of what we see on console is achieved.

If we have to comment on any negative aspect of the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 it is the inability to capture at 4K and 60 fps, being able to only play the video at those frames on the PC, and only the option of capturing at 30 fps in 4K remains.

Another aspect that would have been appreciated and does not have, is the possibility of capturing in some external storage without the need for a PC as the Avermedia Live gamer portable 2 Plus does.

Additional features

The Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 includes as an added bonus a key to free download PowerDirector 15 which is valued at around € 50. We are faced with a light and not very overloaded editor that is good for those who do not already have a professional style.

Final words and conclusion of the Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553

The Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553 is one of the first capturers to support and capture 4K HDR content in a simple and efficient way, even to only play console content on the PC.

We have been surprised by the good performance that it has in all the captured resolutions, although for this it is necessary and almost mandatory to have a good team that has a more or less powerful graphic, that can throw back some, even if you buy a capture machine who claims that it captures 4K is supposed to already have a good PC on its own.

We recommend reading our PC Gaming configuration

We have also been surprised that despite being external, it does not have any addition that makes it work independently from a PC, perhaps they have wanted to give buyers options to choose between this or the Live Gamer 4K CGC573 that is internal.

In general, this product has given us very good impressions, both for its simplicity of use and for the final quality it offers to the user.

It is possible to find it in stores for a price of around € 200. A good price seeing everything it offers and that each user will value depending on their need.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ WORKS FLUIDLY AND WITHOUT LAG	- IT DOES NOT HAVE TO CAPTURE WITH AN EXTERNAL CARD (SD, MICRO SD…)
+ INCLUDES PAYMENT SOFTWARE	- 4K CAPTURE AT 30 FPS, BUT NOT AT 60 FPS
+ HDR CAPTURE
+ RECORD BOTH 4K AND FULL HD AT 120 FPS
+ GOOD PRICE

The professional review team awards you the gold medal and recommended product.

Avermedia Live Gamer Ultra GC553

Design - 84%

Software - 88%

Efficiency - 85%

Price - 78%

84%

A simple yet powerful 4K HDR external grabber with options.