“OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is free and compatible for Windows, Mac, and Linux.” Best for Simplicity: Fraps at Fraps “This easy-to-use software is light in weight (2.3 MB) and simple in both function and design.” Best for Nvidia Graphics Cards: Nvidia ShadowPlay at Nvidia “Nvidia ShadowPlay comes with two different modes for gamers: shadow mode and manual.” Best for 4K Resolution and High Frame Rate: Action! at Action Recorder “The easy-to-use premium game recording software can capture up to 120 FPS with 4K HD resolutions.” “Its seven-button interface overlay includes all of the options you’ll need to start recording and make adjustments during your session.” Best for Features: Radeon/AMD ReLive at AMD “Radeon/AMD ReLive is like being behind a recording studio console.” Best for Easiness: Plays.tv at Plays.tv “The lightweight software records as soon as you start gaming without all the setup.” You may want a two-monitor screen setup so you can adjust the recording while gaming. This powerful software studio lets you create switchable transitions, mix audio levels, set hotkeys, and even preview scenes and sources before you push them live, with no limits on video length. Integration with YouTube and Twitch makes it easy to livestream. Fraps has been around since 1999 and gets its name from “frames per second” (FPS) due to its frame rate display that benchmarks and measures how quickly your game is running. You can record audio and video of your favorite games with a resolution up to 7680 x 4800 and custom frame rates at 1 to 120 FPS. The free version has limited features and a watermark, while the full version is available for under $40. Nvidia ShadowPlay comes with two different modes for gamers: shadow mode and manual. Shadow mode allows players to capture an instant replay of the last 20 minutes of gameplay while manual mode simply has unlimited recording storage. You’ll be able to record at up to 8K HDR at 30 frames per second (for RTX 30 Series) or up to 4K HDR at 60 frames per second and broadcast live to platforms like Facebook Live, Twitch, or YouTube. Action! does a stellar job with its top quality captures without being too much of a strain on your computer. It uses fewer megabytes per frame when recording and also uses low computer resources. Action! even allows you to capture gameplay and control video recording on your Android smartphone or tablet. Like other game recording software on the list, you’ll be able to livestream directly to sites like Twitch, YouTube, and more. For more casual gamers, the Windows 10 Game Bar keeps it simple. Its seven-button interface overlay includes all of the options you’ll need to start recording and make adjustments during your session. Game Bar is not without its issues: The application uses your system’s resources, and it only supports full-screen mode on a certain number of games, so you’ll need to adjust to either a windowed or full-screen windowed mode. Recommended for more advanced game recorders, Radeon/AMD ReLive is like being behind a recording studio console. You’ll be able to do everything, including separating audio tracks, using an integrated chat system, showing performance metrics, and much more. Producers and detailed gamers who love to tinker around may find ReLive to be the right fit to meet their production needs. Plays.tv is a great place to start for any beginner user just dipping their toes in recording their own gameplay. When you finish recording, you’ll be able to review and edit your entire gameplay session, dropping bookmarks on a timeline for easy access to specific moments. It even automatically adds key events for popular games like Overwatch and League of Legends. The website’s social media format makes it easy to track likes and comments for each of your clips, all while streamlining sharing to sites like Reddit, Facebook and more.
