AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo review: A simple but game-changing upgrade for streamers

Live Gamer Duo Source: Windows Primal

Streaming continues to be huge, and especially with the added time at home throughout 2022, more than and more than are turning their paw to it. Equipment costs can presently mount, though, especially if you're running multiple systems or wanting to utilize something like an external photographic camera.

Enter AVerMedia with an idea then simple you'll wonder why it's taken this long to appear on consumer-level broadcast gear. The Alive Gamer Duo looks a lot similar the company'southward other internal capture cards but with one important divergence. On the back you find two HDMI inputs, making this one unmarried card reduce the hardware requirements for a ton of streamers.

And just like AVerMedia's other capture cards, it's a fantastic piece of equipment.

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Live Gamer Duo

AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo

Lesser line: The simple addition of a second HDMI input will be a game-changer for streamers and make multi-device broadcasts more affordable and easier to setup.

Pros:

Ii HDMI inputs
Inputs can exist captured simultaneously
Attractive price
Good quality footage
Easy on system resources

Cons:

Driver install is a bit messy
Only one input capable of 4K

AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo tech specs and system requirements

Interface: PCI-Express x4 Gen ii
Input 1: HDMI ii.0
Input 2: HDMI 1.4
Output one (Pass-Through): HDMI 2.0
Output 1 Max. Pass-Through Resolution:
2160p60 HDR /1440p144/ 1080p240
Max. Recording Resolution:
Input 1: 1080p60 HDR
Input 2: 1080p60
Supported Resolution:
Input 1: 2160p, 1440p, 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 480p
Input 2: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 480p
Record Format: MPEG 4

System requirements

Operating system: Windows ten x64
CPU: Intel i5-6XXX / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or above
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050 / AMD RX 560 or above
RAM: viii GB RAM

AMD users who want HDR support will need to be using a minimum of an RX5500 XT.

What y'all'll like about the AVerMedia Alive Gamer Duo

Live Gamer Duo Source: Windows Fundamental

If you're not familiar with AVerMedia'southward capture card'southward then information technology's worth brushing upwardly on some past reviews, such as the Alive Gamer 4K, the Alive Gamer Ultra and the most recently released Live Gamer Bolt. In that location's a running theme with AVerMedia's capture cards — ease of utilise.

Generally speaking I've never had a single issue with drivers, software or functioning on whatsoever of AVerMedia's products and the same is true of the Alive Gamer Duo. I'll admit to having some trepidation going into this review, purely considering this capture carte du jour is adding more points of problem.

Thankfully, the execution is flawless. Both HDMI inputs on the Live Gamer Duo are treated as an individual capture card so each shows upwards as a unique source in whatsoever streaming software chosen. That means non only is there no conflict, only information technology also means you lot nearly definitely tin use both inputs at the aforementioned fourth dimension.

Both inputs operate as an independent capture carte which makes using the Duo a breeze.

OK, possibly it's unlikely yous're going to be capturing content from an Xbox and a PlayStation at the aforementioned time, but y'all could certainly be streaming console gameplay while also capturing your own beautiful confront with a camera hooked up to the 2d input. Or if yous take more than i console, y'all can but plug ane into each and non worry most splitters or switches.

That'southward really the main takeaway hither. Information technology's a unproblematic thought just it truly is a game-changer. Yous don't need to have an additional capture card or something like the Elgato Cam Link, only ane capture card and yous are set. There will always be times y'all'll need to remember bigger and use splitters or switches, but for folks only looking to stream with ease and quality, this is the ane to get.

Quality of the footage is suitably high, too, as we've come to wait from AVerMedia's capture cards. Both HDMI inputs deliver 1080p uncompressed video, only the card itself too does most of the decoding legwork which means minimal impact on your arrangement resources.

Video is then passed off to your GPU for encoding, which once again, ways minimal arrangement touch on. Both H.264 and H.265 are supported, and the maximum bitrates y'all're able to record in will depend on your GPU.

System requirements are also fairly low, with entry level GPUs from both NVIDIA and AMD supported, as well equally Intel CPUs going all the manner back to the 6th Gen. This is adept to see, and it makes assembling a dedicated stream car all the more than affordable, as well.

What yous'll dislike virtually the AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo

Live Gamer Duo Source: Windows Central

In that location'south nothing really to dislike in so many words, only in that location are things to consider that might make this the wrong capture menu for you. And the biggest, apparently, is that without a desktop PC with a spare PCIe slot you can't utilise information technology. Indeed, for the purposes of this review, I had to install it in a secondary machine since my chief gaming rig is a mini ITX build. It may sound obvious, but before y'all click on the buy push, ever check your PC can definitely use it.

Information technology'southward also non necessarily for y'all if yous're looking to combine it with say, a PS5 and an Xbox Series X at the same time, at to the lowest degree if y'all're hoping to become some super crispy 4K captures from each. One of the inputs on the Alive Gamer Duo is express to 1080p fifty-fifty for passthrough. Then if you're looking to get high-res it'due south maybe not the best for you. As well if you're looking to record from a camera in 4K while gaming at the aforementioned resolution. If it'south mainly for streaming, you'll be in good hands, though.

Perhaps the simply existent criticism, albeit a pocket-sized one, is that AVerMedia's driver installation is a scrap of a faff. You have to download an app commencement, and so open up information technology and it'll download all the other stuff, including the latest version of RECentral, install information technology all, and then y'all can start using the card. And without installing all this stuff start it simply won't work. But when it'south all fix, the experience is faultless.

Should you buy the AVerMedia Alive Gamer Duo?

AVerMedia capture cards Source: Windows Central

At this bespeak in fourth dimension I'd recommend the Live Gamer Duo to anyone looking to stream, seasoned pro or budding beginner. Even if you don't have an external camera or a second PC or panel to hook up right now, as you progress you'll have the flexibility to add to your setup without needing boosted capture hardware.

Streamers are who this makes the most sense for, especially beingness limited to 1080p captures. If yous're looking to pull 4K footage of your gaming escapades then this isn't for you, and nosotros recommend the Live Gamer 4K for that. However, for streaming, this actually is one of the easiest recommendations right at present.

It works flawlessly, besides, which is the icing on the cake. There are no limitations on using two devices at once, both inputs operate entirely independently, and adding each is exactly the same procedure every bit adding any capture menu to whatsoever streaming software. If you desire to level up your stream with ease, then get one of these.

The Live Gamer Duo is at present bachelor for $250 in the U.S. with stock live at Amazon equally of publication. It's frequently going out of stock in some regions, making it best to snag 1 right now, if yous're in the marketplace.

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Live Gamer Duo

AVerMedia Alive Gamer Bolt

A uncomplicated but game-changing thought

The need for complicated setups or additional capture hardware to employ a camera on stream is made obsolete past this elementary, just clever card from AVerMedia.

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