AVerMedia X’TRA GO GC515 Review Leave a comment

Introduction & Specification Particulars and Shut-up

The AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515) is a tool that we have eagerly been ready to get some hands-on time with at TweakTown, an exterior seize machine and charging dock for transportable gaming handhelds just like the ROG Ally, Steam Deck, and Nintendo Change. Any machine with USB-C DisplayPort and cost performance is appropriate with the AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515). Throw in PC-free one-button recording direct to a microSD card, and it is a machine that would shortly develop into a must have for players, streamers, and content material creators who give attention to gaming handheld units.

VIEW GALLERY – 16 IMAGES

For creators that overview video games for the Nintendo Change, it is one thing that would substitute Nintendo’s dock for all of your Change on TV gaming – with the power to report everytime you really feel prefer it, or you could possibly use it as a charger and HDMI dock to take a seat subsequent to your PC setup. The identical applies to the Valve Steam Deck and ROG Ally from ASUS, PC gaming handhelds that do not ship with Change-style docks. For this overview, I used to be in a position to take a look at the AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515) with a Nintendo Change (as pictured), in addition to a PC gaming handheld with the favored Radeon 780M graphics {hardware} discovered within the ROG Ally and Legion Go from Lenovo.

The excellent news is that the AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515) works as anticipated, recording high-quality video with a button press whereas performing as a dock and charger. After spending just a few weeks with the machine, it is clear that regardless that the underlying expertise is not essentially new, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515) is improbable whenever you add all of it up. Nevertheless, it isn’t with out shortcomings, and there is particular room for enchancment if AVerMedia decides to develop and ship an X’TRA GO 2.0. Let’s dig in.

Specs & Shut Up

• Interface: USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) x 2, USB-C x 3, HDMI x 1
• Video Enter (from console): USB-C DP Alt Mode
• Video Output (Move-through): HDMI 2.0
• Audio Output (Move-By means of): HDMI 2.0 / 3.5mm headphone jack (3-pole)
• Max. Move-By means of Decision: 2160p60, 1080p120
• Max. Recording Decision: 2160p30, 1440p60, 1080p120
• File File Format: fMP4 (Fragmented MP4)
• Supported Decision: 2160p, 1440p, 1080p, 720p, 576p, 480p
• Micro SD Card Capability (most): 1 TB (exFAT format), SD card is just not included
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 141 x 99.4 x 37.7 mm
• Weight: 176 grams
• System Necessities: Home windows 10 x64, Home windows 11 x64, or later
• {Hardware} Necessities: CPU: Intel Core i5-6XXX, AMD Ryzen 3 XXX or above GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 5700 or above
• What’s Within the Field: X’TRA GO (GC515), HDMI 2.0 Cable, Kind-C to Kind-A Cable, Kind-C to Kind-C PD Cable, Fast Begin Information

Kosta’s Take a look at System Specs

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Version
• Cooler: ASUS ROG RYUO III 360 ARGB
• RAM: 64GB (4x16GB) Corsair DOMINATOR TITANIUM RGB DDR5 DRAM 6000MT/s
• SSD: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 4TB, Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus Plus M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD 8TB
• Energy Provide: ASUS TUF Gaming 1000W Gold
• Case: Corsair 5000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX PC Case
• OS: Microsoft Home windows 11 Professional 64-bit

Design & Software program

Design

The AVerMedia X’TRA GO is small, compact, and light-weight. It’s obtainable in a darkish or mild coloration choice, which helps it go well with varied gaming handhelds and transportable units. We have been despatched the white variant for this overview, which you’ll see within the photographs. This variant incorporates a clear blue strip the place you’ll be able to ‘dock’ your handheld. This two-tone look is trendy, with the AVerMedia brand on the intensive report button and the again half. Weighing in at 176 grams, it is lighter than anticipated, however with the low-profile design and the rubberized underfoot, it will not slip or tip when in use.

As tiny because the unit is, AVerMedia has packed it with ports, that are all clearly labeled. On the bottom of the unit, you’ve got bought a USB-C port for connecting to a handheld or cell machine with DisplayPort over USB, one other USB-C port for energy and charging/passthrough to the linked machine, and a 3rd USB-C port for connecting to a PC for streaming, direct recording, and tweaking the default settings.

As well as, you’ve got bought an HDMI 2.0 port for as much as 4K 60 passthrough to a show, two USB 3 ports for connecting peripherals like controllers or a keyboard and mouse (that is nice for mini-PCs and transportable Home windows gaming handhelds), and a change to allow Card Reader mode for connecting to a PC and having the microSD storage pop up as a brand new exterior storage machine. It does not cease there, as on the left aspect of the unit, you’ve got bought a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting a headset and the microSD card slot.

Along with supplying a microSD card for recording, you could additionally present USB energy supply when you plan on charging linked units – AVerMedia does not embody a USB charger, which we discovered odd. When linked to a PC, the machine does not want exterior energy to perform and seize gameplay footage. Finally, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO (GC515) design is straightforward and chic, and we love that each one it’s essential to maintain observe of is the LED mild and the large report button for many interplay.

However, with it being appropriate with a variety of handhelds and tablets, the precise dock and slot aren’t one thing you’ll be able to alter, with most units simply sitting within the unit with out locking in. And with a set thickness, sadly, you’ll be able to’t slot in each handheld – with AVerMedia noting that regardless that the ROG Ally is supported, the ROG Ally X is not. You’ll be able to nonetheless join and report gameplay straight from the newer ‘X’ variant, but it surely’s too thick to take a seat within the AVerMedia X’TRA GO. This design oversight might have been resolved with an adjustable docking bay or system.

Software program

One of many AVerMedia X’TRA GO’s greatest options is its plug-and-play capacity to report gameplay straight from a handheld or transportable machine to microSD, which may also be charged, with the bonus of HDMI passthrough. Nevertheless, join the AVerMedia X’TRA GO to a PC through USB. It would act like some other exterior seize card, permitting you to report on to PC storage utilizing standard streaming and seize software program like OBS.

As a pleasant little bonus, you may also use AVerMedia Streaming Heart, which provides a simple solution to entry the AVerMedia X’TRA GO’s options, change a few of its settings, replace firmware, report gameplay, and even hook up with a streaming platform for broadcasting. AVerMedia Streaming Heart options an interface that’s custom-designed for the AVerMedia X’TRA GO, or not less than feels prefer it, as that is the place you may make modifications to the PC-free recording high quality, the default performance of the large report button whereas additionally with the ability to monitor the show enter.

AVerMedia Streaming Heart can deal with a number of video and audio sources, making it a simple-to-use streaming instrument. It additionally has wonderful options, like routinely recording to the PC and microSD card on the AVerMedia X’TRA GO whenever you hit report. You may as well report utilizing the newer H265 codec to save lots of area or stick to the tried-and-true H264 video codec – utilizing your PC’s GPU {hardware} for encoding. It is an important piece of software program with intuitive choices so as to add a webcam or further supply for streaming or to make use of as a solution to report on to a PC.

Efficiency

With a most recording decision and body fee of 4K 30FPS, 1440P 60 FPS, or 1080p 120 FPS, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO is just not probably the most highly effective seize card on the earth – and it doesn’t help HDMI 2.1 passthrough with HDR. Nevertheless, this limitation is smart whenever you consider that the majority transportable gaming units just like the ROG Ally, Steam Deck, Nintendo Change, and even Apple iPad or iPhone (keep in mind, the X’TRA GO helps any machine with USB-C DisplayPort performance) not often push gaming efficiency past 1080p 60FPS.

The video above showcases a small gameplay recording of Tremendous Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Change. This recreation runs at a strong 60 FPS with a decision that hovers principally at round 900p. Utilizing the default high quality setting, which interprets to 10 minutes of gameplay taking on round 1GB of storage, the outcomes are instantly spectacular. YouTube compression is the main explanation for any artifacts you see above, as the general high quality of the recording and gameplay is up there with devoted seize playing cards.

Along with recording gameplay for this overview, I used the AVerMedia X’TRA GO as a Nintendo Change dock to cost and play video games on my TV. Likewise, when switching to a Radeon 780M transportable machine, having that passthrough and the power to cost and dock is good. That stated, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO does not resolve the difficulty of connecting a number of cables, and the unit dimension is such that it isn’t the perfect resolution for each machine. Nintendo’s official Change dock is best suited to the hand held, as are docks explicitly designed for different handhelds just like the ROG Ally and Steam Deck. However, right here, you get the bonus of one-button recording – and that is definitely worth the value of admission.

Closing Ideas

With its $199.99 USD value level, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO comes extremely beneficial, regardless that it isn’t fairly as excellent as we have been hoping it is perhaps. It excels in all of the areas it counts: recording high quality, ease of use, and doubling as a dock for transportable gaming handhelds and different cell units. AVerMedia Streaming Heart can also be an enormous plus for these on the lookout for a easy resolution for capturing gameplay from a Change, Ally, or Deck with out having to take care of OBS and sophisticated software program.

Nevertheless, in supporting a variety of cell units, the docking aspect of the AVerMedia X’TRA GO does not provide a cosy match for each handheld or cellphone. That and the truth that you will nonetheless want a number of cables linked detract from the glossy and trendy design. In the long run, when you’re a content material creator who video games on a Nintendo Change, a ROG Ally, Steam Deck, or a cell machine, the AVerMedia X’TRA GO solves the seize and streaming drawback by providing a easy and intuitive resolution.