A significant number of gamers still rely on PCs for their gaming needs, though consoles may be on the rise. For you to try out, there are all kinds of games available, from sports to FPS to strategy and what not! But when you can share the gameplay with your friends and other gamers worldwide, the enjoyment is double that. Although one way to do this is to download, it usually takes a toll on your internet and relies heavily on your bandwidth. For a lot of people, though, capturing the gaming video and then uploading it seems to be a much safer choice. Ok, if you’re anyone looking for the right game recording software to record your gameplay, read on.
Without some form of encoding, most of these tools can capture raw images. This results in an immense video size, so it is advised that you only capture videos that have enough room on the drive. Make sure you compact the video when you have it before posting it online. Also, unless stated, the maximum resolution that can be registered by this program is the same as your monitor. Finally, in both of them, you’d get the usual 30fps or 60fps options.
Explore The Best Game Recording Software
In recent years, free screen recorders have come a long way, and now there are some very exciting resources available that can catch anything that happens absolutely free of charge on your screen, and without any annoying restrictions.
So, for all ventures and levels of expertise, we’ve rounded up the very best free screen recorders. There is something here that will suit the bill, whether you are making a tech tutorial for your YouTube page, filming a Let’s Play stream, or capturing a video call.
Open Broadcaster Software
Free Broadcaster Platform or OBS is definitely the best tool of the bunch, purely because of its open-source design and flexibility, the chosen instrument for a lot of gamers out there. The platform for you is OBS, whether it is actually documenting your gameplay or even streaming it side by side. You don’t have to change any special settings, just pick the source you want to record and start recording. There is a learning curve to it, though, that you can get used to with time. OBS is capable of recording in MP4 and FLV formats and uses high-quality streaming from the GPU of your PC. It is registered at a ratio of 1:1, which is the same as your panel.
OBS Studio is the best free video recorder. Not only does it monitor anything going on your monitor, but it can also capture images from your camera and use it for picture-in-picture recording, and also record audio from a microphone, a phenomenal software with a feature set that rivals those of the more premium tools. It also offers you the option of saving or streaming the results in a format of your choice through the provider of your choice.
Nonetheless, while OBS Studio is obviously an excellent choice for professionals and gamers alike, there are other useful alternatives that are worth looking into. If you just need to record a few minutes of video, what you need could be a more straightforward method
Streamlabs OBS (Best Game Recording Software)
You can certainly try out Streamlabs OBS if you’re just starting out and you find the interface of OBS a little too complex. Streamlabs OBS is a video capturing and streaming platform that seeks to simplify the interface of OBS for beginners. The app is very simple to use and is filled with built-in features that will help you capture and stream your games. It helps you to download all the resources directly from the company’s website without copying and pasting a tonne of URLs because the app links to your Streamlabs account. But with a simpler gui, the app has many of the same features as the original OBS, making it more like an OBS skinned version.
OBS Studio allows both high definition viewing and video, with no limits on the amount or duration of your creations. You can watch Twitch or YouTube gaming online, save projects and return to them later, or encrypt and save your videos locally in FLV format.
Since OBS Studio can capture directly from your graphics card, it is capable of capturing games running in full-screen mode with customizable hotkeys to monitor recording (many other screen recorders can only record if the game is windowed). OBS Studio can also allow good use of multi-core CPUs and can record at 60FPS for better performance (or even higher).
NVIDIA GPU
You may have already sent prompts to install GeForce Experience on your computer if you have an Nvidia GPU. Well, apart from only upgrading your Nvidia drivers, Nvidia’s Shadowplay function is also included in the app, enabling you to quickly capture games. One of ShadowPlay’s best characteristics is that it uses the GPU (Nvenc) to handle video encoding, which ensures that CPU capacity doesn’t demand much of it. The app is capable of filming at the same resolution as your monitor, so your recordings will also be in 4K if you have a 4K screen. The GeForce Experience app is a must-try if you have an Nvidia GPU because it doesn’t cost a penny and typically works very well with simple games.
Radeon Relive
So Nvidia has a recording program of its own, don’t you suppose AMD will also have one? Join Radeon ReLive (formerly known as AMD ReLive), which is the company’s proprietary gaming recording program on an AMD card. AMD ReLive, like the Nvidia workaround, uses the GPU for much of the decoding, saving the CPU cycles for other things. The effect on framerates is very slight (5-10 percent in most cases), but it can fall short with more complex streaming configurations. What’s more, is that the app even comes with upscaling support. As such, you can also record at 4K UHD if you’re playing at 1080p. You can certainly give Radeon ReLive a shot if you have an AMD GPU.
Bandicam
In terms of screen recording, the Bandicam screen recorder is one of the most recognized applications. Although placed as a Windows screen recorder, the program doubles as a great recording software for games with its great ability to record at high bitrates and frames. Customizable frame rates and 4K Ultra HD resolution allow you to film videos. Because of its built-in compression feature, it provides small-scale video recordings even at such high resolution, meaning there is no quality compromise and you get the smallest file size. For gaming or other PC operations, the recordings can be changed and the window size can be reduced or increased.
Xsplit (Best Game Recording Software)
XSplit is one of the simplest recording techniques out there, and power-packed. Currently, I personally use it on my Twitch channel for streaming. But aside from broadcasting, the app can easily be used for high-quality recording of your gameplay. With a simple click of a button, you can start recording and XSplit will customize the settings for you according to your PC. What’s more, tools such as picture-in-picture mode, watermarks, video comments, and integration with social media can be used. As an advanced video editor, Xsplit also allows you the ability to edit videos and quickly handle all captured videos and share them with the world.
Fraps
Another very common game recording app for Windows is Fraps, and it is very easy to use. Fraps is all about ease of use, unlike other recording applications that come with daunting settings and setup sections. Only go to the segment of “Movies” and start filming, that’s it. Fraps, though, offers you a few important options: you can manually adjust the frame rate for video capture and it can go from 30 to 120FPS. There is also an opportunity to enter a custom FPS value where the frame rate can be adjusted even lower than 30. Next, Fraps has the potential to capture audio, which is pretty cool, though both external input and machine sound.
And best of all, when recording games on your Windows PC, you can display your mouse, much like OBS Studio. Not to mention, in the corner of the computer, you can even get a live frame rate tracker that is really useful for heavy gamers. To put it straight, Fraps is a lightweight screen recording application, and for users who want a smooth experience when recording their gameplay on PCs, it can be a great utility.
Movavi
In terms of screen capture and post-editing, Movavi has launched a new screen recorder with loading functionality. But this screen recorder’s primary feature is its sleek user interface and simpler navigation that I believe many people will enjoy. The screen can be captured with built-in audio and up to 4K resolution is allowed. In addition, with on-going screen recording, you can synchronize webcam and microphone voice-over and I think that’s an amazing feature to provide. In addition, you have the option of capturing a portion of the screen in window mode.
As I said, there are a number of post-recording resources for Movavi Screen Recorder so that you can convert a video to GIF; shorten, cut, and enter videos; add animated titles and special effects, and many more. Overall, Movavi Screen Recorder might be a decent choice if you want a game recording app with a healthy dose of editing tools. You should try out the Gecata game recorder as an alternative to Movavi as well.
Dxtory (Best Game Recording Software)
In this list, Dxtory is just another basic tool providing lots of features while being very light on the framework. It is also one of the lightest, but very stable applications. The GUI is incredibly basic and makes knowing all parameters and tweaking them very straightforward. It records the finest quality lossless content to make sure you have the best footage (huge size, though). Audio settings are also very versatile, allowing two sounds to be captured concurrently, such as game sound and microphone sound, which can be edited independently later. You may select video codec, frames per second from 10-120, origins, height, and format in the Video Settings.
For a free screen recorder, that’s all pretty normal fare, but take a minute to delve into the advanced options of Flashback and you can discover a wealth of thoughtfully crafted settings that will make your desktop recordings look very professional. In order to make it easy to follow, the recorder will instantly mask passwords entered on the keyboard, swap your silly wallpaper with a plain one, cover messy desktop icons, and illuminate your mouse pointer. A dedicated gaming mode is also available that allows you to specify the number of frames registered per second.
Apowersoft
If you would like to film a lecture, demonstration of applications, or lesson, try Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder. This browser-based platform may not be ideal for playing, but for any other activities, it’s the best free screen recorder.
You’ll be asked to download a brief launcher program the first time you use Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder. A control bar filled with more options is then given to you than you can find with most desktop screen recording applications. From your laptop or webcam, you can take video and record audio from your PC, microphone, or both.
You can capture the entire screen, manually pick a region or select one of the preset resolutions, perfect if, for example, you are filming a YouTube clip and do not want to use a separate video editor to resize it later.
For pace and ease, the Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder even provides personalized keyboard shortcuts. You can opt to use the cursor in the recording or not, and choose from a variety of output formats, including MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, and many more. During the video, you can also add notes.
You can save the recording as a video file or GIF after you have stopped, post it directly to YouTube or Vimeo, or email it to Google Drive or Dropbox. The clip can also be edited. An additional component, Apowersoft Video Editor, is downloaded by choosing this option, which allows you to make easy changes before exporting your video to your desired format. A truly outstanding instrument.
Notice that the button ‘Install desktop edition’ connects to the Apowersoft Screen Recorder Pro software. This is a preview version of a premium application, which is more restrictive than Online Screen Recorder.
Action (Best Game Recording Software)
Hey! Action! If you have a strong computer, this is one of the best game capturing applications you can use right now. To speed up recordings and put less burden on the CPU, the app makes use of the GPU. You can make high-quality videos with a resolution of up to 4k, elevated frame rates, and even incorporate live feedback. What’s more, videos can be streamed through all common services, such as Twitter, Hitbox, Twitch, Livestream, Ustream, etc. Hey! Action! The Time-Shift mode is also available, but it is limited to 10 minutes instead of 20 minutes. It is also easy to edit the images, such as cropping, effects like slow motion, and other simple editing functions.
D3D gear
D3DGear might look like a plain and easy tool, but it’s incredibly helpful. There is no special set-up needed for the game recording program. You just install it, in reality, and you’re a click away from capturing your footage of the gameplay. It also has a built-in compression system, along with a lightweight build, which will compress all videos taken with it. Videos are compressed in real-time, so you can still be able to capture a video even though you have less space on the drive. It also uses GPU acceleration, considering its limited scale, to place strain on the GPU, not the CPU. The app detects and links games automatically, you only need to click the hotkey to start or end.
Windows game DVR (Best Game Recording Software)
Chances are when reading this review, you are running Windows 10. If that’s the case, and you only need a basic method for capturing your gameplay and nothing else, the Windows Game DVR should do the trick. Video recording (Win+Alt+R default shortcut) helps you to choose a recording rate of 30 fps or 60 fps, as well as a normal (720p) or high (1080p) quality and audio bitrate, and that is it. Alternatively, by clicking the keyboard shortcut (Win + G), you open the Game Bar. The fact that it is so quick to use and totally free makes it a convenient idea for everyone. It is only good for beginners, however, and you can pick one of the most advanced if you are looking for anything more advanced.
Our favourite free screen recorder is OBS Studio, but Flashback Express is an incredibly close second. FlashBack Express won’t place nasty watermarks on your recordings or enforce time limits, despite being a free version of a paid program, and it is filled with features and resources that rival many premium apps. Its GUI is less daunting than OBS Studio, so it’s an excellent choice if you’ve never used a video recorder before.
From the whole screen, a window, a chosen area, or a webcam, you can capture. Your recording will appear in a simple editor until you have done it, where you can crop and trim it to meet your specifications, then upload it to YouTube, an FTP server, or your PC.
Final verdict
The game recording programs listed above to have full control over the recording of your game as you play. All of them are documented at high quality, but features and ease of use can vary. Some can lack a few characteristics, but they are very convenient to use, making them suitable for beginners. Others could be better saved for practitioners who wish to make a career out of video game tutorials and broadcasting. Anyway, your needs should be satisfied by the above list of game recording apps. That said, is there any other program that you think was meant to be on the list? In the comments below, let us see.