I want to start speedrunning full worlds or even the full game, but my problem is the recording, because these runs are much longer than just recording 1-minute levels. I currently use a laptop with OBS and LiveSplit, so all I need is a suitable capture card.

I’m looking for recommendations for a capture card that works well for Wii U VC. Ideally something with a lower price but still good quality, although I’m also open to more expensive options if they’re worth it.

Can you share with me which capture card you use for your runs and which one you prefer?

I will always stand by the Elgato HD60 S for HDMI stuff - it's worked perfectly for me. I got lucky and found mine second-hand for £70-80, but it might cost a bit more than that.

I can recommend against anything from NZXT - I got their HD60 capture card because it was on sale and I needed an HD capture card, but I couldn't get it to actually output 60fps (despite the name) no matter how much I messed with my settings in OBS. The quality was also just a bit worse than what you can get on a better caṕture card (like an Elgato). Furthermore, it was a very temperamental capture card and (especially if I was streaming to someone on Discord) it would occasionally "freak out" after some time, dropping down to 20fps and having audio delay of over ten seconds (yes really).

Investing in a good one will go a long way and save frustration down the line, even if it seems like a bit much up front. There are definitely other good options that are relatively cheap, though I'm not familiar with them myself.

Thanks a lot for the helpful information and for sharing your experiences! I’m sure this will also help many other people here. I think I’ll be looking for an Elgato, since it seems like the safest and most reliable option for me right now and for the next couple of years of speedrunning.