Tech Review – Razer Ripsaw
Look I am going to get this out of the road early on. I am certainly not a professional when it comes to streaming and recording game footage. It is still a fairly new concept for me so I am sure I am missing the finer details when it comes to getting gameplay on the net. But now the disclaimer is out of the way I must say that the Razer Ripsaw made it super easy for even a complete rookie like myself to be recording and streaming gameplay in no time.
The unit its self is a tidy little piece of gear about as large as a postcard and is easy to hide behind the TV or a computer if aesthetics in your lounge room is an important factor. This powerful little box couldn’t be easier to setup either. Plug the console into the Ripsaw and the Ripsaw into the TV. Then connect the USB 3.0 cord to your computer and Robert is your mother’s brother. On the software side of things, it is a little more complicated depending on what recording software you use. The initial setup involves installing the Razer Synapse software (if you have any Razer gear you will probably already have it installed). This software suite handles drivers and system setup functions. The next step is to download either OBS or Xsplit to use as the recording/streaming software. I went with Xsplit Gamecaster because of its ease of use. It is the perfect bit of software for those just starting out and handles most of the fiddly functions found in OBS automatically.
From there I found it super simple to use. The Ripsaw allowed me to record at 1080p without any hassle (on my PC though, my Laptop couldn’t cut it) giving me crystal clear video, ready to edit. The Ripsaw also comes with a range of cords so just about any console from the original Playstation forward will work with it. I tried it with an original Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Wii and Wii U and didn’t have a single problem with the card recording the footage. In fact, the only issue I had recording was the need to fiddle with some settings on the PS4, the problem then being I had to change the settings back to use Netflix. Pain in the butt for sure but not really the Ripsaw’s problem.
Another small issue I had was with the length of the USB 3 chord. It was tiny which meant I had to get a powered USB extension cord or drastically move my PC/Furniture around to hook it up. It would be fine if my consoles were set up on my computer desk but like most people my Consoles are in the living room with my PC in a different area of the house. A decent length cord would go a long way to solving that issue (though admittedly it would solve the issue for everyone). But apart from that single problem there really isn’t anything majorly wrong with the physical side of the product.
When I first received the Ripsaw the price was pretty stupid in Australia (around $340) but since that time, retailers have dropped the price significantly to around $240 which is basically the same as our US cousins are paying after conversion. It also means that it is a very competitively priced capture card, especially when you consider the fact it comes with a top of the range feature set.
As someone who is relatively new to this video business, I was very impressed with what the Razer Ripsaw had to offer. I found it super easy to setup and use and it made my introduction to recording and streaming as easy as possible. The original high price point is now no longer an issue so the only downside is the fact the cable length isn’t ideal, hardly a product killing problem. Really I couldn’t have asked for a better capture card to get me into video content and its associated activities. If you are a budding Youtuber/Streamer you could certainly do a lot worse than picking up the Razer Ripsaw. It will meet all of your needs and then some.
Technical specifications
Interface: USB 3.0 only
Video input: Digital – HDMI / Analog – Component
Audio input: Digital – HDMI / Analog – RCA L/R
Audio mix-in input: 3.5 mm mic-in / 3.5 mm aux-in
Video output: HDMI (pass-through from HDMI and Component input)
Max capture resolution: Uncompressed 1080p60
Supported resolutions: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i
Product size and weight
Depth: 130 mm / 5.12 in
Width: 86 mm / 3.39 in
Height: 17 mm / 0.67in
Weight: 183 g / 0.40 lbs
Matt Hewson
