AverMedia X'tra Go GC515 capture dock review

My time with the Avermedia X'tra Go GC515 has been a tale of sorts, despite its seeming simplicity. Due entirely to my own ineptitude I struggled to get it working for a while, but boy am I glad that I did, because this thing is now probably my favourite recent piece of PC gaming tech.

The GC515 is marketed as a device that performs two roles for your handheld gaming PC, these being (A) docking for charging and proudly displaying your handheld, just like a Nintendo Switch dock; and (B) recording gameplay. However, it also has a third role that, this being that it acts as a USB and audio hub. For this versatility, however, you do pay a premium, as this thing's going for $200 /£200.

It's the combination of these three things that really makes the GC515 stand out from the rest of the handheld dock crowd. That, plus how simple it makes recording and streaming gameplay. It essentially acts as a single device that can quickly and easily make your handheld gaming PC much more versatile, whether that means recording gameplay with a simple button-press, playing games on TV, streaming, or using convenient peripherals.

The dock is now a staple in my living room, sitting proudly beside the my partner's Switch dock, and my Lenovo Legion Go now rests atop it by default. To have such a quick and easy way to turn my handheld gaming PC into a lounge console has genuinely transformed my gaming experience for the better and made it more exciting.

Ports: USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) x 2, USB-C x 3, HDMI (2.0) x 1, 3.5 mm headphone, Micro SD
Pass-through resolution: Up to 4K 60 Hz or 1080p 120 Hz
Recording resolution: 4K 30 fps, 1440p 60 fps, 1080p 120 fps
Micro SD capacity: 1 TB (exFAT)
Required power: 65 W (power brick not included)
Dimensions: 141 x 99.4 x 37.7 mm
Weight: 176 g
Price: $200 / £200

Let's take each of the dock's main functions in turn because not everyone will care equally about all of them, and not all are equally impressive.

First, its docking functionality. This is, in my opinion,