You want to stream your PS5 or Switch gameplay, record that perfect clutch moment, or finally start the YouTube channel you keep talking about. The HD60 S is the little black box that makes it happen, plugging your console into your PC over USB and handing you clean 1080p60 footage. The catch is the new price. The good news is that a refurbished one does exactly the same job for a lot less, and this guide walks you through buying one in Australia without getting burned.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top refurbished elgato hd60 s capture cards on eBay right now
Here is what is currently listed from Australian and international sellers, sorted so the best-value units float to the top.
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Why second-hand is not “second best”
A capture card is one of the safest things you can buy used, and the HD60 S is a great example of why. It does almost nothing on its own. It takes an HDMI signal in, passes it straight through to your monitor so you can play with no lag, and sends a copy to your PC over USB. There is no battery to wear out, no screen to scratch, no moving parts to wear down. The two things that can age are the USB-C socket and the HDMI ports, and both are easy to test in the first five minutes.
This particular model is the unpowered USB version. That means setup is simply HDMI from your console into the card, HDMI from the card to your TV, and a USB cable to your PC. A working unit captures exactly the same footage whether it left the factory yesterday or two years ago. There is no degradation in image quality over time the way there is with, say, a camera sensor or a phone battery. A refurbished HD60 S that powers on and passes a clean signal is, for all practical purposes, a new one at a discount.
A capture card has no battery and no screen. If it powers on and passes a clean 1080p signal, “used” and “new” produce identical footage.
The savings are real
Buying refurbished generally puts you 20-60% below the new price, and on accessories like capture cards that gap is often at the wider end, because demand for the older non-4K models has softened as newer cards arrive. For a first-time streamer that difference can be the gap between buying a capture card now and putting it off for another six months. The money you keep covers a decent microphone or a year of stream overlays, which arguably matter more to your final video than the capture card brand on the box.
There is an environmental dividend too. Roughly 80% of a device’s lifetime carbon footprint is locked in at manufacture, so giving a working HD60 S a second home avoids nearly all of that. With Australia generating around 588,000 tonnes of e-waste a year and the second-hand electronics market growing about 10% annually, keeping a perfectly good card in circulation is a small, sensible choice that adds up.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Full retail | Typically 20-60% less |
| Capture quality | 1080p60 | Identical 1080p60 |
| USB cable included | Yes | Sometimes missing, confirm first |
| Software | Free download, same for all | Free download, same for all |
| Warranty | Manufacturer warranty | Seller/refurbisher terms + ACL |
| E-waste impact | New manufacturing footprint | Avoids ~80% of that footprint |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- Confirm it is the USB (unpowered) HD60 S, not the older powered model. The S version connects with a single USB-C cable and needs no separate power brick. Ask the seller to confirm the exact model on the underside label.
- Check the USB-C port on the card. This is the connector that does the most plugging and unplugging, so ask whether it is firm and holds a cable without wobbling.
- Ask for both cables, or budget for them. A genuine USB-C to USB-A cable and an HDMI cable should ideally come in the box. If they are missing, factor in replacements.
- Request a photo of the card actually capturing. A screenshot of the free capture software showing a live preview is the single best proof the unit works end to end.
- Confirm your PC meets the basics. The card needs a USB 3.0 port and a reasonably modern CPU to encode 1080p60. This is your side of the setup, not the seller’s, but it is worth checking before you buy.
You have more protection than you think
When you buy from a business seller in Australia, whether an online refurbisher or a shop on a marketplace, the Australian Consumer Law applies on top of anything the seller offers. Goods must be of acceptable quality, match their description, and be fit for their stated purpose. A refurbished HD60 S sold as “fully working, captures 1080p60” that arrives unable to pass a signal is not of acceptable quality, and you are entitled to a remedy regardless of any “as-is” wording. Pay with a method that has its own buyer protection, keep the listing screenshot and your messages, and you have a clear paper trail if anything goes wrong.
Ready to find yours?
Browse current refurbished and used HD60 S deals from trusted Australian sellers below.
Red flags to walk away from
- “Untested” or “for parts” with no preview shown. Because this card is so easy to test, a seller who will not power it on is telling you something.
- Photos of the box only. You are buying the card, not the packaging. Insist on clear photos of the actual unit and its ports.
- A price that matches new. If a used listing is barely below retail, there is no reason to take on the second-hand risk; just buy new.
- Vague model claims. “Elgato capture card” with no clear “HD60 S” identification can mean an older or different model that may not suit your console or capture target.
- Mention of overheating or dropped connections. Intermittent USB dropouts are the one common HD60 S fault; any hint of it in the description is a hard pass.
Frequently asked questions
Will a refurbished HD60 S work with my PS5 or Xbox Series X? It captures their gameplay at 1080p60 over HDMI, which is fine for streaming and most YouTube uploads. Note it caps at 1080p, so if you specifically want to record in 4K you need a newer card, not this one.
Does it record on its own, or do I need a PC? This model has no internal storage and no standalone recording. It must be connected to a PC running the free capture software, which is where your footage is recorded and where you stream from.
Is the free software still available for an older used unit? Yes. The capture and streaming software is a free download that works the same regardless of when the hardware was made, so a second-hand card is not locked out of updates.
Will it add lag to my gameplay? No. The HDMI passthrough sends the signal straight to your TV with effectively no delay, so you play normally while the PC captures a separate copy.
The bottom line
A capture card is close to the ideal used purchase: no battery, no screen, no wear items, and a one-minute test that proves it works. A refurbished HD60 S gives you genuine 1080p60 streaming and recording for a fraction of the new price, leaves more in your budget for the gear that actually shapes your videos, and keeps a perfectly capable device out of the e-waste stream. Confirm the exact model, demand a live capture screenshot, buy with protection, and you have everything you need to start streaming this weekend.
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