A Full Guide on How to Get 4K Quality on OBS Studio

There are a lot of games that are known for their crisp graphics and hidden details. When you try to record the operation process to make a game video or want to turn on the 4K definition game live streaming, you will surely think of a software - OBS Studio.

It is the best game screen recording software. However, you may find it lacks recording presets for 4K resolution. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it to record 4K gameplay. This article will explore how to get 4K quality on OBS.

Part 1. What Is 4K Recording

What Is 4K Recording

The common video and picture clarity we see are 480p, 720p, 1080p, and 4K. Regarding 4K recording, it means recording video at 3840×2160 pixels or 4090×2160 pixels. 4K video can be up to four times as clear as 1080p. At this sharpness, you will see more details in the picture. Objects will have sharper edges and richer colors.

Why You Need 4K Recording

So, in what scenarios would we need to do a 4K recording?

When you need higher quality

First, when you need a finer picture, such as gameplay videos and product detail demonstrations, at this point, your viewers won’t want to miss a single detail in the picture.

When you need more editing

If you may have to do a lot of post-production on the footage, such as cropping, scaling, etc., the higher the definition of the original recorded video, the better.

Also, most viewers of YouTube or other video platforms like to watch videos that are as high quality as possible. Therefore, to publish your work there, ensure the picture quality is high enough.

Can OBS Record in 4K

Can OBS record in 4K? Yes! Although you may not be able to find a preset called 4K, you can manually change the output resolution to 3840×2160. However, you also need to ensure that your device’s configuration is sufficient; otherwise, it may affect the smoothness of the recorded footage.

However, some live streaming platforms, such as Twitch, may not support live streaming in 4K definition. You may lose some picture quality if you insist on streaming in 4K content.

Part 2. Can I Record 4K on 1080p Monitor Using OBS

My monitor only supports 1080p, but I want to record 4K video. Is there any way to do that?

Of course, there is! You can record 4K video even using a 1080p monitor. But you may have to do some setup on your device.

Set Your Monitor’s Resolution to 4K

When you set your monitor’s resolution to 4K, your CPU might just trust itself to handle the task of recording in 4K.

Here’s how to set the resolution to 4K on a Windows computer.

Step 1. Press the Windows + L key on your keyboard, and then you will open the Windows Settings window.

Step 2. Select System > Display. You can also right-click on the desktop and then select Display Settings.

Step 3. Find the Display resolution tab. and then select 3840×2160.

Prepare A Reliable Screen Recorder

We have OBS Studio and it can do the job of recording videos in 4K definition.

Part 3. How to Get 4K Quality on OBS

What Is the Best OBS Settings for 4K Recording

To try to prevent you from experiencing frame delays or dropped frames when recording video, it is recommended that you adjust the parameters of your application according to the following best OBS settings for 4K recording before you begin.

Basic resolution: 3840×2160

Output resolution: 3840×2160

We recommend you set the output format as MP4, which is convenient for export and subsequent uploading and editing. Remember to choose the X264 codec.

The ideal FPS value should be 60, and the bitrate should be 16000. When setting up the renderer, choose Direct3D 11; control the preset to MaxQuality.

Finally, the color. Please remember to set the color format to NV12, the color space 709, and the color range to Full.

How to Set Up It

Once you have adjusted your 4K OBS recording settings, you are ready to start recording.

Here is how to record 4K with OBS Studio.

Step 1. Download and install OBS Studio on your computer.

Step 2. Open OBS Studio. find File in the upper left corner of the main interface, and then click Settings.

Step 3. Select Video in the Settings window.

Step 4. Find the Base Canvas Resolution tab. Manually enter the resolution as 3840×2160.

Step 5. Navigate to the Output Scaled Resolution box. Then enter 3840×2160.

Finally, click OK to keep the change.

Part 4. Best OBS Alternative to Record in 4K

If you find performing the above setup too much of a hassle, you may want to use a different screen recorder. We recommend the FVC Screen Recorder, the best replacement for OBS Studio. It can record images from your computer screen and webcam and capture the sound from your system speakers and microphone. You can also use it to record everything that happens on your cell phone screen.

FVC Screen Recorder supports you to set the output sharpness before you start recording, and there are a series of video and picture editing features for you to try. Also, it won’t add any watermark to your videos.

Here is how to record 4K video with FVC Screen Recorder.

Step 1. Download and install FVC Screen Recorder on your device. Open it and click Menu > Preference.

Choose Output and set the Video quality to High.

Step 2. Back to the main interface. Choose Video Recorder.

Step 3. Select the recording region and audio source. Finally, click REC to start recording.

Part 5. FAQs of How to Get 4K Quality on OBS

Conclusion

This guide talks in full about how to get 4K quality on OBS. This operation is not complicated as long as you manually adjust the resolution value in the app’s settings. You can find the complete step-by-step guide here and the most suitable recording parameter settings for OBS. If you find OBS Studio too complicated, consider its best alternative - the FVC Screen Recorder.