12 Best Screen Recorders for Low-End PCs

• G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 49 reviews

Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the best screen recorders for low-end PCs on the market today. Its user-friendly interface makes it a top pick for video streamers and content creators who need to capture high-quality video from their computer screens quickly and easily. Unlike some other screen recorders, Movavi doesn’t put a time limit on recordings, and output videos won’t include a watermark on the paid version. The software offers a free download to allow users to try out without committing to a purchase. And users also have the option to pay for an annual license or make a one-time purchase and use the software indefinitely.

Key features:

• Capture every detail, even keystrokes and button clicks
• Capture video in HD and 4K
• Use drawing tools to make clear explanations in your video
• Record your webcam – choose the preview shape and size, place the webcam overlay where you want on the video
• Capture sound from different sources including system audio, speaker feeds, and microphone
• Record remotely thanks to the scheduling feature

• TechRadar rating: 4 out of 5

OBS Studio is an open-source screen recorder that enables users to record their screens and stream live videos for free. Its greatest strength is the ability to capture and record multiple scenes at once. Basically, users can select multiple windows or screen areas (or multiple monitors) and record simultaneous activity across them. It’s also possible to record from your webcam and add an overlay, too. However, figuring out how to do all that isn’t the easiest, as OBS Studio’s interface is somewhat clunky and not altogether intuitive.

Key features:

• Unlimited simultaneous multi-scene recording capabilities
• Includes webcam overlay feature
• Modular, customizable “dock” interface

Download OBS Studio

• G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Aiseesoft Screen Recorder is a powerful yet lightweight screen recorder that can capture your activity on Windows and Mac computers. It works to record online lectures, webinars, videos, videoconferences, or even games. You can capture the whole screen or customize the recording parameters to better suit your needs.

Key features:

• Choose to record microphone, system audio, or both
• Capture your gameplay with no quality loss
• Edit your recordings

Download Aiseesoft Screen Recorder

• G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5, 32 reviews

Bandicam is a paid game recorder for low end PCs that’s compatible with versions of Windows dating back as far as XP and Vista. While its price is reasonable, and it does offer a free download to try out the software, this is probably not the best free screen recorder for a low-end PC without a watermark. Also, if you’re looking for recording software that doesn’t lower the FPS of your screen, this may not be the best option for users with low-end PCs. Bandicam does, however, empower users to record from their PC screen, webcam, or from a gaming system or mobile device.

Key features:

• Webcam overlay capability
• Real-time drawing and mouse effects capabilities while recording a screen
• Simultaneous system and microphone audio

Download Bandicam

• G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5, 12 reviews

Action! Screen Recorder is a Windows screen recorder by Mirillis. It has HD recording capabilities and comes with a 30-day free trial. During the trial period, output videos will have a watermark, but all of the functionalities of the paid version are included to give users a better feel for the software. You can capture videos from your webcam, screen, web player, and/or a specific section of the screen. It also comes with a free Android app that lets you control your recording while it’s in progress without touching your computer.

Key features:

• Live audio commentary capabilities
• Simultaneous webcam and screen recording
• Livestreaming capabilities for YouTube and Twitch

Download Action! Screen Recorder

• Softpedia rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars

Recordzilla is a screen recorder that allows you to capture videos, audio, or take screenshots on your Windows computer. While recording, you can add text, images, or time stamps on your video. Other than that, you can highlight your mouse cursor and draw on screen to focus your viewers’ attention on what’s important. After you’ve finished, you can save the result in AVI, WMV, SWF, or FLV format.

Key features:

• Create presentations and training videos
• Record from your webcam

• G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5, 46 reviews

Fraps is a universal Windows screen recorder. In other words, whether you have a newer low-end PC or an older Windows machine, you should have no trouble running Fraps for your screen recording needs. With that in mind, the user interface for this software feels a bit dated and is not always the most intuitive. It does, however, allow users to customize their output videos’ frame rates. If your system is powerful enough to support it, you can record video up to 7680 × 4800 with between 1 and 120 FPS. Fraps also allows users to choose their audio source, and you can record both system audio and microphone audio at the same time – making it a workable solution for live streaming video creators.

Key features:

• Custom frame rate capabilities
• One-click screenshots while recording
• Customizable hotkeys

Download Fraps

FBX Game Recorder offers a free version with a watermark, or users can opt to pay annually or purchase a lifetime license. The software offers a fair amount of versatility, including the ability to capture short videos and images while recording a longer video from your screen. It also features rapid set-up capabilities to start streaming quickly if you need to go live on the fly. It’s compatible with Windows 7 and newer, but it’s not compatible with any other OS.

Key features:

• Capabilities to record short video clips during screen recording via hotkeys
• High-resolution screenshot capabilities while recording
• Rapid streaming set-up to easily and quickly go live

Download FBX Game Recorder

Dxtory is among the best recording software for low-end PCs because it utilizes s surface memory buffer that reduces the load on the computer while maintaining the speed of the recording. The software’s codec records your screen’s original pixel data to get the most lossless video possible, and it’s capable of recording from multiple audio sources, as well, making it a strong contender for gaming streamers. It’s also of note that Dxtory’s pricing is in Japanese yen and therefore may vary for buyers in the U.S., depending on exchange rates.

Key features:

• High-speed video capture for DirectX and OpenGL applications
• Original pixel data recording
• Record from multiple audio sources

Download Dxtory

• PCWorld rating: 3.5 out of 5

Xbox Game Bar is a built-in app that comes with Windows 10. In addition to screen recording and sharing, Xbox Game Bar has features that allow users to connect and chat with other players on PC and Xbox games, and stream gaming videos instantly while playing. It’s compatible with most PC games, but it does have limitations for users with lower-end or older PCs. While it’s a useful screen recorder that’s included with Windows 10, it’s not compatible with older versions of Windows and may lag when running on less powerful desktops or laptops. It also limits users to recording one app at a time, making it impossible to record the entire desktop screen.

Key features:

• Broadcast & capture widget allows users to start recording by holding Win + G
• Customizable user interface
• Chat capabilities while recording

Download Xbox Game Bar

iTop Screen Recorder gives users the ability to record their full screen or a selected window, webcam footage, and it has the functionality to record audio without video as well. It specializes in capturing high-resolution videos and claims to have no lag with high-quality output. With multiple output and conversion formats, iTop Screen Recorder also includes some basic editing capabilities. The free trial includes a watermark on all output videos.

Key features:

• Basic editing, including trimming and filters
• HD game recording capabilities
• Multiple output formats

Download iTop Screen Recorder

• AlternativeTo rating: 4.5 out of 5, 13 reviews

D3DGear is specifically designed to record gameplay on your PC, though it also has capabilities to record gameplay on an Oculus Rift VR device. It excels with low-to-no lag livestreaming during gameplay, and it’s capable of recording up to 4K video resolution. If you want to record your screen for anything but gaming, though, you’ll need to opt for a different screen recorder.

Key features:

• Lag-free livestreaming to Twitch
• Constant Frame Rate (CFR) capabilities
• Screenshot capabilities while recording

Download D3DGear