11 Best HD Screen Recorders in 2023 [Updated]

Ben Jacklin Edited by Ben Jacklin

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All of the different types of HD screen recorders have their own features, quirks, and compatibility. We’ve reviewed a wide selection to suit different users, ensuring you can get a high-quality screen recorder that suits your unique requirements.

Program

Price

Best for

Download

Free trial, full version for $59.95

Recording high-quality videos and streams on computers

$39.95

4K UHD recording

Free version, pro version for $29.95

Easy control panel switching

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At Movavi, we’re committed to providing you with verified information only. Here’s what we do to ensure this:

  • When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.

  • All products mentioned in this article have been tested by Movavi Content Team.

  • When testing, we aim to highlight the best features of a product and what it’s best suited for.

  • We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.

  • We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.

Best high-quality screen recorder software

The following are some of our favorite high-quality screen recorder programs for Mac and PCs that are worth the download. We aren't ranking these in any particular order, as each can give you the results you want based on your preferences. They're all effective at capturing full HD video with some additional features that make them stand apart.

Movavi Screen Recorder

Best for: recording high-quality videos and streams on computers

OS: Windows, macOS

TrustedBay review: 4.8 out of 5

Price: free trial, full version for $59.95

Movavi Screen Recorder is a reliable full HD screen recorder that makes it easy to capture nearly any video. It features a simple, easy-to-use interface that enables you to capture either the full screen or a specific region. You can also trim the video file once done and easily share it on multiple platforms. If you're looking for something simple and intuitive, this HD screen capture tool is a great choice.

Features

  • Record high-quality video with each use

  • Capture online calls in addition to videos

  • Take screenshots and make edits to them

  • Capture multiple video and audio streams simultaneously or separately

Pros

  • Easy to use with an intuitive interface

  • Records in 4K

  • Adjustable capture area

  • Enables users to create high-quality screencasts

  • Captures multiple streams

  • Makes it easy to share on multiple platforms, including YouTube and Google Drive

Cons

  • Limited features with the free version

Bandicam

Best for: 4K UHD recording

OS: Windows

Trustpilot review: 3.4 out of 5, 25 reviews

Price: $39.95

If you want something even more powerful than a conventional 1080p screen recorder, Bandicam can capture 4K UHD video at a high FPS. You can use it for gaming, videos, or even external devices, and it works with many encoding and codec options depending on your preferences. You'll get some of the best quality of recordings with this HD screen recorder for a PC.

Features

  • 4K UHD video recording capabilities

  • Voice mixing feature

  • A wide variety of codec and encoding options

Pros

  • Includes H.264 encoder

  • Records high-quality 4K video

  • Can use with screens or external devices

  • Comes with many options for encoding

  • Great performance with small files

Cons

  • Incompatible with live streaming

  • No video-editing features

Download Bandicam

Icecream Screen Recorder

Best for: easy control panel switching

OS: Windows, macOS

G2 review: 4.1 out of 5, 21 reviews

Price: free version, pro version for $29.95

Icecream Screen Recorder is a good HD screen recorder free to use for easy capturing. You can also capture screenshots in addition to video, and you can record external devices, including your webcam. It also records audio from your computer or microphone.

Features

  • Simple control panel

  • Switch control that allows you to switch from the control panel to your PC desktop

  • Editing options available after you've completed recording

Pros

  • Easy to pick up and use

  • Immediate editing capabilities after recording

  • Supports many video and audio file formats

  • Easily switch between your desktop and the control panel

Cons

  • Can only record up to 10 minutes using the free version

Download Icecream Screen Recorder

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium

Best for: taking quick snapshots

OS: Windows, macOS

Price: $42.95

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is another top-rated HD screen recorder to capture whatever activity on your computer, including desktop screen, streaming video, music, calls, presentations, mouse movement, and more. You can record the full screen, capture only a selected region, record webcam, or even record only audio. The screencast can be captured and saved in 1080P and even 4K quality for the best viewing experience. Whenever you want to capture HD video, Screen Grabber Premium is a nice option.

Features

  • Record screen along with audio in high quality

  • Record gameplay on PC with webcam

  • Record audio from system and microphone

  • Take snapshots and edit them afterward

  • Export in multiple output video and audio formats

Pros

  • User-friendly interface, comprehensive even for novices

  • Multiple recording modes for different capture needs

  • Annotate recordings in real-time to make the video attractive

  • Directly share the screencast to social platforms

  • Schedule a recording task to save your time

Cons

  • Very limited video editing features after the recording

  • The recording is limited to 3 minutes in the free trial version

Download AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium

liteCam HD

Best for: Windows gamers

OS: Windows

CNET review: 4 out of 5

Price: $19.99, pro version for $29.99

If you're a gamer in need of a great HD video recorder that can capture top-quality video, with the ability to export compressed files without any loss of quality, liteCam HD is a good tool. You can easily capture and edit videos using liteCam HD, and you can extract audio and edit it separately.

Features

  • Ability to trim files using the preview option

  • Can extract audio to edit it on its own

  • File compression capabilities without compromising quality

Pros

  • Can edit videos after recording

  • Ability to edit audio separately

  • Captures high-quality video with consistent quality after compression

Cons

  • Only available for Windows

Download liteCam HD

OBS Studio

Best for: best Linux support

OS: macOS, Linux, Windows

TechRadar review: 4 out of 5

Price: free

OBS Studio is an HD screen recorder with many features that can help fully customize your recording experience. You can add transitions to your videos for more seamless editing, apply filters, choose from different themes, and use real-time video and audio mixing, all with consistent quality while recording and editing.

Features

  • A wide variety of recording options including filters and audio mixing

  • Enables live streaming in addition to recording

  • Over 20 plugins

Pros

  • Allows for recording along with streaming

  • Ideal for recording gaming sessions in high quality

  • Free and compatible with most platforms

  • Comes with many features to optimize recording and editing

Cons

  • Lack of video-editing tools

Download OBS Studio

Ezvid

Best for: text-to-speech feature

OS: Windows

TechRadar review: 3 out of 5

Price: free

This HD screen recorder is easy to use and comes complete with an editing tool. You can use it to capture both video and voice recordings through your microphone, or you can add narration via the text-to-speech option. If you want to make instructional or informational videos, this tool is ideal.

Features

  • A built-in editor that comes with several features

  • Slideshow features

  • Ability to record audio with a mic or through text-to-speech

Pros

  • Comes with an editor with multiple features

  • Audio recording makes it great for adding narration and commentary

  • Easy to use with a simple interface

Cons

  • No ability to save and only exports to YouTube

Download Ezvid

FlashBack Express

Best for: webcam capture

OS: Windows

G2 review: 4,3 out of 5, 3 reviews

Price: free

Flashback Express is a reliable HD screen recorder if you're in need of a quick solution. Its simplicity makes it a great screen recorder if you need to make a video in a snap.

Features

  • Can add webcam footage and voice-over to recordings

  • Includes sharing option

Pros

  • Can capture webcam

  • Captures videos without watermarks

  • Video length is not limited

Cons

  • Minimal video-editing tools

Download Flashback Express

CamStudio

Best for: VoIP capture

OS: Windows

SourceForge review: 3 out of 5, 242 reviews

Price: free

If you need a comprehensive HD screen recorder, CamStudio has everything you need. It started as a simple open-source product but grew into one of the most widely used. It allows for full-screen video recording along with adjustable regions, live streaming to PIP, and audio recording through your computer or microphone.

Features

  • Full-screen or adjustable capture area

  • Live streaming capabilities

  • VoIP and audio recording

  • Basic video editing tools

Pros

  • Unlimited amount of recording time

  • Various basic editing tools

  • Easy to use

  • Adjustable recording with audio

Cons

  • Reports that the program spreads malware and viruses when downloaded

  • Can only export AVI video files

  • No advanced video-editing features

  • No scheduled recording option

Download CamStudio

XSplit Broadcaster

Best for: chroma key feature

OS: Windows, macOS

Capterra review: 4.1 out of 5, 48 reviews

Price: free version, pro lifetime version for $200

For a screen recording software with many editing features in addition to high-quality recording, XSplit Broadcaster is a good choice. This powerful live streaming software includes various advanced editing features, enables you to edit videos before streaming, and it allows for adjustable recording areas.

Features

  • Provides a projector mode

  • Advanced video-editing features

  • Green screen option

Pros

  • Adjustability when recording, including the recording space and timing

  • Ability to add transitions

  • Supports various capture cards and webcams

  • Can upload directly to YouTube

Cons

  • Lack of customization options

Download XSplit Broadcaster

Screencast-O-Matic

Best for: browser-based capture

OS: Windows, macOS

G2 review: 4.1 out of 5, 44 reviews

Price: free version, pro monthly subscription for $4

If you would rather use web-based software for screen recording, Screencast-O-Matic can give you what you need from your browser. You can also download the application if you purchase the paid version. Although the free version is limited, you can still use it to record high-quality videos up to 15 minutes long and access basic editing and publishing features.

Features

  • Video-editing tools

  • Offline application and web-based options

  • Can record audio with the paid version

Pros

  • Variety of editing tools

  • Can use both online and offline with the paid version

  • Sharing and video-hosting capabilities

Cons

  • Free version is very limited compared to the paid version

Download Screencast-O-Matic

How to choose the best HD screen recorder

Hopefully, you now feel like you have a lot of options for picking the ideal screen recorder for your needs. Here are some of the most important things to consider when choosing the best screen recorder HD:

  • Usability: ensure that the app or software you choose is easy to use and compatible with the way you wish to record, such as taking video from your browser. A lot of features can make it harder to get to grips with the software. A free trial means you can check out the usability.

  • Features: you need to ensure that the software has all of the features and can capture video from your desktop as well as other sources such as your browser, plus editing features you may need.

  • Supported files: which files are produced by the software, and can you export them in the format you want to?

  • User reviews: always check user reviews to see if there are any common issues, as well as how much people enjoy the software in general.

  • Support: it’s a good idea to check if support is available – for example, live chat or email support.

Conclusion

We hope this article has been helpful in your choice of an HD screen recorder. Everyone needs slightly different features, so feel free to check out the programs from our article and choose the one that suits you best.

Movavi Screen Recorder

The perfect way to record anything from your screen

Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams.

Frequently asked questions

How do I record my screen in HD?

Using Movavi Screen Recorder, you can capture high-quality HD video with ease. All you need to do is install it and use the simple interface to capture, edit, and share your videos.

Take the following steps to use Movavi Screen Recorder to capture nearly any video:

  1. Download the application and follow the instructions provided.

  2. Modify video capture settings by clicking Screen recording. Use the mouse to select the specific area of the screen you would like to record, or capture the full screen.

  3. Click the REC button to begin recording, which will take place after a short countdown to prepare.

  4. Trim the video clips using the intuitive timeline and perform other basic edits. You can then save the project and access your videos by clicking Show in Folder.

How do I record my screen in 1080p?

Movavi Screen Recorder makes it easy to record high-quality HD video in 1080p resolution. All you need to do is download the application and adjust the recording area. You can also edit your videos once you've finished recording, with the ability to trim clips if needed. You can then save your videos or upload them to various platforms, including YouTube and Google Drive.

What is HD video recording?

HD video recording entails capturing videos in a higher resolution and quality than what you would get with standard-definition recordings. Specifically, a high-definition video, as defined in North America, is one with over 480 vertical scan lines. Also, high-quality digital videos contain more pixels than low-resolution videos, which makes for a crisp image. Top-quality full HD videos will have a resolution of 1080p, which means they have 1,920 pixels horizontally and 1,080 pixels vertically, while 4K and other Ultra HD resolutions have a vertical resolution of 1440p.

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