If you want clean OBS 4K recording settings, three things must agree: a 3840 by 2160 canvas and output, a graphics card whose encoder supports 4K, and a drive fast and large enough to swallow the data. Miss any one and you get dropped frames or a corrupted file, so check them before you press record.

Quick Answer

Set Base and Output Resolution to 3840 by 2160 under Settings, Video, choose 30 fps (60 fps roughly doubles load and size), and record with a hardware encoder at 35 000 to 60 000 kbps. Save to MKV on a fast SSD with at least 100 GB free. Expect around 18 GB per hour at 40 000 kbps.

🖥️ Canvas, Output and Frame Rate

Open Settings, then Video. Set both Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution to 3840 by 2160 so OBS does no scaling, which saves processing. Choose 30 fps first. Move to 60 fps only once a test take runs without skipped frames.

If your monitor is 1440p or 1080p, you can still record a 4K canvas of a game that renders at 4K through supersampling, but the image is only truly 4K if the game outputs it. Match what you capture to what your screen can display.

⚙️ Encoder and Bitrate

Switch Output Mode to Advanced and use the Recording tab.

  • Encoder: a recent NVENC, AMF or QuickSync chip handles 4K. Older cards and many integrated chips cannot hardware-encode 4K well, so read your GPU's specifications first.
  • Rate control: CBR at 35 000 to 60 000 kbps is a safe start. Fast motion wants the top end, calm desktop capture needs less. CQP also works if you prefer even quality over a fixed bitrate.
  • Keyframe interval: 2 seconds.

If you stream as well, send a lower resolution. A 4K live stream needs upload far beyond most South African fibre lines, and platform support is patchy, so record 4K locally and stream 1080p.

Cameras and microphones matter as much as pixels. Good streaming essentials such as a proper microphone lift a 4K recording well beyond what resolution alone does.

💽 Storage and File Safety

At 40 000 kbps a recording uses about 18 GB an hour. A 2-hour session therefore needs roughly 36 GB, and an SSD with real free space keeps writes steady. A full or slow disk is the commonest reason 4K takes drop frames midway.

Always record in MKV, then remux to MP4 through File, Remux Recordings. MKV stays readable after a crash, and a 4K session is rarely easy to repeat.

Keep the PC cool as well. Sustained 4K encoding runs the GPU hard, and on a warm Highveld afternoon a clogged case can throttle clock speeds and cause stutter.

A quick test routine before a real session

Record two minutes of the busiest scene you expect to capture, then open the file and scrub through it. Look for stutter, blocky patches in fast pans and audio drifting out of step. Watch the OBS status bar during the test, since it shows dropped frames and encoder load as they happen. If the encoder sits near its limit, step down from 60 to 30 fps or trim the bitrate by 10 000 kbps before the real take. That ten-minute habit prevents the painful discovery, after a long session, that the footage is unusable.

Editing 4K footage afterwards

Playback of 4K files also strains an older editing PC. If scrubbing stutters, create proxy files in your editor, which are small stand-ins used while cutting, and relink the originals for the final export. Keep the untouched MKV or remuxed MP4 archived until the video is published.

🎬 Matching Your Camera and Capture Gear

If you add a face-cam, a 1080p webcam is plenty over a 4K gameplay scene, since it sits in a corner at small size. Spend the saved bandwidth on game footage instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What canvas settings does 4K need in OBS?

Open Settings, then Video, and set both Base and Output Resolution to 3840 by 2160. Pick 30 or 60 fps, bearing in mind 60 roughly doubles load and file size.

Can any GPU encode 4K?

No. Older cards and many integrated chips cannot hardware-encode 4K at good quality, so confirm your exact model before planning a 4K workflow.

What bitrate should I record 4K at?

Think 35 000 to 60 000 kbps for local recording depending on motion. Fast action needs the upper end; screen capture can use less.

How much storage do 4K recordings take?

About 18 GB an hour at 40 000 kbps. Keep a fast SSD with plenty of free space so the drive never stalls mid-take.

Should I record 4K in MKV or MP4?

MKV, then remux. An MP4 can corrupt if OBS or the PC crashes during the take.

Is a 4K stream the same as a 4K recording?

No. Streaming 4K needs upload far above most South African fibre packages. Record 4K locally and broadcast a lower resolution.

Ready to capture your best footage in 4K? Look through Evetech streaming gear, from microphones to webcams, built for a serious recording setup.