Action! vs CapFrameX

Action! by Mirillis is a Windows screen and gameplay recording tool built for capturing DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan games in high definition, alongside desktop activity, application windows, and web video. It supports live streaming directly to Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook, and can export finished recordings straight to YouTube or Facebook without a separate upload step. Recordings use hardware acceleration via NVIDIA NVENC, AMD APP, or Intel Quick Sync Video, along with Mirillis's own FICV codec, to keep capture performance smooth even during demanding gameplay. Additional features include a Greenscreen mode for removing webcam backgrounds, 120fps slow-motion capture, Time-Shift recording, and a companion Android remote-control app. It is sold as a single lifetime license rather than a subscription.

CapFrameX is an open-source benchmarking tool that captures and analyzes frame performance data using Intel's PresentMon as its underlying capture engine. It calculates detailed metrics like frametimes, FPS values, median frame rate, and low percentile figures, then displays an in-game overlay during test runs through integration with RivaTuner Statistics Server. Built for enthusiasts and reviewers who want more rigorous benchmarking than a simple FPS counter, CapFrameX turns raw capture data into readable reports and includes educational content explaining what frametime and percentile metrics actually mean. It is free to use, with the project accepting optional donations, and its source is publicly available on GitHub.

• One-time lifetime license with free updates rather than a recurring subscription
• Strong hardware-acceleration support keeps recording overhead low during gameplay
• Built-in live streaming to major platforms without needing separate broadcasting software
• Greenscreen and Time-Shift modes are useful extras not found in every competing recorder

• Free and fully open source
• Goes far deeper than a basic FPS counter with proper frametime and percentile analysis
• Built on the well-regarded PresentMon capture engine
• Includes educational resources for understanding the metrics it reports

• Windows-only, with no native Mac or Linux version
• Interface and workflow feel dated compared to newer competitors like OBS Studio or NVIDIA ShadowPlay
• OBS Studio offers comparable streaming/recording features for free, making Action!'s paid model a harder sell for budget-conscious users

• Requires RivaTuner Statistics Server for the in-game overlay to display
• Steeper learning curve than simple FPS overlay tools
• Aimed more at enthusiasts and reviewers than casual players