Action! vs G-Helper
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
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.
G-Helper is a free, open-source utility that replaces ASUS's heavier Armoury Crate software for controlling ROG and other ASUS gaming laptops and handhelds. It runs from a single executable with no installation, and covers performance mode switching, GPU mode switching, custom fan curves, power limits, RGB keyboard and Anime Matrix lighting, battery charge limiting, and NVIDIA overclocking or AMD undervolting. It supports essentially the full modern ASUS gaming laptop lineup, including Zephyrus, Flow, Strix, Scar, TUF, Vivobook, Zenbook, ProArt, and both ROG Ally handhelds. The project is donationware and GPL-3.0 licensed, with an active GitHub release cadence and a companion build for Linux.
- 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, open source, and far lighter than ASUS's stock Armoury Crate app
- Single-file executable with no installation or background services
- Broad hardware coverage across nearly the entire modern ASUS gaming lineup
- Active GitHub development with frequent updates
- 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
- Only supports ASUS hardware, not other laptop brands
- Advanced tuning options like undervolting carry inherent hardware risk if misused
- Relies on community support rather than official ASUS backing
