Game recording file size calculator
Enter your bitrate and how long you record. Get the file size, storage per hour and how many hours of footage fit on your drive.
How recording size is calculated
File size is bitrate multiplied by time. The calculator adds your video and audio bitrates, converts megabits to gigabytes using decimal units, and multiplies by the length of each session and the number of sessions. It also divides your drive size by the size of one hour to show how many hours of footage fit.
Size per hour at common bitrates
| Bitrate | Per hour | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Mbps | 6.8 GB | 1080p60 with a modern encoder |
| 25 Mbps | 11.3 GB | High quality 1080p60 |
| 50 Mbps | 22.5 GB | 1440p60 |
| 80 Mbps | 36 GB | 4K60 |
Make sure your system can encode and play games at once: see the can my PC run it checker and the RAM calculator for streaming and recording headroom.
Frequently asked questions
How big is one hour of gameplay recording?
It depends on bitrate. At 20 Mbps, an hour is roughly 9 GB, at 50 Mbps about 22 GB and at 100 Mbps around 45 GB. Add a little for audio. Enter your own bitrate and length to see the size, and how many hours your drive can hold.
What bitrate should I use for recording games?
Common starting points are about 15 to 25 Mbps for 1080p60, 30 to 50 Mbps for 1440p60 and 50 to 80 Mbps for 4K60 with a modern encoder. Higher bitrates look cleaner but make larger files. Test a short clip and compare quality before you commit.
Does the encoder change the file size?
At the same bitrate the file size is the same, but newer encoders such as HEVC and AV1 look better than H.264, so you can lower the bitrate for similar quality. NVIDIA GPUs can record with minimal performance impact using their built-in encoder.
How much storage do I need for recording?
Plan for the hours you want to keep. At 50 Mbps, a 1TB drive holds roughly 45 hours. Many players record to a fast drive, copy highlights elsewhere and delete the rest. Use the calculator with your drive size to see how long it lasts.
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