Screen Recorder for Low-End PC: Capture Your Low-End PC Screen Without Causing Lag

As we all know, screen recording might slow down your computer, especially be it a low-end PC that has limited processing power and RAM. The process of capturing is quite CPU-intensive and it requires a large amount of processing power. Obviously, most low-end PC doesn’t come with the matched processing ability. If you want to capture what is happening on a low-end PC, you’d better use a screen recorder for low-end PC. Such tools can capture your screen without significantly impacting your system performance. Looking for the best screen recorder for low-end PC? Check this guide to get some recommendations. 

Part 1. What Is Screen Recorder for Low-End PC

As you know, low-end PCs are computers with limited hardware, entry-level processors, and less memory. Such kinds of computers are unable to process tasks that require high processing power and running speed, such as screen recording. If you want to capture activities on a low-end PC smoothly, it’s smart to use a dedicated smooth screen recorder for low-end PC because it consumes minimal CPU and RAM, ensuring smooth operation on low-end machines. If this is what you want, just apply any of the following recommended screen recorders to capture your screen activities. 

Part 2. Best 7 Screen Recorders for Low-end PC 

#1. iTop Screen Recorder 

iTop Screen Recorder is arguably the best screen recorder for low-end PCs on our list. It is extremely lightweight and functional. You can use it to record any activity on your screen without causing lag or impacting your computer performance. It allows you to personalize the recording resolution and settings before recording, so you can choose low-end PC-matched recording resolution, frame rate, and video format to export. In addition to that, there are more worth mentioning features offered by iTop Screen Recorder below. 

Key Features:

• Screen record on low-end PC for free

iTop Screen Recorder is a free screen recorder allows you to record what is happening on your low-end PC without costing you a penny at all.

• Capture high-quality video with no lagging

With support for hardware acceleration, this HD screen recorder can capture videos in 4K UHD, 1080P 60fps without lagging. It guarantees a smooth video screen recording with an average of 80% CPU usage.

• Flexible record any region on the PC

It allows you to record any area of your screen. So, you can record part of screen, the entire screen, or a fixed window depending on your needs.

• Screen record low-end PC with no time limit

Additionally, iTop Screen Recorder is also the best screen recorder for low-end PC without time limt, so you can use it to record long-hour videos without a problem. For example, you can use it to record Zoom meeting. 

• Built-in light video editor

It comes with a built-in video editor to make your recorded videos professional easily. The tool enables you to cut, trim, split, and merge videos, add effects, text, stickers, subtitles, and more.

Pros:

• Easy of use
• Stable FPS during recording
• High-quality recording
• Hardware acceleration function

Cons:

•  Only support Windows

#2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a popular open-source screen recorder that works seamlessly on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Equipped with basic recording and editing functionality, OBS Studio can record your low-end PC without consuming much system resources or causing lag. However, lightweight is not the only feature that makes OBS Studio popular.

Key Features:

• Capture, mix, and edit video and audio in real-time
• Stream in 4K resolution without quality loss
• Record your microphone and audio separately
• Add filters to audio devices or scenes
• Record your gameplay while playing 

Pros:

• Free and open-source
• High-quality recordings
• Cross-platform compatibility 
• No time limit

Cons:

• Complex interface
• Sometimes crashes
• Steep learning curve

#3. Aiseesoft Screen Recorder

Aiseesoft Screen Recorder is a lightweight but powerful screen recording software for low-end pc that is worth your time and money. You can use it to deliver instructional videos or create tutorials. We love this feature-rich screen recorder because it is incredibly simple to use and offers almost all needed recording and editing features.

Key Features:

• Capture any part of your screen flexibly
• Record webcam videos along with audio
• Take a screenshot of any area of your screen
• Export files to MP4, MOV, AVI, GIF, MP3 and more formats
• Comes with an in-built editing suite

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• High-quality recording
• Flexible recording options
• Lightweight and resource-efficient
• Customer support

Cons:

• Limited features on its free version
• The free version only allows recording for up to 3 minutes
• No cross-platform subscriptions

#4. Xbox Game Bar

If you don’t like recording your screen using any third-party screen recorders, the Windows 10/11 built-in Xbox Game Bar also does this job very well. Being embedded in a Windows system, the Xbox Game Bar won’t take up space. So, it is lightweight and easy to use. You can capture videos and screenshots while playing a game. Besides, it has a simple and clear interface, making it a convenient program for various users regardless of their technical expertise. In addition, many other features of Xbox Game Bar are worth exploring.

Key Features:

• Capture your screen
• Record and share your gameplay
• Chat with friends on the Xbox Console
• Track your game’s FPS and other real-time stats

Pros:

• Free to use
• It is easily accessible
• Work seamlessly with Windows

Cons:

• Limited recording features
• No dedicated editing tools
• No advanced annotation tools

#5. Movavi Screen Recorder

Movavi Screen Recorder is also a no-lag recording program that allows you to capture what is happening on your low-end PC. Like many similar tools in the market, Movavi provides users with a seamless recording experience. Whether to record a simple screen or capture complex gameplay while playing, you can use Movavi to capture what you want without taxing the system. Once recorded, you can share your recordings with cloud services or upload them to YouTube or Google Drive. To learn more features of Movavi Screen Recorder, you can check the following list.

Key Features:

• Capture your screen in HD or 4K
• Capture your webcam and screen simultaneously
• Record system audio, microphone audio, or both together
• Add annotations while recording
• Edit your recording by trimming, cutting, and joining clips

Pros:

• Easy to use
• High-quality 4K recording
• User-friendly interface
• Easy schedule recording
• Multiple export format options

Cons:

• It crashes very often
• It is costly
• Limited features available on the trial version

#6. Bandicam

If you’re looking for a screen recorder that works for both recording a screen and capturing gameplay, just consider using Bandicam. It is one of the best screen recording software for low-end PC with no lag. With it, you can record a video from a webcam or a console connected to your PC. While recording, you can even add annotations to your recordings. What particularly caught our attention about Bandicam was its capability to capture games up to 480 FPS. 

Key Features:

• Flexible record any selected area of your screen
• Add a video of yourself from your webcam
• Take screenshots while playing a game
• Schedule recording whenever you want
• Upload recorded video to YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo without converting

Pros:

• Easy of use
• Various screen recording options
• High-quality recording
• Regular updates

Cons:

• Watermark in its free version
• Limited recording time
• Resource-heavy compared to other approaches
• Limited editing capabilities

#7. Fraps 

If you’re looking for a screen recorder that can help you capture high-quality recordings during gameplay, just try Frap. Frap is a lightweight screen recorder that can work seamlessly with most Windows PCs. Whether you know it or not, lightweight refers to software that provides a minimal set of tools and limited features and Frap is no different. It only offers basic video recording features that can meet your basic needs. If you want more advanced features like in-app video editing or webcam recording, you’d better select other tools instead. 

Key Features:

• Capture recordings of your gameplay in high-quality
• Capture your screen with one click
• Display frames per second while recording games
• Record games using OpenGL and DirectX graphics technology

Pros:

• Easy of use
• Record videos of high-quality
• Customized shortcuts supported

Cons:

• There is a 30-second time recording limit for free users
• Webcam or facecam recording is not supported
• Stop updating

Part 3. How to Capture Screen on Low-end PC Using a Screen Recorder for Low-end PC

Curious about how to capture a screen on a low-end PC? The steps vary depending on the software you choose. Let’s take iTop Screen Recorder as an example and see how it works to capture your screen. The following steps also applies to screen record protected videos.

Step 1. Get this screen recorder for low-end PC without watermark download on your low-end PC. Launch it after installation. 

Step 2. Click the Setting icon and adjust the recording video frame, format, audio parameters, etc.

Step 3. Go back to the home screen and click Record > Screen. Select to record the full screen, part of the screen, a window, or any area in a fixed aspect ratio. Once done, click on the red REC button to start recording.

Step 4. Once finished recording, press F9 to end the recording process. Then, you can find your recordings in Files > Video. From here, you can access a video editor to enhance your videos by adding filters, stickers, BGM. 

Conclusion

If you’ve ever searched for the best screen recorder for low-end PC, you must know that there are a number of such tools on the market. It can be an overwhelming task to find the best by trying them one by one. To save you time, we researched and tested some no-lag screen recorder for low-end pc and selected 7 different options for you. Which one will be the best depending on your specific requirements. If we have to recommend one, just try iTop Screen Recorder as it is lightweight and functional and can meet most recording needs without causing any lag. Now, get this screen recorder for low end PC Windows 7 or screen recorder Windows 10 free download on your computer and start capturing your screen.