https://github.com/maxrblx1/phantomrec
🎬 PhantomRec: The Ultimate Low-End Screen Recorder — Smooth 60 FPS on Weak PCs, Dual-Core CPUs, No GPU Required
https://github.com/maxrblx1/phantomrec
cpu-encoding dual-core free-screen-recorder lightweight lightweight-app low-end-pc no-gpu open-source portable screen-recorder-windows-pc smooth-recording windows-10 windows-11
Last synced: 15 days ago
JSON representation
🎬 PhantomRec: The Ultimate Low-End Screen Recorder — Smooth 60 FPS on Weak PCs, Dual-Core CPUs, No GPU Required
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/maxrblx1/phantomrec
- Owner: MaxRBLX1
- License: other
- Created: 2026-06-08T12:35:49.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-06-28T10:06:33.000Z (15 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-06-28T12:05:54.983Z (15 days ago)
- Topics: cpu-encoding, dual-core, free-screen-recorder, lightweight, lightweight-app, low-end-pc, no-gpu, open-source, portable, screen-recorder-windows-pc, smooth-recording, windows-10, windows-11
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 183 KB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
## Project History
PhantomRec was originally released as **RetroRec** (v1.0 through v1.7). The name was changed in v1.8 to better reflect the software's modern capabilities and universal appeal. All recordings and settings from previous versions are fully compatible with PhantomRec.
---
# PhantomRec — "Record now. Encode later. Zero lag."
**Built by MaxRBLX1**
---
## What is PhantomRec?
PhantomRec is a **free, portable, and invisible screen recorder** for Windows. It captures your desktop at a smooth 60 FPS with system audio, then converts the recording into a compact, high-quality file — all without slowing down your computer.
No GPU? No problem. Old laptop? It works. PhantomRec is designed to run on **any Windows PC from Vista to Windows 11**, from a dual-core budget machine to a high-end workstation.
---
### A Note on Windows 7
PhantomRec runs on Windows 7 and delivers 60 FPS GDI capture. However, if you experience stutter or frame drops on Windows 7, this is a limitation of the operating system itself — not PhantomRec.
**Windows 7 lacks the GPU-accelerated capture APIs** (D3D11 Desktop Duplication, DirectDraw) that make Windows 8+ recording truly smooth. GDI capture on Windows 7 is software-based and competes with your desktop for CPU time.
**The fix is free:** Upgrade to Windows 8.1, 10, or 11 on the same hardware. You don't need a new PC — just a newer OS. Your existing CPU, RAM, and GPU will immediately benefit from hardware-accelerated capture.
| Windows Version | Capture Method | Smoothness |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 7 | GDI (Software) | Good — limited by OS |
| Windows 8/8.1 | DDAGrab (GPU) | Excellent |
| Windows 10/11 | GFX Capture (GPU) | Perfect |
**PhantomRec works on everything. Your OS determines how smooth it is.**
---
## Why Choose PhantomRec?
PhantomRec works differently from every other screen recorder. Instead of encoding everything in real time, it uses a **two-stage ghost pipeline**:
**Stage 1 — Live Capture (mpeg4, 1 thread, ~5% CPU):**
The screen is captured and encoded with MPEG‑4 Part 2 — a lightweight codec that barely touches your CPU. Duplicate frames are skipped automatically. No GPU encoding means no stop-button freeze.
**Stage 2 — Post-Convert (x264, all cores, after you stop):**
When you press stop, PhantomRec converts the recording to x264 at high quality using all CPU cores — when your system is idle. You get NVENC-quality file sizes without needing a GPU.
### The Result:
- Your GPU stays 100% dedicated to your game or desktop
- Recording uses ~5% CPU on any hardware
- Heavy compression happens when you're done recording
- **Instant stop** — no encoder queue drain freeze like GPU encoders
- Smooth 60 FPS output on any CPU from 2008 onward
- **No GPU required.** No GPU encoding used. No NVENC. No AMF. CPU only.
---
## System Requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| **Operating System** | Windows 7 SP1 / Server 2008 R2 or later |
| **CPU** | Any dual-core x86_64 processor (SSE2) |
| **RAM** | 4 GB |
| **GPU** | Any. Integrated. None. All work. |
| **Storage** | Any HDD or SSD |
*\*No dedicated GPU or GPU hardware encoding required.*
---
## Quick Start
1. Download `PhantomRec_v1.7.0.zip` and extract all files to a folder.
2. Make sure `maxsengine.exe` is in the same folder as `PhantomRec.exe`.
3. Double-click **`PhantomRec.exe`** — a small always-on-top window appears.
4. Press **F10** to start recording.
5. Press **F10** again to stop.
6. Wait a few seconds for post-processing — your video opens automatically in Explorer.
---
## What's New in v1.7
- **Exclusive Fullscreen Capture** — Games in exclusive fullscreen mode are now captured correctly. PhantomRec keeps the DWM alive so `gfxcapture` never loses the signal.
- **Auto Game Detection** — Press F10 and PhantomRec automatically finds the game you're playing. No manual window selection needed.
- **Safe Window Handling** — Fragile game engines (Geometry Dash, older OpenGL titles) are automatically detected and protected from window modification.
- **Taskbar Anchor** — Uses the same DWM loophole as Xbox Game Bar to capture exclusive fullscreen games with zero performance loss.
---
## Configuration
All settings are stored in `PhantomRec.ini` next to the executable. You can edit it while PhantomRec is running — changes take effect within 2 seconds, no restart needed.
```ini
[Settings]
Hotkey=F10
PauseHotkey=P
ConvertAfterRecording=yes
ConvertPreset=medium
ConvertPreset options: medium (default, best quality), veryfast (balanced), ultrafast (fastest for older machines).
```
## Capture Methods
PhantomRec automatically selects the best capture method for your Windows version:
| Windows Version | Capture Method | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 / 11 | `gfxcapture` (D3D11) | GPU zero-copy, cursor visible, 60 FPS VFR |
| Windows 8 / 8.1 | `ddagrab` (DirectDraw) | GPU DirectDraw, 60 FPS VFR |
| Windows 7 / Vista | `gdigrab` (GDI) | CPU software, 55 FPS cap |
---
## What PhantomRec Does Not Do (Yet)
- **Streaming** — PhantomRec is a recorder, not a streaming tool.
- **Webcam overlay** — Not supported.
- **Per-window capture** — PhantomRec captures the entire monitor.
## Building from Source
### Requirements
- GCC (MinGW-w64 UCRT64)
- Windows SDK
- GDI+ and COMCTL32 development headers
### Linker Libraries
comctl32.lib, shell32.lib, user32.lib, gdi32.lib, kernel32.lib,
advapi32.lib, ole32.lib, uuid.lib, ksuser.lib, avrt.lib,
gdiplus.lib, comdlg32.lib
### Compile Command
```bash
g++ -std=c++17 -O2 -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0A00 \
-finput-charset=UTF-8 -fexec-charset=UTF-8 \
-o PhantomRec.exe src/PhantomRec.cpp \
-lcomctl32 -lshell32 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lkernel32 \
-ladvapi32 -lole32 -luuid -lksuser -lavrt -lgdiplus -lcomdlg32
⚠️ Important: The -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0A00 flag is strictly required. Without it, the binary targets Windows XP compatibility, causing the recording pipeline to fail with 0 FPS.
```
---
## License & Credits
- PhantomRec is free software. Use it, modify it, and share it.
- Built by **MaxRBLX1**.
- **Max'sEngine™** powered by **FFmpeg** ([ffmpeg.org](https://ffmpeg.org)).
- Audio capture based on Microsoft WASAPI sample code.