Should I use hardware encoding or software x265?

Hardware encoders (NVENC, AMD AMF) are 5-10x faster but produce larger files at the same quality. x265 software encoding outperforms hardware in compression efficiency. Use hardware for real-time or streaming; use x265 for archival and final exports.

Interactive guide - live FFmpeg command preview

HEVC Encoding Settings Guide

Q: What CRF value should I use for HEVC?

For archival quality, CRF 18-22 is visually lossless. CRF 24-28 gives excellent quality for everyday use. CRF 28-32 is good for streaming and mobile. Avoid going above CRF 35. x265 CRF 24 is roughly equivalent to x264 CRF 19.

Pick your use case and get the exact FFmpeg x265 command with recommended settings. CRF, preset, bitrate, HDR, hardware acceleration - explained and pre-configured for your workflow.

Command builder

Build your FFmpeg x265 command

Use case

Quality (CRF) 24

0 - lossless 18 - visually lossless 28 - good 51 - worst

Preset medium

Slower presets = better compression at same quality, but longer encoding time.

Profile

Main (8-bit) Main10 (10-bit, HDR) Still picture

Options

Fast decode (reduces CPU usage on decode) HDR10 metadata passthrough Copy audio stream Copy subtitles Use hardware encoder (NVENC/AMF)

Extra x265 params (optional)

FFmpeg command

Run this command with X HEVC Encoder

Copy the command above and paste it into the editable command box in X HEVC Encoder - a free Windows app that runs FFmpeg with a GUI. No terminal needed.

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Settings reference

CRF, preset and profile explained

CRF (Constant Rate Factor)

CRF controls quality vs file size. Lower = better quality and larger file. x265 CRF ranges from 0 (lossless) to 51 (worst quality).

0Lossless - huge files, archival only

18Visually lossless - transparent to most people

24High quality - recommended for archival

28Good quality - streaming / general use

32Lower quality - small files, mobile

51Worst quality possible

x265 CRF 24 produces roughly the same visual quality as x264 CRF 19 at half the file size.

Preset

Preset controls encoding speed vs compression efficiency at the same CRF value. Slower presets compress better (smaller file) but take longer.

ultrafastFastest, largest files - real-time use only

fasterGood for live streaming or quick exports

mediumDefault - good balance of speed and quality

slowRecommended for archival - 5-10% smaller than medium

veryslowMaximum compression - for final archival encodes

For most encodes, slow or medium is the right choice. veryslow gives diminishing returns on encode time.

Profile

Profile determines the bitdepth and feature set of the output.

main8-bit - compatible with all devices

main1010-bit - required for HDR10, Dolby Vision source

main1212-bit - professional / mastering only

Even for SDR content, 10-bit (main10) can reduce banding artifacts. The trade-off is slightly lower hardware decode compatibility on older devices.

FAQ

Common questions

What CRF value should I use for HEVC?

For archival quality, CRF 18-22 is visually lossless for most content. CRF 24-28 gives excellent quality for everyday use at a fraction of the file size. CRF 28-32 is good for streaming and mobile where bandwidth or storage matters. Avoid going above CRF 35 - the quality loss becomes very visible. Note that x265 CRF values are not the same as x264 - x265 CRF 24 is roughly equivalent to x264 CRF 19.

What is the difference between CRF and bitrate encoding?

CRF (Constant Rate Factor) targets a constant quality level - the bitrate varies automatically based on the complexity of each scene. Bitrate encoding targets a specific file size or average bitrate. CRF is almost always better for local storage and archival since it adapts to content. Bitrate encoding (ABR or CBR) is needed when you have a strict bitrate cap, such as for streaming platforms or broadcast delivery specs.

Should I use hardware encoding (NVENC/AMF) or software (x265)?

Hardware encoders (NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel QSV) are 5-10x faster but produce larger files at the same quality compared to x265 software encoding. x265 with a slow or medium preset consistently outperforms hardware encoders in compression efficiency. Use hardware encoding for real-time capture, live streaming, or when speed is critical. Use x265 software encoding for archival, final exports, or any encode where quality and file size matter.

How do I install FFmpeg on Windows?

Download a static FFmpeg build from free-codecs.com/download/ffmpeg.htm - extract the zip, and place ffmpeg.exe in a folder on your PATH (or in the same folder as your video files). Open Command Prompt and run ffmpeg -version to verify it works. Alternatively, X Audio Converter (available at xcodecpack.com/audio-converter/) bundles FFmpeg and handles audio conversion without any command line.

Related tools

HEVC Encoding Settings Guide

Build your FFmpeg x265 command

CRF, preset and profile explained

CRF (Constant Rate Factor)

Preset

Profile

Common questions

More HEVC and codec tools

X HEVC Encoder

HEVC Hardware Support Checker

X Audio Converter

X Codec Pack