Question / Help Local Recording: x264, NVENC, or Quick Sync?
- Thread starter OBSNewbie
- Start date
If you have a decent pc and just want to record for youtube stick with x264. If you lose Frames while playing use nvenc or QSV.
It's bascially like this, If you record with a cbr bitrate of 1000:
best picture quality < X264 --- QSV --- NVENV > worst picture quality
More CPU load < X264 --- NVENC & QSV > less cpu load
If you record at higher bitrates around 10mbit, you won't find any differences in the recording quality though.
Here's a video looking at the quality differences of all three at a bitrate of 3500: https://youtu.be/Z6uaPD_5r4w?t=6m20s
Here's a guide on how to make high quality local recodings using x264: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-make-high-quality-local-recordings.16/
It's bascially like this, If you record with a cbr bitrate of 1000:
best picture quality < X264 --- QSV --- NVENV > worst picture quality
More CPU load < X264 --- NVENC & QSV > less cpu load
If you record at higher bitrates around 10mbit, you won't find any differences in the recording quality though.
Here's a video looking at the quality differences of all three at a bitrate of 3500: https://youtu.be/Z6uaPD_5r4w?t=6m20s
Here's a guide on how to make high quality local recodings using x264: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-make-high-quality-local-recordings.16/
So I looked it seemed like there was little to no difference between x264 and NVENC. He recommended EVENC for local recording. I walked away thinking that I should use x264 if I can get away with it but use QS and EVENC (In that order) If Im seeing lag. Is that a fair estimate?
Boildown
Active Member
I would always use NVEnc with a high enough bitrate for local recording. Seems to crash less than x264, at least for me. It barely touches the CPU, and since it uses a separate chip on the GPU, doesn't affect games that are GPU-bound either, at least no more than OBS would in any case. The argument that x264 is higher quality is nullified by the fact that you're not streaming it, just saving it to your hard drive. You can simply record at a higher bitrate to make up for any quality-per-bit differences.
Looks like i didn't give you enough info.
You asked for the quality differences
At a bitrate of 1000 (CBR) x264 would produce the best looking file, with quick sync in 2nd place and nvenc coming in last. Obviously the the video would sill look horrible at these settings.
Impact on your machine:
Nvenc does use the the least cpu and has the worst compression but barely has any impact on your ingame fps, while quick sync offers better compression but does drop your fps a tiny bit.
X264 delivers the best compression but does impact your ingame performace the most.
If you are streaming you'd want to use x264 due to the high compression, giving you the best picture quality with limited bitrate. If you do local recordings use nvenc with a high bitrate.
Looks like i didn't give you enough info.
You asked for the quality differences
At a bitrate of 1000 (CBR) x264 would produce the best looking file, with quick sync in 2nd place and nvenc coming in last. Obviously the the video would sill look horrible at these settings.
Impact on your machine:
Nvenc does use the the least cpu and has the worst compression but barely has any impact on your ingame fps, while quick sync offers better compression but does drop your fps a tiny bit.
X264 delivers the best compression but does impact your ingame performace the most.
If you are streaming you'd want to use x264 due to the high compression, giving you the best picture quality with limited bitrate. If you do local recordings use nvenc with a high bitrate.