With the rise of streaming services and the increasing cost of storage, media collectors are turning to High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), specifically the x265 encoder. However, simply telling Sonarr to "prefer x265" without understanding the technical nuances can lead to a library filled with poor-quality micro-sized rips or compatibility headaches.
Pro tip: Create two Sonarr instances – one for x264 (remote users) and one for x265 (local 4K library).
Scenario A:
x265 truly shines at 4K and HDR content. The standard for 4K releases is x265, as x264 struggles to efficiently handle the massive data of 4K resolution.
Result: You can store almost twice as many episodes for the same disk space. sonarr prefer x265
The Verdict: If you have limited hard drive space or pay for cloud storage (like Google Drive or Dropbox), preferring x265 is a financial necessity. If you have a massive local server with enterprise-grade drives, sticking to x264 may offer slightly better source consistency, but x265 is undoubtedly the future.
2. The Quality Per Gigabyte Curve At very low bitrates (small file sizes), x264 can look like a blocky mess. x265 maintains better detail. However, at high bitrates (high quality), the visual difference between a well-encoded x264 and a well-encoded x265 is negligible to most human eyes. You are sacrificing CPU power for space, not necessarily for "better looking" video. The Complete Guide to "Prefer x265" in Sonarr
. Here is how to set it up so Sonarr always hunts for those space-saving encodes. Why Prefer x265? Massive Storage Savings
