The Advantages of Intel's QuickSync Encoder for Streaming

When it comes to streaming games and videos, one of the most important considerations is the encoder used. Many people are familiar with EnV and AMD's Hardware encoder, but what about Intel's QuickSync encoder? In this article, we will explore the advantages of using QuickSync for encoding streams.

One thing that many people are aware of is that Intel CPUs have an integrated GPU that can be a bit lacking when it comes to playing games. However, Intel has been quietly updating their QuickSync H264 encoder over the years, and it's become a powerful tool for streaming. In fact, around 10th gen Intel upgraded their QuickSync encoder to be on par with, if not better than, EnV in terms of quality improvement.

According to tests conducted by the author, QuickSync outperformed EnV by 2 to 6% depending on the bit rate. This is a significant advantage, especially for those who are using Intel CPUs with integrated Graphics. The author also noted that this upgrade has been quietly making its way into Intel's systems, and it's worth enabling if you have it or at least playing with it to see if you like it or if it helps.

One of the main reasons why QuickSync is a better choice for encoding streams is because it can help improve stream stability and reduce OBS crashes due to encoder overloaded errors. This is especially important for those who are streaming games, as a single crash can ruin an entire session. The author noted that sometimes OBS would completely crash out with an encoder overload error even though EnV operates on its own section of the GPU.

However, this is not the only reason why using QuickSync might be beneficial. Some people may think that using a second GPU to encode their streams would help it, but unfortunately, this approach is not recommended. The reason for this is that the encoder has to copy everything over to that second GPU, encodes it, and then sends it all back, which can result in increased overhead for the main GPU and performance loss.

On the other hand, using QuickSync means that the GPU should be free to provide maximum performance to games without any encoder-related issues. This is especially true if you're using an Intel CPU with integrated Graphics, as this allows the GPU to work at its full potential.

To test the effectiveness of QuickSync, the author decided to benchmark a few popular games using EnV versus QuickSync. The results were surprising, and some games did take a small hit. However, the differences in other games came down to margin of error or normal run-to-run variants. This means that while there may be some minor performance variations between EnV and QuickSync, they are not significant enough to cause any issues.

In conclusion, using Intel's QuickSync encoder for streaming can provide several advantages over traditional encoders like EnV. By enabling QuickSync in OBS Studio, you can improve stream stability, reduce OBS crashes due to encoder overloaded errors, and ensure that your GPU is working at its full potential. Whether or not you have an Intel CPU with integrated Graphics, it's definitely worth checking out.

As a final note, the author would like to invite readers to subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow them on Twitch links, which can be found right over there. They also stream every Friday at 8:00 PM Pacific Time, so feel free to tune in and join the conversation about streaming and PC tech.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entons of Intel CPUs have an igpu that sucks for playing games but they have an encoder called quicksync if you use it to encode your stream instead of using enven or amd's Hardware encoder can that actually help let's find out I've always felt that Intel CPUs having an encoder via their integrated Graphics has been an advantage especially for troubleshooters but since around 10th gen Intel upgraded their quicksync integrated encoder to be on par if not better than enven the reev that Intel has been quietly updating their quicksync h264 encoder continuously over the years I teased during my original 12th gen coverage that it was really good these days but consistently on almost every test combination quicksync outperformed Inn by 2 to 6% quality improvement depending on bit rate one thing I've noticed when helping people troubleshoot their OBS stream settings is sometimes OBS would completely crash out sing an encoder overload error even though enven operates on its own section of the GPU certain settings and use cases still cause it to dip into actual GPU resources while encoding but if your GPU is busy using all its horsepower for your games there's nothing left for OBS and its encoding and this will either result in drop frames or outright crashes no God since the early days of streaming people thought using a second GPU to encode their streams would help it it did not and is still not a recommended solution tell me why T ldr the reason is that the encoder has to copy everything over to that second GPU it encodes it and then it sends it all back that is increased overhead for the main GPU and can result in performance loss no I thought to myself if I get Quicks sync to encode streams then that means the GPU should be free to provide maximum performance to games and no longer run into encoder overloaded errors or GPU encoding related OBS crashes then I remembered how it works like I mentioned above with the additional overhead of having another GPU do the encoding and got a little sad Bo this man so I decided to Benchmark a few games using enven versus quicksync roll the benchmarks I need to ask you something are you subscribed to our YouTube channel cuz if you're not hit that subscribe button and also follow over on Twitch links are right over here all right I'm out of here I don't like it over there Color Me surprised while some games did take a small hit it also appeared that the differences in other games comes down to margin of error or normal run-to-run variants my initial disappointment with thinking this might actually be detrimental has so far proven Incorrect and that's a good thing yes so if you've got an Intel CPU with the integrated Graphics enabled which should enable quick sync encoding in OBS Studio here are the settings that I used I think it's worth enabling if you have it or at least playing with it to see if you like it or if it helps it didn't really seem to hurt anything too much and if it can improve stream stability or reduce OBS crashes due to encoder overloaded errors when using EnV then it's actually quite nice nice if you like this video you know what to do hit that like button and subscribe so you don't miss any uploads also I stream to Twitch every Friday at 8:00 P.M Pacific at twitch.tv/ Coalition Chris so feel free to come by drop a follow and let's talk streaming and PC tech see you guys in the next one byetons of Intel CPUs have an igpu that sucks for playing games but they have an encoder called quicksync if you use it to encode your stream instead of using enven or amd's Hardware encoder can that actually help let's find out I've always felt that Intel CPUs having an encoder via their integrated Graphics has been an advantage especially for troubleshooters but since around 10th gen Intel upgraded their quicksync integrated encoder to be on par if not better than enven the reev that Intel has been quietly updating their quicksync h264 encoder continuously over the years I teased during my original 12th gen coverage that it was really good these days but consistently on almost every test combination quicksync outperformed Inn by 2 to 6% quality improvement depending on bit rate one thing I've noticed when helping people troubleshoot their OBS stream settings is sometimes OBS would completely crash out sing an encoder overload error even though enven operates on its own section of the GPU certain settings and use cases still cause it to dip into actual GPU resources while encoding but if your GPU is busy using all its horsepower for your games there's nothing left for OBS and its encoding and this will either result in drop frames or outright crashes no God since the early days of streaming people thought using a second GPU to encode their streams would help it it did not and is still not a recommended solution tell me why T ldr the reason is that the encoder has to copy everything over to that second GPU it encodes it and then it sends it all back that is increased overhead for the main GPU and can result in performance loss no I thought to myself if I get Quicks sync to encode streams then that means the GPU should be free to provide maximum performance to games and no longer run into encoder overloaded errors or GPU encoding related OBS crashes then I remembered how it works like I mentioned above with the additional overhead of having another GPU do the encoding and got a little sad Bo this man so I decided to Benchmark a few games using enven versus quicksync roll the benchmarks I need to ask you something are you subscribed to our YouTube channel cuz if you're not hit that subscribe button and also follow over on Twitch links are right over here all right I'm out of here I don't like it over there Color Me surprised while some games did take a small hit it also appeared that the differences in other games comes down to margin of error or normal run-to-run variants my initial disappointment with thinking this might actually be detrimental has so far proven Incorrect and that's a good thing yes so if you've got an Intel CPU with the integrated Graphics enabled which should enable quick sync encoding in OBS Studio here are the settings that I used I think it's worth enabling if you have it or at least playing with it to see if you like it or if it helps it didn't really seem to hurt anything too much and if it can improve stream stability or reduce OBS crashes due to encoder overloaded errors when using EnV then it's actually quite nice nice if you like this video you know what to do hit that like button and subscribe so you don't miss any uploads also I stream to Twitch every Friday at 8:00 P.M Pacific at twitch.tv/ Coalition Chris so feel free to come by drop a follow and let's talk streaming and PC tech see you guys in the next one bye\n"