Are you still team x264, or have you made the jump to x265/AV1? Let me know in the comments below.
If you download a TV show, watch a YouTube video (yes, YouTube uses H.264 for many users), or stream on Discord, you are paying tribute to x264.
Encoding x265 takes forever . If you are a pirate releasing a movie an hour after the WEB-DL drops, you don't have time for x265. x264 is lightning fast. It makes the decisions quickly and gets the product out the door.
Every device on earth plays x264. Your iPhone 16, your Grandma’s 2012 laptop, your smart fridge. Try playing AV1 on a smart fridge. You can't. x264 is the universal language.
At 1080p and below, x264 looks perfect . x265 might save you 200MB on a 2GB file, but the encoding time quadruples. For most users, that trade-off isn't worth it. The Verdict: Respect the OG x264 is the shot caller because it never fails. It took the chaos of raw video and brought order to the high seas and streaming services alike.