Sonarr Prefer X265

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.

Sonarr will now automatically target the highest-scoring file available.

What do you stream to? (Firestick, Apple TV, PC, Web Browser?) sonarr prefer x265

Create boosts to favor x265:

. This was where the magic—or the disaster—would happen. He didn't want to just x265; he wanted Sonarr to it. He went into Release Profiles At very low bitrates (small file sizes), x264

To make Sonarr prefer x265, you must use to give x265 files a higher score than x264 files within the same Quality Profile. Step-by-Step Configuration Guide

A common scoring setup for x265 preference might look like this: You are sacrificing CPU power for space, not

The x265 codec is highly efficient, but some release groups distribute heavily compressed, low-bitrate files (often called "mini-HD" or "micro-HD"). To avoid poor video quality, pair your x265 preference with these safeguards: 1. Set Minimum File Size Limits

Start with Custom Formats for maximum flexibility, leverage TRaSH Guides for battle-tested configurations, and don't forget that quality isn't just about codec—release groups, bitrates, and source quality matter just as much as whether a file uses x265 or x264.

Set the "Upgrade Until Custom Format Score" to your x265 score if you want Sonarr to replace existing x264 files with x265 versions. Click Save . Important: How Scoring Works

is set to at least that number if you want it to replace existing x264 files. 2. Legacy Method: Release Profiles (Sonarr v3)