Sonarr Prefer X265 Best Jun 2026

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However, preferring x265 isn't without its caveats. HEVC is more computationally demanding to decode than x264, which can cause playback issues on older hardware or underpowered streaming devices. Some media server software may struggle to transcode x265 on the fly without hardware acceleration, leading to buffering issues on less capable clients.

Smaller file sizes mean your torrents and Usenet NZBs finish downloading much quicker.

Custom Formats work on a scoring system. Sonarr will always choose the release with the highest cumulative score. Go to > Profiles . sonarr prefer x265

This ensures we are targeting standard encoding formats, not strictly 4K (which is naturally HEVC but handled differently).

While x264 is excellent for 1080p, it is highly inefficient for 4K UHD content. The x265 codec was built from the ground up to handle high resolutions, 10-bit color depth, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) metadata seamlessly. The Catch: Hardware Compatibility and Transcoding

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Mastering Sonarr: How to Prefer x265 (HEVC) for a Space-Saving Media Library

By implementing this "Prefer but not Mandatory" strategy, your Sonarr instance will slowly, intelligently, and automatically upgrade your library to x265. Your hard drives will thank you, your electricity bill will drop (less spinning rust), and your users will never notice the difference—unless they try to watch on a 2014 Smart TV, in which case, tell them to buy a Fire Stick.

Click the "+" button to add a new custom format. Give it a meaningful name, such as "x265 Preferred." Then add a condition by clicking "Add Condition" and selecting as the condition type. Some media server software may struggle to transcode

: High-definition x265 files are typically 40% to 60% smaller than their x264 counterparts.

Managing a media library requires balancing video quality with storage capacity. Television shows with multiple seasons can quickly fill up hard drives. The x265 video codec—also known as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)—offers a solution by providing the same visual quality as older x264 encodes at roughly half the file size.