AOM-AV1 vs Intel QuickSync AV1 in OBS Studio

When setting up AV1 encoding in OBS Studio, you will encounter different encoder options depending on your hardware. This article compares AOM-AV1 and Intel QuickSync (QSV) AV1, highlighting their key differences in performance, resource utilization, and video quality so you can choose the best option for your streaming or recording setup.

Core Differences: Software vs. Hardware Encoding

The primary distinction between these two encoders lies in how they process video data:

• AOM-AV1 (Software Encoding): This is a CPU-based encoder developed by the Alliance for Open Media. Because it relies entirely on your system’s processor to compress video, it is highly resource-intensive.
• Intel QuickSync AV1 (Hardware Encoding): Often abbreviated as QSV, this encoder utilizes dedicated hardware ASIC chips built into compatible Intel graphics cards (such as Intel Arc GPUs) and select Intel CPUs. It offloads the encoding process entirely from the main CPU.

Performance and System Impact

Because AV1 is a highly complex codec, encoding it in real-time requires immense processing power.

• AOM-AV1 will heavily tax your CPU. If you are playing a demanding PC game on the same computer you are streaming from, using AOM-AV1 will likely cause massive frame drops, high CPU usage warnings, and lag in your stream or game. It is generally only viable on high-end, dedicated streaming PCs with many CPU cores.
• Intel QuickSync AV1 has virtually zero impact on your CPU or gaming performance. Because it uses dedicated hardware on the Intel GPU, your CPU is left completely free to handle game logic, background apps, and OBS scene rendering.

Video Quality and Efficiency

Both encoders deliver the high-efficiency benefits of the AV1 codec—such as superior quality at lower bitrates compared to H.264—but they handle compression differently.

• AOM-AV1 can theoretically achieve slightly higher quality-per-bitrate than hardware encoders because software encoding allows for more complex, multi-pass rendering algorithms. However, to run in real-time for live streaming, you must lower the encoder presets, which diminishes this quality advantage.
• Intel QuickSync AV1 offers incredibly fast, hardware-level encoding speed with excellent visual fidelity. The quality is highly optimized for live streaming and recording, easily matching or exceeding the quality of Nvidia’s NVENC AV1 and AMD’s AMF AV1 at identical bitrates.

Hardware Compatibility

Your choice of encoder will ultimately be limited by your computer’s components.

• AOM-AV1 is universal. It runs on any modern CPU (Intel or AMD), making it accessible even if you do not have an AV1-compliant graphics card.
• Intel QuickSync AV1 requires specific Intel hardware that supports AV1 hardware encoding, such as Intel Arc discrete GPUs (Alchemist series or newer) or Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated Xe graphics.

Summary: Which One Should You Choose?

For 99% of creators, Intel QuickSync AV1 is the superior choice if you have the supported Intel hardware. It allows you to stream or record high-quality AV1 video without sacrificing gaming performance.

You should only use AOM-AV1 if you do not own an AV1-compatible graphics card, are running a dedicated dual-PC streaming setup with an exceptionally powerful CPU, or are rendering offline video recordings where encoding speed is not a priority.