Configure OBS Intel QuickSync HEVC for Recording

This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to configure OBS Studio to utilize the Intel QuickSync H.265/HEVC hardware encoder for local video recording. By leveraging your Intel processor’s integrated graphics, you can achieve high-quality video captures at low bitrates with minimal impact on your CPU and GPU performance.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure that your Intel integrated graphics (iGPU) is enabled in your system’s BIOS and that you have installed the latest Intel graphics drivers. QuickSync HEVC requires an Intel Core processor (6th generation Skylake or newer).

Step 1: Access the Output Settings

1. Open OBS Studio.
2. Click on Settings in the bottom-right corner of the interface (or go to File > Settings).
3. In the left-hand sidebar, click on the Output tab.
4. At the top of the Output menu, change the Output Mode dropdown from Simple to Advanced.

Step 2: Configure the Recording Tab

1. Click on the Recording tab at the top of the Output settings window.
2. Set your Type to Standard.
3. Choose your preferred Recording Path where your video files will be saved.
4. Set the Recording Format to MP4 or MKV (MKV is recommended to prevent file corruption if OBS crashes).
5. In the Video Encoder dropdown menu, select Hardware (QSV, HEVC) or Intel(R) Quick Sync H.265/HEVC.

Step 3: Optimize Encoder Settings

To get the best balance between file size and video quality, apply the following settings under the encoder configuration section:

• Target Usage: Set to quality (or balanced if you experience performance issues).
• Profile: Set to main.
• Keyframe Interval: Set to 2 s (seconds).
• Rate Control: Select CQP (Constant QP) or LA_ICQ (Lookahead Intelligent Constant Quality). These rate control methods are optimized for local recording.
• ICQ Quality / CQ Level: Set this value between 20 and 23. Lower values produce higher quality but larger files; higher values produce smaller files but lower quality.
• Latency: Set to normal.

Step 4: Save and Apply

Click Apply in the bottom-right corner, and then click OK to close the settings menu. Your OBS Studio is now configured to record high-efficiency HEVC video using Intel QuickSync hardware acceleration.