Sonarr — Prefer X265

A common mistake users make is creating a restriction that simply looks for the word "x265" in the release title.

The Problem: Scene groups know users look for "x265." Because x265 is highly compressible, bad actors often take a low-quality 700MB x264 file, re-encode it to x265, and shrink it to 200MB. They label it "Bluray x265," but it looks like a pixelated mess.

The Solution: You must prefer x265 from reputable sources and at reasonable bitrates. You want encoder transparency, not just file size reduction. We will achieve this using Release Profiles and Custom Formats.

Is preferring x265 in Sonarr worth it?

Yes, for most users. The storage savings are undeniable, and the quality of x265 encodes from major release groups (like NTb, GalaxyTV, or the internal teams at streaming sites) is excellent.

However, you must implement it correctly:

By using a Custom Format Score of +10, you strike the perfect balance: You get the space savings of x265 when it's available at the same resolution/source quality, but you don't sacrifice quality by blindly downloading the smallest file on the internet. sonarr prefer x265

Optimizing Sonarr: How to Prefer x265 (HEVC) Content Sonarr is a powerful

for managing TV show libraries, but by default, it often prioritizes standard H.264 (x264) files. For many users, x265 (HEVC)

is the gold standard because it offers roughly 50% better compression efficiency, saving massive amounts of disk space without sacrificing visual quality. A common mistake users make is creating a

Because Sonarr treats x265 as a codec rather than a "quality" (like 1080p or WEB-DL), you cannot simply move it to the top of a list. Instead, you must use Custom Formats Release Profiles to tell Sonarr that x265 is your preferred choice. 1. Why Prefer x265? Storage Efficiency

: High-definition episodes that might be 1.5GB in x264 often shrink to 600–800MB in x265. Future-Proofing : x265 is essential for 4K and 8K content. Note of Caution

: x265 requires more processing power to play. While modern smart TVs and devices like Nvidia Shield handle it easily, older hardware may struggle or "stutter". Prefer Content - x265,HEVC,Ecnoder,Rips · Issue #1724 If unwanted upgrades occur:

Here’s a full, unbiased review of whether you should prefer x265 (HEVC) in Sonarr, covering quality, storage savings, hardware compatibility, and real-world usage.