H264 vs H265: Video Codec Comparison

Part 1: What Is H264 (AVC)

Proposed by Joint Video Team, H264, MPEG4, or AVC (Advanced Video Codec) is a universal compression standard. It is considered suitable for recording, compressing, and sharing videos by digital creators. Its particular usage is in the streaming function for YouTube, Vimeo, and more. The encoder used low bitrates for compression in the past, thus leading to a small file size but not less than H265.

It offers the video based on motion compensation while the data processing of this encoder is using the small blocks, named macroblocks. These are of 16x16 pixels that are divided into transform blocks and then further divided into prediction blocks. The purpose is to provide a good quality of the resulting video.

Part 2: What Is H265 (HEVC)

H265 or HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) is an advanced video codec that became popular within a short duration. The reason lies in its offering high-quality videos at the low bitrates. So it also offers smaller output file sizes compared to the other available codecs. Talking about AVC vs HEVC, the data processing of H265 takes place using the CTUs (Coding Tree Units).

These units offer 64x64 pixels, thus providing enhanced compression without compromising the target file resolution. Though many creators are still using the AVC compression method, professionals know it is better to offer a better watching experience. Also, it's a fact that the sharper video image quality can only be delivered via H265. However, it is not suitable for playback on many devices like Windows, Xbox, and more.

Part 3: H264 vs H265: Which One to Choose

No doubt, the above explanation of the H264 vs HEVC gives you a clear idea of each codec. However, one may prioritize different video properties in other cases, so the decision must be taken.

Let's have a detailed comparison to look at both codecs in-depth.

Part 4: How to Convert H264 to H265 (HEVC)

Are you finding out a stable, efficient, and all-in-one converter? If yes, the HitPaw Video Converter proves to be the ultimate solution. It helps you convert your video into various popular formats and change the encoder from H264 to H265 or vice versa. Not only does it assure you to bring the high-quality output results but also at a 90X faster speed. Using this, even merging various videos into one has become easier than ever.

Scroll down to know the steps to convert H264 to H265:

Step 01 Download, install, and then launch HitPaw Video Converter on your system. Now, click "Add Files" to import the video with H.264 encoder.

Step 02 Next, take MP4 for example, press "Convert all to" and choose Video > HEVC MP4. Also, enable or disable hardware acceleration and lossless conversion.

Step 03 Finally, choose the destination folder and hit the "Convert" button, and that's all!

Conclusion

Videos are considered the best content type for enhancing the reach on social media sites. Comparing H264 vs H265, the latter offers better video quality and low bandwidth. It leads to the image sharpness of videos, thus offering a good watching experience. That's why, if you have the H264 videos and you need to convert them to H265, it's better to use the HitPaw Video Converter. Working faster and not affecting the target file quality are some unique features that it offers.

FAQs about H264 & H265