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M4 Mac Mini nearly 30% slower at hardware encoding than 2020 Intel i5 iMac
- Thread starter AAPLGeek
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So I’ve sort of managed a workaround using H265 VTB at “speed” encoder preset with CQ slider at 60. M4 does this at over 96 fps. This gets me about the same output file size and quality as doing H264 at a fixed 9Mbps bitrate, which M4 only manages to do at 55fps.
After running some more tests, I can safely conclude that T2 being equivalent or faster is just a case of a specific type of input and bitrate when working with H264 codec.
M4 is around 2x faster at H265 encoding, with both 1080p and 4K inputs.
M4 also has a CQ slider that you don’t get with the T2 encoder.
After running some more tests, I can safely conclude that T2 being equivalent or faster is just a case of a specific type of input and bitrate when working with H264 codec.
M4 is around 2x faster at H265 encoding, with both 1080p and 4K inputs.
M4 also has a CQ slider that you don’t get with the T2 encoder.
If you search for t2 encoding you get this link from https://appleinsider.com/articles/1...t-difference-in-video-encoding-for-most-users
Absolutely no need for the T2 which also did the Disk Controller as well. Was only needed whilst using the Intel CPU. The T2 functionality could be incorporated into the Apple Silicon SoC so no need for an extra chip when the functionality in the SoC.
Hard to argue it isn't needed, when a 4 year older cpu with this chip can do this video encoding double digit percentage faster.
Did you even read the previous messages?
Apple Silicon encoder has two speed settings, T2 only had one. And we are not talking about the CPU performance. Hardware encoders are a specific part of the silicon that are mostly independent from the rest of the CPU.
Apple Silicon encoder has two speed settings, T2 only had one. And we are not talking about the CPU performance. Hardware encoders are a specific part of the silicon that are mostly independent from the rest of the CPU.
Based on the documentation the latest version of Handbrake (1.9) will run on Apple silicon (universal app) but is not expressly optimized for Apple silicon (optimized for Intel Macs).
github.com
Release 1.9.0 · HandBrake/HandBrake
Upgrade Notice Before updating HandBrake, please make sure there are no pending encodes in the queue, and be sure to make a backup of any custom presets and app preferences you have, as they may no...
github.com
I wrote that release notes, and I don't remember writing "Optimize for Intel Macs" anywhere…
I reported I have gone from 340fps to 470fps on the same file by enabling the decoder hardware.
So the same media encoder has jumped 130fps by getting the hardware decoder involved, and I am in M1 generation.
Now my Media Encoder hasn't suddenly gotten extra hardware but was obviously being held back previously by having the decoding done on CPU. Pretty sure that the M4 would overtake the i5/T2 if configured to use the Decoders.
All of the functionality of the T2 is found already in the Mx Soc and expanded on so there is really no point in having the separate T2 chip on the board.
As was noted earlier, 4096 x 2304 is a non-standard video/film resolution; which could be the cause of the slowdown. DCI full frame is 4096 x 2160; that resolution is the funky Apple/LG 4k display of a older iMac.
Is your use case screen captures of the iMac? That is the only reason I can think of that you have videos with that resolution.
My best guess is that M1-M4 Apple silicon hardware encoders are *most* happy when standard video resolutions are being used such as 1280x720, 1920x1080 and 3840x2160; new gen may also handle 7680x4320.
(my experience is that M3 Max chip is faster than even my Mac Pro with W6800 Duo at encoding.) 🤷♂️
Is your use case screen captures of the iMac? That is the only reason I can think of that you have videos with that resolution.
My best guess is that M1-M4 Apple silicon hardware encoders are *most* happy when standard video resolutions are being used such as 1280x720, 1920x1080 and 3840x2160; new gen may also handle 7680x4320.
(my experience is that M3 Max chip is faster than even my Mac Pro with W6800 Duo at encoding.) 🤷♂️
As @galad pointed out in his comment it makes very little difference, if any.
If I scale that input to 4K UHD, I get 62fps max with H264 VTB, while no scaling runs at 55fps.
If I use a standard 4K input, I still get 62fps with H264.
The only way to do get a faster encode is doing H265 VTB at the "speed" encoder preset.
Probably a handbrake limitation. As others have suggested maybe try DaVinci or Compressor or Adobe Media Encoder.
QQ: did you try enabling hardware decode in Handbrake (I think was mentioned as somewhere under Advanced Options) and if so did it make a difference in the H264 case?
Also did you end up trying Apple Compressor? I am curious if it is actually faster than Handbrake? I suspect all this is bound by Apple's VTB and the underlying hardware but that would confirm that.