Why AV1 Encoding Gameplay Matters for High-Resolution Walkthroughs

Recording gameplay at 4K resolution on a system like the PlayStation 5 is one thing. Getting that footage to look crisp, retain detail, and remain a reasonable file size is another challenge entirely. For walkthroughs that demand precision and clarity - especially a no damage run on Grounded+ difficulty in The Last of Us Part II - every pixel counts. The visual noise of post-apocalyptic Seattle, the texture of damp concrete, the subtle shifts in lighting as Ellie moves through overgrown buildings; all of it needs to survive the compression process without turning into a blocky mess.

This is where av1 encoding gameplay becomes a serious consideration for content creators. AV1 is a modern video compression standard developed by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM). It promises significantly better compression efficiency than older codecs, which means you can store high-quality footage at lower bitrates without sacrificing as much detail. For someone recording an all collectibles run or a chronological mode playthrough, where every frame might contain a clue or a hidden item, that preservation of detail is not just nice to have - it is essential.

The Compression Efficiency Gap

For years, H.265 (HEVC) has been the go-to codec for high-resolution recordings. It offers a solid balance between file size and quality. But AV1 pushes that balance further. At the same bitrate, AV1 generally delivers better visual fidelity than H.265. In practice, this means you can record a 4K video at around 20 Mbps using AV1 and get results that might require 30 Mbps or more with H.265. Over the course of a long walkthrough, that difference adds up to gigabytes of saved storage space.

Hardware encoding plays a big role here. The RTX 4090 includes an NVENC encoder that supports AV1, which makes real-time recording feasible without hammering the CPU. Software encoding, like using x264 or HandBrake's software AV1 encoder, offers even better compression ratios but at the cost of processing time. For live streaming, you want low latency and consistent frame rates. For a pre-recorded walkthrough, you can afford the extra encode time if it means a smaller file that looks nearly lossless.

Trade-offs in Practice

The av1 encoding gameplay workflow is not without its headaches. Encoding AV1 is computationally expensive. Even with the RTX 4090's hardware encoder, you are trading some quality for speed compared to a slow software encode. If you are capturing footage in OBS Studio, you need to configure the encoder carefully. The default settings might not be optimised for your specific use case. For a no damage run, where you might be replaying sections dozens of times to get the perfect take, you want the encoder to handle fast motion and complex scenes without introducing artifacts.

Bitrate control is another factor. AV1 can deliver great results at lower bitrates, but you cannot just set it to a very low number and expect magic. For 4K footage, I have found that a bitrate around 25 Mbps with a two-pass software encode in HandBrake produces excellent results for archiving. For streaming, you might need to bump that up or accept some quality loss depending on your upload speed.

Codec Comparisons for Gameplay Recording

Let us break down the main options you have when recording a game like The Last of Us Part II at 4K:

• H.264 (x264): The old standard. Widely compatible, but inefficient at high resolutions. You need very high bitrates to keep 4K footage clean, which leads to massive files.
• H.265 (HEVC): A significant step up from H.264. Good hardware support on modern GPUs. Still not as efficient as AV1, but faster to encode in real time.
• VP9: Developed by Google, used heavily on YouTube. Good compression efficiency, but software encoding is slow and hardware support is limited outside of specific platforms.
• AV1: The current efficiency king. Excellent for archiving and uploading to platforms that support it. Hardware encoding is still maturing, but the RTX 4090's NVENC AV1 encoder is a solid option for recording.

Each codec has its place. If you are streaming live on a platform that does not yet support AV1, you might stick with H.265 or even H.264 for compatibility. But for a recorded walkthrough that you plan to edit and upload later, using av1 encoding gameplay footage can save you hours of waiting for uploads and gigabytes of drive space.

Practical Recording Setup for a High-Intensity Run

When I set up to record a no damage run on Grounded+ difficulty, the last thing I want is for the encoder to drop frames or introduce stuttering. The game itself is demanding enough. Here is a typical configuration that works well with OBS Studio and an RTX 4090:

• Encoder: NVENC AV1 (hardware)
• Bitrate: 30 Mbps for 4K at 60 fps
• Preset: Quality (not performance) to prioritise visual fidelity
• Recording format: MKV (handles crashes better than MP4)

After the recording is done, I often remux the file and then run a second pass with HandBrake using the software AV1 encoder at a slightly lower bitrate, around 20 Mbps, for final archiving. This two-step process gives me the best of both worlds: a reliable real-time capture and a compact final file. The hardware encode handles the rough cut, and the software encode refines it.

Why It Matters for Collectibles and Chronological Runs

An all collectibles run requires close attention to detail. You might need to spot a note on a desk or a hidden artifact in the environment. If the compression washes out textures or introduces blocking around small text, you could miss something. Similarly, chronological mode rearranges the game's timeline, which means scenes transition in unexpected ways. The encoder needs to handle those shifts smoothly. A good AV1 encode preserves the fine detail in shadows and highlights, which is critical when you are trying to show every last collectible location.

I have tested this side by side with H.265 encodes at the same bitrate. The difference is noticeable on a 4K monitor. The AV1 version retains more texture in clothing, more definition in foliage, and fewer artifacts around moving characters. For a walkthrough that aims to be definitive, that extra clarity matters.

Streaming vs. Recording: Latency Considerations

If you are live streaming your Grounded+ run, streaming latency becomes a factor. Hardware encoders like NVENC are designed for low latency. The RTX 4090's AV1 encoder can keep up with real-time gameplay without introducing a noticeable delay. Software encoding, on the other hand, would add seconds of latency, making it unsuitable for live interaction. For recorded content, latency is irrelevant - you can take all the time you need to compress the final video.

That said, if you plan to upload to a platform that transcodes your video anyway - like YouTube, which re-encodes everything to its own standards - the choice of codec for your source file matters less. But for local archiving or for sharing direct downloads, AV1 is a clear winner.

Final Thoughts

Adopting AV1 for recording gameplay is not about chasing the newest thing. It is a practical response to the growing demands of high-resolution content. When you are investing hours into a perfect run of The Last of Us Part II on Grounded+ difficulty, you want the final video to do that effort justice. The av1 encoding gameplay pipeline, whether you use hardware encoding with NVENC or software encoding with HandBrake, gives you the tools to balance quality, file size, and workflow efficiency.

The technology is still evolving. Hardware support will only get better with future GPU generations. For now, if you have an RTX 4090 or a comparable card, it is worth experimenting with AV1 settings in OBS Studio or your recording software of choice. The savings in storage and bandwidth are real, and the quality improvement over older codecs at the same bitrate is hard to ignore. For any serious gameplay content creator, especially those working with 4K footage, understanding and using AV1 is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity.