GPU-accelerated video encoding: NVIDIA vs AMD

Posted on Friday, October 30 2009 @ 6:00 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Hexus has compared the GPU-accelerated video encoding functionality offered by ATI and NVIDIA, you can check it out over here. The author concludes that GPU-accelerated video encoding is significantly faster than using the CPU alone, but that the image quality varies hugely. Sometimes AMD-produced video is better, while other times, NVIDIA's looks better.
Looking for a cross-company performance comparison, finding applications that support GPU-accelerated encoding for both manufacturers has been rather elusive. Thankfully, a couple of companies, CyberLink and Roxio, have agreed to work with both AMD and NVIDIA's GPGPU technologies, and it’s now possible to conduct a fair comparison between the two. Starting off with the high-end and using CyberLink’s MediaShow Espresso application, costing £30, we’re pitting AMD’s recently released Radeon HD 5870 against NVIDIA’s closely priced GeForce GTX 295, setting them to transcode a 1080p MPEG-2 HD clip into a YouTube-compatible 720p MP4.


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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