The short answer is that AV1 can deliver comparable visual quality at a lower bitrate, making it particularly attractive for streaming 8K VR video. However, H.265 remains the more universal option because it is compatible with a wider range of headsets, browsers, and VR players.
On a modern headset with hardware AV1 decoding, the codec can reduce bandwidth consumption, file size, and the risk of buffering. On an older or incompatible device, H.265 will usually provide more reliable playback.
The choice between H.265 and AV1 therefore depends on more than image quality. You also need to consider your headset, video resolution, internet speed, and the codecs supported by your player.
What is a video codec?
Raw 8K video contains an enormous amount of data. Without compression, even a short VR scene could occupy hundreds of gigabytes and would be extremely difficult to stream over the internet.
A video codec analyzes a sequence of frames, identifies repeated visual information, and stores only the data required to reconstruct the image during playback. The more efficiently a codec works, the less data it needs to preserve a specific level of quality.
H.265 and AV1 solve the same basic problem: they reduce video file sizes and bandwidth requirements. The main differences are compression efficiency, processing complexity, and device compatibility.
Why are codecs especially important for VR video?
8K resolution does not work quite the same way in conventional video and VR.
A regular 8K video is displayed as a complete rectangle on a screen. In VR180, the image is spread across a much wider field of view, while the user sees only one section of the complete frame at any given moment.
This means that fewer pixels are available for each visible part of the image. The effects of excessive compression become easier to notice. Faces lose detail, skin can look unnaturally smooth, hair and textures become blurred, and fast movement may produce blocking or noise.
VR video is also commonly stereoscopic. The headset needs to process a separate perspective for each eye while keeping both views synchronized. Higher resolutions, frame rates, and bitrates place greater demands on the device.
An efficient codec does more than reduce file size. It allows a platform to deliver more visual information within the bandwidth available to the user.
What is H.265?
H.265, also known as HEVC, was developed as the successor to H.264. It provides significantly more efficient compression and is widely used for 4K and 8K video.
H.265 has long been one of the main formats used for high-quality VR content. It is supported by many standalone headsets, desktop graphics cards, televisions, smartphones, and media players.
The main advantage of H.265 is the maturity of its ecosystem. The codec has existed long enough for manufacturers to include hardware decoding in a wide range of devices.
Hardware decoding means that playback is handled by a specialized part of the processor instead of relying entirely on the general-purpose CPU. This reduces system load, limits heat generation, and helps devices play high-resolution video smoothly.
H.265 also remains important within Apple’s ecosystem. For stereoscopic and spatial video, Apple uses MV-HEVC, a variation of HEVC that stores the views for both eyes in one video track and uses the similarities between them to improve compression efficiency.
The main disadvantage of H.265 is its complicated licensing structure. Most viewers never notice this directly, but platforms and software manufacturers need to account for patents and regional restrictions.
What is AV1?
AV1 is a newer open video codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media. It was designed primarily for internet video delivery, including 4K and 8K content.
The basic goal of AV1 is to preserve comparable quality at a lower bitrate or provide better quality while using the same amount of data. AOMedia also distributes AV1 under a royalty-free patent policy.
This is especially valuable for 8K VR. If an H.265 version of a scene requires more bandwidth than a connection can reliably provide, a more efficient AV1 version may deliver a similar level of detail with less risk of interruptions.
AV1 is gradually becoming a standard across modern streaming platforms, browsers, graphics cards, and mobile processors. However, its compatibility is still not as universal as H.265.
Does AV1 actually look better?
A codec cannot make the original video more attractive or detailed. AV1 cannot restore information that was never captured, correct inaccurate focus, or repair poor stereoscopic alignment.
The difference becomes visible when two files are created from the same source material and are limited to the same size or bitrate. Under these conditions, a well-configured AV1 encode can usually preserve more detail or produce a smaller file at comparable visual quality.
However, there is no universal percentage for the savings. The result depends on the scene, amount of movement, lighting, image noise, encoder settings, and the amount of processing time used to create the file.
Some videos compress extremely efficiently, while others require a high bitrate regardless of the codec.
It would therefore be an oversimplification to say that AV1 is always 30% better than H.265. A more accurate conclusion is that AV1 generally offers an efficiency advantage, but the actual difference depends on the video and encoding configuration.
Which codec is better for streaming 8K VR?
On a compatible device, AV1 is often the more attractive option for streaming.
A lower required bitrate makes it easier for the headset to maintain maximum quality when internet speed fluctuates. This can reduce startup time, prevent buffering, and make it less likely that the player will automatically switch to a lower-quality version.
For example, imagine that two versions of the same scene look almost identical, but the H.265 version requires 100 Mbps while the AV1 version requires only 80 Mbps. A user receiving around 90 Mbps in real-world conditions may experience buffering with H.265, while the AV1 stream continues playing smoothly.
This is only an illustrative example. AV1 does not guarantee a fixed bitrate reduction, but it shows why compression efficiency matters for streaming.
The advantage becomes particularly valuable on home networks where connection speed changes because of distance from the router, Wi-Fi interference, or activity from other devices.
Which codec is better for downloading?
For downloaded videos, the main advantage of AV1 is file size.
If an AV1 version preserves comparable quality at a lower bitrate, it will occupy less storage space on the headset. This matters for users who maintain a local library and regularly download long 7K or 8K scenes.
One hour of video at an average bitrate of 100 Mbps occupies approximately 45 GB. At 80 Mbps, the size falls to around 36 GB. Even a modest reduction becomes significant when a library contains dozens of videos.
However, downloading AV1 only makes sense when the device and player are confirmed to support it. If they cannot decode AV1 at the required resolution in hardware, the file may stutter or fail to open.
H.265 may require more storage at comparable settings, but it remains the safer choice when videos need to work across several different devices.
Does Meta Quest support AV1?
Support depends on the headset generation.
Meta states that AV1 is supported on Quest 3 and newer devices. Quest 2 and Quest Pro do not provide hardware AV1 decoding, making H.265 the more reliable format for those headsets.
Quest 3 and Quest 3S use the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform, which provides hardware decoding for both H.265 and AV1, including video up to 8K at 60 frames per second.
This makes AV1 particularly promising for owners of newer Meta headsets. With a properly prepared video stream, users can receive high visual quality while placing less demand on their internet connection.
Hardware support does not automatically mean that every website or player will use AV1. The platform still needs to identify the headset, provide the correct video stream, and deliver it properly through the browser or application.
What happens on a device without hardware AV1 decoding?
In some cases, the device may attempt to decode AV1 through software using its CPU or GPU. This can be sufficient for smaller conventional videos, but 8K VR creates a much heavier workload.
The result may include dropped frames, synchronization problems, device overheating, rapid battery drain, or a complete inability to start playback.
This is why platforms cannot simply replace every H.265 file with AV1. They need to maintain multiple versions and automatically deliver a compatible format to each headset.
The best experience is one in which the player identifies the capabilities of the device without requiring the user to understand codecs. Quest 3 can receive AV1, while Quest 2 receives H.265 automatically.
Does AV1 affect headset battery life?
When AV1 is decoded in hardware, the workload remains manageable. A dedicated decoder processes the video much more efficiently than a software-based solution.
The situation changes on an incompatible device. Attempting to decode demanding 8K AV1 video through software may increase power consumption and heat generation.
AV1 should therefore not be considered automatically more energy efficient on every headset. What matters is not only the codec name, but whether the device includes hardware decoding for the specific profile, resolution, and frame rate.
Why is H.265 not going away?
H.265 is supported by a huge number of devices that are already in use. People do not replace their headsets every year, so platforms still need to support Quest 2, Quest Pro, older Pico headsets, and other previous-generation devices.
H.265 also benefits from mature encoding tools. Creating an H.265 file generally requires less time and computational power than producing a high-quality AV1 encode.
This matters for platforms with large video libraries. Converting tens of thousands of long scenes into a new format requires considerable server capacity and additional storage for the resulting versions.
H.265 and AV1 will therefore continue to exist alongside each other. H.265 will provide broad compatibility, while AV1 will serve as an optimized option for newer devices and users who want to reduce bandwidth consumption.
Can you identify the codec from the file extension?
Not always. MP4, MKV, and WebM are containers rather than codecs. An MP4 file can contain video encoded with H.264, H.265, or AV1.
If a file does not play, changing its extension will not solve the problem. You need to determine which codec was used and whether the headset or player supports it.
Codec information can usually be found in the file properties or through video analysis software. When downloading from a platform, it is better to choose a version specifically intended for your device.
Which codec should Quest 2 owners choose?
H.265 remains the preferred option for Quest 2. The headset can decode the format in hardware and play high-resolution VR video smoothly within its technical limits.
Quest 2 does not provide hardware AV1 decoding, so AV1’s compression advantages have limited practical value on the device. A smaller file is not useful if the headset cannot play it reliably.
Which codec should Quest 3 and Quest 3S owners choose?
Quest 3 and Quest 3S owners should consider AV1 when the website or player officially supports it for 8K VR.
On these devices, AV1 may provide comparable visual quality at a lower bitrate and reduce the likelihood of buffering.
If an AV1 version behaves unpredictably or is not supported by the selected player, H.265 remains an excellent fallback. With sufficient bitrate, the visual difference between well-prepared versions may be extremely difficult to notice.
Which codec is better in 2026?
AV1 is the more promising codec for delivering 8K VR video over the internet. It uses the available bitrate more efficiently, reduces file sizes, and is supported by the latest generation of headsets.
H.265 remains the better option for compatibility. It works across a broader range of old and new devices, is supported by more players, and continues to provide excellent quality when given sufficient bitrate.
There is therefore no universal winner. AV1 is better suited to modern compatible devices and bandwidth-efficient streaming. H.265 is better for broad support and predictable playback.
The ideal video platform should support both formats and automatically select the appropriate version for each user.
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If you use Quest 3 or a newer headset, AV1 may be the most efficient option. For Quest 2 and devices with more limited codec support, H.265 remains the reliable choice.
The conclusion is simple: AV1 uses data more efficiently, while H.265 provides broader compatibility. The best codec is the one that allows your headset to play the highest available quality smoothly and without buffering.