– Constant quality (CQ mode) in libvpx has weird plateaus. Often you'll see no quality improvement beyond a certain bitrate, unlike x264/x265 where more bits = better.

The dream scenario utilizes mode. By using -crf (Constant Rate Factor) alongside a maximum bitrate cap, you tell the encoder: "Make this look amazing, but never exceed the user's bandwidth limits." This prevents buffering while ensuring high-end displays get the detail they deserve. Real-World Applications What does this look like in practice?

– Unlike x265, libvpx doesn't scale well beyond ~8 threads. So even with infinite cores, you hit a wall.

– VP9 hardware is common now (2015+ devices), but older phones/TVs won't have it. Your "dream" ends if users have legacy devices.

libvpx's dream scenario is real if you have unlimited encoding time and target modern web browsers. For everything else (live, low-power, or legacy devices), it's a compromise. The new dream scenario is libaom-av1 or SVT-AV1 – but that's another review.