
AV1 on Jellyfin 2026: Should You Re-Encode? (Hardware Support, Quality Tests & Honest Verdict)
AV1 promises 30% better compression than HEVC - but is it ready for your Jellyfin library in 2026? This guide covers which GPUs decode and encode AV1, real quality comparisons vs HEVC, client compatibility gaps, and the honest verdict: stay with H.265 for most users, use AV1 only if all clients support it.