9 Best GPU for plex transcoding in 2023

With the growth of streaming video subscriptions, fast and efficient transcoding has become more important. Plex now knows which GPUs work best for transcoding, thanks to the newest update in March 2022. This blog will provide detailed GPU benchmarks for various models to determine which GPUs work best for plex transcoding.

List of some of the best GPU for plex transcoding

A graphics card reduces the processor’s workload and allows videos to be streamed to multiple devices simultaneously. Therefore, I have compiled a list of the best GPUs for plex transcoding.

9.1
01. PNY VCQP2200-PB Quadro P2200
POSITIVES
  • Improvements in 3D design are offered by it.
  • It has a large GPU memory.
  • The graphics are powerful.
  • There is a great deal of
    computing power in this GPU.
  • Complex transcoding workloads
    can be handled by it.
NEGATIVES
  • The backplate of this GPU is missing.

With the PNY VCQP2200-PB, you can design 3D models and edit FHD videos. Medical imaging systems such as ultrasound machines rely heavily on it as well. Using the Quadro P2200 is more accessible due to its compatibility with NVIDIA and mosaic technologies. The ability to work with HD video and 3D models is also available.

PNY NVIDIA Quadro derives us for 4 display
PNY NVIDIA Quadro 5 Gb on fast
PNY NVIDIA Quadro deliver powerful graphics on computer

Key Features

  • This software’s performance and display capabilities are excellent, allowing it to be used for large models.
  • It provides detailed information that is clear and precise.
  • Color accuracy is enhanced by 30-bit color support.
PNY VCQP2200-PB Quadro P2200
8.9
02. ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB GDDR6 192-bit
POSITIVES
  • There is no noise generated while this product is operating.
  • It consumes less power.
  • The cards run at a moderate temperature.
  • A 24-GB GDDR6 memory
    module is included with
    this graphics card.
  • Video editing is available at a
    high level.
NEGATIVES
  • It’s a bit tricky to overclock.

With five 4K streaming simulations up to 1080p and 32 720p simulations down to 480p, the Zotac GeForce GTX 1660 Twin 6 GB has outstanding Plex transcoding. Despite the Zotac’s high price and powerful GPU, its performance is comparable to the GTX 1660 Ti.

ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 Super compact
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 Super fast
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1660 Super duel slot

Key Features

  • There are 1,408 Cuda Cores in this unit.
  • A total of 88 TMUs are present.
  • The 4K Plex transcoding process consumes 105 Watts.
  • The graphics card is capable of streaming around 22 4K streams.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660
Super 6GB GDDR6 192-bit
8.8
03. NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
POSITIVES
  • This product has a low price and is easy to use.
  • It is suitable for gaming
    purposes.
  • It is suitable for low-end
    graphics cards.
NEGATIVES
  • Incorrect use and storage
    may cause damage to the
    product.

It offers ultra-cool performance with dual axial 11-blade fans that deliver ultra-realistic graphics and maximum overclocking. Real-time ray tracing technology makes it excellent for gaming. Additionally, it provides cutting-edge graphics with hyper-realistic effects, etc.

NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition RTX
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition good conduction
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition super compact

Key Features

  • 11-blades on a dual axis and a vapor chamber at the front.
  • Cool and quiet performance is provided by this GPU.
  • GDDR5 64bit memory interface with 1GB of RAM.
  • To overclock to its full potential, it is equipped with a next-generation 13-phase power supply.
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti
Founders Edition
8.7
04. Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC Low Profile 4GB GDDR5 128 Bit 
POSITIVES
  • With 768 CUDA cores, it offers excellent performance.
  • It runs quietly and cools fast.
  • HDMI and DVI ports provide
    perfect resolution.
  • At lower temperatures, it
    increases performance and
    provides incredible
    heat overindulgence.
NEGATIVES
  • It’s a bit pricey.

Plex Transcoding runs perfectly on the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC due to its durability and low price. Therefore, transcoding three 4K streams to 1080p is the best method. It can also transcode 14 1080p streams to 720p easily, making it a great option for 1080p to 720p transcoding

Gigabyte Geforce GTX  with graphix card
Gigabyte Geforce GTX  connected with every device
Gigabyte Geforce GTX

Key Features

  • There is no spike in power consumption when running the GPU.
  • The product is equipped with 31 ROPs and 47 TMUs.
  •  This card features a GDDR5 64bit memory interface with 2GB of memory.
  • This product offers a core clock of 953MHz.
  • DVI-I/HDMI dual-link support is provided.
Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC Low
Profile 4GB GDDR5 128 Bit 
8.6
05. ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 V2 OC Edition Graphics Card
POSITIVES
  • A GPU Tweak II program is included.
  • A fine-tuning feature is
    provided.
  • With the latest graphics card,
    you will be able to play games
    with high quality.
  • Overall, the build quality and performance are excellent.
NEGATIVES
  • There is no compatibility with
    SLI.

For the best gaming experience, the graphics card features military-grade certification and dual ball fan bearings. Moreover, it is equipped with Ampere SM, which increases FP32 by 2X and improves power efficiency.

ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA auto extrime technology
ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA AXIAL TREATS upgrades
ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA Native display ports

Key Features

  • It is equipped with the latest Ampere SM architecture.
  • It delivers 2X more power than the 1st generation.
  • The LED fan indicator shows the status of the fans in real-time on top of the graphics card.
  • The GPU supports up to 8K resolution, which results in improved performance in games.
ASUS TUF Gaming NVIDIA GeForce
RTX 3080 V2 OC Edition Graphics Card
8.5
06. XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition 1386MHz OC+, 8GB GDDR5
POSITIVES
  • It provides virtual reality environments with low latency.
  • It performs better than other
    GPUs.
  • Low-cost graphics with better quality.
  • The fan does not produce a
    lot of noise.
NEGATIVES
  • Space-consuming and bulky.

A new display engine, new multimedia cores, and new graphics cores are all included in this latest Polaris architecture based on the latest NFN 14 process technology. XFX cooling technology of Double Dissipation ensures the card runs cool and efficiently.

XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition overlocked settings
XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition AMD graphics card
XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition DUAL BIOS

Key Features

  • It is based on the Polaris architecture.
  • A 4th generation GCN graphics processor is included
  • XFX cooling technology is used in this product.
  • A minimum of 500 watts is required.
XFX Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX
Edition 1386MHz OC+, 8GB GDDR5
8.5
07. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 15 Gbps GDRR6 192-Bit HDMI/DP PCIe 4
POSITIVES
  • Manual instructions are provided with the product.
  • One of its best features is that
    it only has one fan.
  • The cooling system has dual
    slots, which is also a plus.
  • It comes with an HDMI port.
  •  The cooling system is excellent.
NEGATIVES
  • There is no backplate which is a significant drawback.

Games with high resolutions and high detail settings will benefit most from this graphics card. Its highly efficient cooling system ensures stable performance in any situation, while its 12GB GDDR6 memory enhances performance in today’s games.

MSI Gaming GeForce with MSI
MSI Gaming GeForce with memory interface
MSI Gaming GeForce RFX

Key Features

  • It supports Vulkan APIs and DirectX 12.
  • The Tensor Cores Ray and tracing Cores provide incredible performance.
  • High speed with G6 memory and streaming multiprocessors are included.
  • An interface with 192 bits is provided.
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
15 Gbps GDRR6 192-Bit HDMI/DP PCIe 4
8.3
08. ASRock Phantom Gaming D Radeon RX 570 DirectX 12 RX570 4G 4GB 256-Bit 
POSITIVES
  • During heavy use, it runs quietly.
  • The power consumption is very low.
  • Temperatures are maintained at
    a low level.
  • This is an excellent device for transcoding 1080p to 720p.
  • The product can stream
    simulations at 480p.
NEGATIVES
  • Drivers are not included on the
    CD, so you must download
    them from the Internet.

Gaming enthusiasts and gamers will appreciate the performance of the ASRock Phantom Gaming D Radeon RX570. A first-gen AMD Polaris graphics card boasts several improvements compared to AMD’s previous Polaris architecture, including improved power efficiency.

ASRock Phantom Gaming graphics card
ASRock Phantom Gaming for DVD connecting
ASRock Phantom Gaming Ready video card

Key Features

  • Inbuilt memory of 8GB 256-Bit GDDR5 is included
  • It offers a graphics memory size of 8 GB
  • The GPU clock speed in default mode is 1150 MHz.
  • Power efficiency and noise are also very high on this card.
ASRock Phantom Gaming D Radeon
RX 570 DirectX 12 RX570 4G
4GB 256-Bit 
8.1
09. EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW GAMING ACX 3.0, 8GB GDDR5
POSITIVES
  • The price and performance ratio
    of the solution is excellent.
  • In this price range, this
    graphics card is the best
    option for Plex transcoding.
  • It is a competitive card at this
    price point.
NEGATIVES
  • Compared with other graphics
    cards on the list, it’s not as
    cool and quiet.

It can transcode 4k streams with ease thanks to its EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB variant. It performs better than the Nvidia GTX 1660 and GTX 1050 Ti graphics cards. The performance of the RTX 2080 Super was the same when transcoding 4K to 1080p.

EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW GAMING ACX with wire to connect
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW GAMING ACX
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW GAMING ACX for gaming

Key Features

  • A total of 1920 Cuda cores are available on this card.
  • It has 121 TMUs and 65 ROPs.
  • With a 256-bit memory bus and 256 GB/s memory bandwidth, this GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory.
  • The card consumes very low temperatures despite intensive usage.
  • Transcoding consumes nearly 150 watts of power.
EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW GAMING
ACX 3.0, 8GB GDDR5

What things to consider when purchasing a GPU for Plex transcoding?

For Plex servers, several factors must be considered when choosing a GPU for plex transcoding. Keep scrolling.

01. Several streams need to be transcoded

Before transcoding 4K streams, consider how many you will need. It is not necessary to have a high-end GPU for transcoding a few 4K streams. However, the Nvidia Titan RTX is a powerful GPU if you must regularly transcode multiple 4K streams.

02. Price

The second consideration is the price. You should choose a GPU that fits your budget between $300 and $2000.

03. Connectors for power

It is vital to consider the type of power connector a graphics card requires when purchasing one. Almost all graphics cards support a 6-pin or a 9-pin power connector, although some cannot.

04. Ports

If purchasing a graphics card, make sure it has ports. Make sure you find the ports you intend to use. You should get a graphics card with plenty of ports if you plan on upgrading your computer in the future.

05. GPU features

The next step is to consider each GPU’s specific features. For example, some GPUs offer special features like handling multiple 4K gaming or stream capabilities.

06. Warranty and Brand

Brand and warranty are essential considerations. You should choose a GPU manufacturer you can trust out of the many available. If your GPU goes wrong, the warranty gets extremely important to repair without any cost.

07. TDP

Graphics cards come in a variety of types. The TDP is an important consideration when shopping for one. Your graphics card will need a higher TDP if you’re going to run high settings.

08. Memory

In order to run games and handle high-resolution textures, the card must have adequate memory and power. When it comes to gaming, you should choose a better quality card. You’ll need a lot of memory, especially if you want to do graphic design.

09. Speed of the clock

In graphics cards, clock speed refers to the speed at which data is processed and run. High-definition images are rendered and processed faster when the clock speed is higher. So, looking at the card’s clock speed is also important.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs):

Is it possible for GPUs to assist with transcoding?
Yes, the GPU-accelerated transcoding can be even more efficient if you have a powerful graphics card.
How much RAM is required for Plex transcoding?
Transcoding is conducted by Plex servers with a minimum of 16GB of RAM by extracting files from its folder and then transcoding them. The files are then returned to their original folder after transcoding.
Do I need to have my computer on to transcode with Plex?
A Plex Media Server must be connected to your Plex Apps to access your content. To do this, your computer or device must be on, and the server must be running.
Is Plex capable of using two GPUs simultaneously?
No, when you use two GPUs at once, you get a little edge in gaming, but this configuration isn’t very effective in a Plex server. With Plex, the primary transcoding engine is ffmpeg, which does not offer a choice as to which GPU should be used. As a result, you can only encode or decode streams using one GPU at a time.
Is it possible to transcode using any GPU?
Transcoding is not possible with all GPUs. To transcode 4K streams, you need to give a GPU with enough power.
Is my CPU capable of transcoding?
Yes, transcoding can be done on a CPU, but it is not as efficient as with a dedicated GPU. Multiple 4K streams will strain a CPU, which may lead to poor video quality.
Do transcoding operations require a large amount of CPU or GPU processing power?
Transcoding requires both CPUs and GPUs. Decoding the video is done by the CPU while encoding it is done by the GPU.
When it comes to transcoding, which is better: CPUs or GPUs?
GPUs and CPUs each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so there is no definitive answer. CPUs are faster at decoding videos, while GPUs are faster at encoding them. Ultimately, CPU and GPU should be used together for transcoding. Your video will be of the highest quality and performance if you do this.

Conclusion

You can determine which GPU is best for Plex video transcoding based on your budget and needs. In terms of price, all the cards on this list provide excellent performance. However, my personal favorite is the NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080, which performed best in Plex Transcoding. Now that you know everything about GPU for plex transcoding, why not grab a graphics card and upgrade your PC? Select a graphics card that meets at least the recommended specifications based on the features and applications that matter most to you. Happy Buying!

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