How to enable AMD GPU hardware encoding (it's worth it!)

[Gindalf Brambledore]

To all the fellow new Steam Link users having no Intel CPU but a rather recent AMD graphics card:

The first two days after I got my Steam Link I was very disappointed because of the bad streaming performance and I was already considering to send it back, until I realized that the performance loss was due to my AMD GPU hardware encoding not working!

Before enabling it, I suffered from a FPS drop of about 30 frames and many games were virtually unplayable.
After enabling it, there is almost no FPS drop and also latency and video compression artifacts are heavily reduced!

The thing is, I only enabled hardware encoding in the In-Home-Streaming settings of the Desktop client and I only found out by chance that there are three additional options in the In-Home Streaming settings in Big Picture Mode for Nvidia GPU hardware encoding, Intel CPU hardware encoding, and AMD GPU hardware encoding. Intel + Nvidia hardware encoding were checked although I neither have an Intel CPU nor an Nvidia graphics card, but an AMD Radeon R9 390 which supports VCE 3.0.

In order to make sure that AMD GPU hardware encoding is working, enable the client performance information (available in BPM or in Steam Link settings when not connected yet), press START+Y ingame and search for AMF H264 as used encoding codecs. If it's libx264 you are still on software encoding. Note that hardware encoding only works in games currently, not in BPM or when streaming the desktop.

Today, I also had the issue that the AMD GPU hardware encoding option was unchecked after a Steam Link client update and checking it had no effect until I restarted the Steam client on the host PC (and checking it one more time)!

My strong suggestion to Valve: Address hardware encoding more prominently in your knowledge base article and mention the three specific options for Nvidia / Intel / AMD which are only available in Big Picture Mode! (Alternatively, also implement them in the Desktop client.)

BTW: There is almost no limitation by my WiFi (802.11 ac) network and switching to a wired network adds no observable value, but hardware encoding has a huge impact!

I hope to prevent a lot of future disappointment for new users with this posting (go grab it, Google! ;-) ).

[DyingJedi]

Thank you bud hi5!

Justin Cram
DyingJedi

[Jerinder]

Wow I think this is going to fix my steam link. I'm going to try it right now, same for me I have an AMD gpu and cpu, and Intel was checked on by default and AMD was unchecked.

Update - Everything fixed now, I can't beleive it. Thank you.

[Gindalf Brambledore]

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

Wow I think this is going to fix my steam link. I'm going to try it right now, same for me I have an AMD gpu and cpu, and Intel was checked on by default and AMD was unchecked.

Update - Everything fixed now, I can't beleive it. Thank you.

Welcome, I am glad I could help! :-)

Beware also the issue described in my posting here that was introduced by a Steam client update in February, so if suddenly your streaming performance breaks down it may be because of this issue, which is going to be addressed by Valve (at least that's what support told me).

[teh_hahn]

I have an (pretty old) AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series graphics card and enabled hardware encoding (general + AMD specific) both in BPM and in the Steam Link configuration. But I always see libx264 as the encoder! Does the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series have no support for hardware encoding? I want to buy a new graphics card soon anyway, but I am interested in the answer.

[Rust]

Let me say this I had an HD 7870 that had hardware encoding and it was worse than Software Encoding. The AMF FPS were so low that steam decides to rather use lib264.

[TheBlindCookie]

Honestly it's better to just experiment. I was having slightly above average results with my R9 290 with the AMD hardware encoding on but switching to Software encoding made things much smoother.

[Jerinder]

AMD is such garbage these days

[LizTheKid]

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

AMD is such garbage these days

Amazing input. Thank you.

[Chrispcream]

If you don't see these options, make sure to disable any custom Steam skins. I couldn't find these options because of a skin that didn't show them. Thanks so much for this post!

[JimmyJames26]

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

AMD is such garbage these days

I'm getting over 100fps at 2160p maxed out in Doom 16 with a XFX 480 and a 2011 AMD CPU. Lolz

[Jerinder]

Originally posted by JimmyJames26:

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

AMD is such garbage these days

I'm getting over 100fps at 2160p maxed out in Doom 16 with a XFX 480 and a 2011 AMD CPU. Lolz

My 2011 AMD 8350fx is sitting on my floor next to me, a computer I derarly loved, as well as my AMD 965, which I loved even more. But ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do I love my intel i7 6700k.

[JimmyJames26]

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

Originally posted by JimmyJames26:

I'm getting over 100fps at 2160p maxed out in Doom 16 with a XFX 480 and a 2011 AMD CPU. Lolz

My 2011 AMD 8350fx is sitting on my floor next to me, a computer I derarly loved, as well as my AMD 965, which I loved even more. But ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do I love my intel i7 6700k.

I just wish the AMD encoding worked properly... The only complaint I have.

[Jerinder]

I know, I want to stream these games to my living room but it's just not even close playable right now. The odd game works good, but it makes the steam link appear to be junk.

[PhilBro]

Originally posted by JimmyJames26:

Originally posted by Jerkamie:

My 2011 AMD 8350fx is sitting on my floor next to me, a computer I derarly loved, as well as my AMD 965, which I loved even more. But ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ do I love my intel i7 6700k.

I just wish the AMD encoding worked properly... The only complaint I have.

Me too I still can't play Doom on my Link.

[JimmyJames26]

Originally posted by NSG PhilBro:

Originally posted by JimmyJames26:

I just wish the AMD encoding worked properly... The only complaint I have.

Me too I still can't play Doom on my Link.

Same.