Performance - Ultra HD Video Playback

Accelerating & Enhancing Video

CPU with integrated GPU based platforms are a lot about additional features and performance on top of regular processing. So another key feature is of course the embedded GPU with video processor. The combo of the video processor and some additional shader processors inside that chipset allows for high-definition 1080P content playback, acceleration, and though limited... enhancement of overall picture quality. For those that use other content like the immensely popular MKV / x.264 and 265 container formats, please download Media Player Classic Home Cinema. 

Now, we will skip traditional DXVA content playback as we'd be measuring a graphics card or embedded GPU really. We do run some non DXVA content in Ultra HD quality. We have some extra shaders enabled like Complex Image Sharpening v2. Perfect playback. 
 

Above, the 4K Ultra HD resolution Dark Knight Rises trailer, this is a MP4 H.264 file and you can see that the CPU load is at roughly 30% with multiple cores showing utilization. Unlike many recent CPUs and APUs we recently tested, Ultra HD video-playback did not result in stuttering, and that is a good thing. Here as well we have additional shaders enabled like image sharpening and darkened black levels. These shaders however run over the GPU.

In any normal condition you will be decoding on the GPU, but hey, this is a CPU test and we simply wonder if this CPU can take Ultra HD content @ x.264. The Core i7 6950X is plenty fast for this job, as expected of course. But it did surprise me to see how much horsepower is actually needed.