8K HEVC (H.265) video decoding uses CPU instead of iGPU - Intel Core Ultra 5 135U W11 Education

[FrancisDu]

Hello,

I’m experiencing a repeatable issue with 8K video playback on multiple new systems that all use the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U processor with integrated graphics.

System details

• Laptop model: Dell Latitude 5450, 8 GB DDR5

• OS: Windows 11 Education, fully updated

• Updates: Windows updates are applied through our organization’s controlled/filtered update system, and all Intel drivers (including graphics) are updated manually via Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

• Anti-virus: Windows Defender only

Problem description

• Any 8K HEVC (H.265) video lags badly in VLC (which is our preferred media player installed on all workstations) and Windows Media Player.

• Video shows gray artifacts while audio remains fine.

• In Google Drive playback in Chrome, the same video streams smoothly (server-side decoding).

• UHD (4K) and lower-resolution videos play perfectly.

Observations

• Task Manager shows CPU spikes to 100% while the integrated GPU video decode engine stays at 0% when playing 8K content.

• For UHD/4K content, GPU video decode is used correctly and CPU usage stays low.

• Same behavior confirmed on several identical Dell Latitude 5450 systems, so it’s not a single hardware fault.

Troubleshooting performed

• Tested different media players (VLC, Windows Media Player).

• Updated BIOS, Intel drivers, and confirmed Windows updates through our managed update process.

• Verified the files are HEVC (H.265) and the CPU is advertised to support this codec.

• Issue reproduces across all identical laptops.

It looks like the integrated GPU is not engaging for hardware decoding at 8K HEVC, forcing software decode on the CPU and causing stuttering.

I’ve attached the requested IDSA zip file.

Please advise if this is a known limitation or bug, or if there’s a workaround/driver update planned.

(Note: this post was drafted with the help of AI to assist with English translation.)

Francis D.

[JezreelZ_Intel]

Hi FrancisDu,

Thank you for reaching out to the Intel Community Forum. To assist us in investigating the issue, please provide the following details:

Have you tried using the OEM driver for testing?

Can you confirm if this issue occurs with all 8K HEVC videos, or are there specific files that exhibit this behavior?

Have you tried using any other media players besides VLC and Windows Media Player to see if the issue persists?

Have you used Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to completely remove all residual drivers and installed a new one?

Have you tried adjusting the graphics settings?

Could you provide a screenshot or video of the issue that you are having specially the gray artifacts?

Which gaming platform did you use to download the game?

Additionally, to gain a comprehensive understanding of your system, please use the System Support Utility (SSU). This tool will generate a text file compiling all your system information. You can follow the instructions at this link and send the text file here. Help Guide for the Intel® System Support Utility.

If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you.

Best regards,

Jezreel Z.

Intel Customer Support Technician