mpv vs VLC: Making mpv Comfortable to Use

VLC or mpv? That's the question

Both are excellent open-source, cross-platform media players and serve as core components for many other apps. Because they often come bundled as dependencies, especially in Linux, it’s not always obvious which one to pick. Plus, debates about which is better happen a lot.

VLC vs mpv: The Basics

VLC is popular for a reason: it has a full GUI out of the box, supports tons of formats, and can stream YouTube videos, handle DVDs, and almost anything else without fuss.

However, VLC can struggle with modern codecs like HEVC/H.265 — even with codecs installed, playback might lag, fail to decode, or overload your CPU. This problem is worse with Flatpak or Snap versions, where codec support can be limited.

mpv, on the other hand, handled all my HEVC videos flawlessly from the start. It’s lightweight, highly customizable, and perfect for Linux users who like to tweak configs or use CLI tools. By default, mpv has no GUI distractions, but you can add frontends like Celluloid or smplayer if you want.

So I chose using mpv, but it needs some configuring to be comfortable for daily use.

Making mpv Comfortable

To make mpv a daily driver, I customized it via config files:

~/.config/mpv/mpv.conf

hwdec=auto              # Enable hardware decoding if available to reduce CPU load  
keep-open=yes           # Keep window open after playback finishes  
loop-file=inf           # Loop current file indefinitely  

cursor-autohide=3000    # Hide mouse cursor after 3 seconds idle  
osd-duration=3000       # Show on-screen messages for 3 seconds  

~/.config/mpv/script-opts/osc.conf

visibility=auto         # Show control panel (OSC) on mouse movement, then auto-hide  
hidetimeout=2000        # Hide control panel after 2 seconds idle  
fadeduration=500        # Fade-out animation lasts 0.5 seconds  

You can download these configs with the full file hierarchy preserved from my GitHub repo.

Final Thoughts

If you want hassle-free playback with maximum control, mpv is the way to go. It has a steeper learning curve than VLC, but a few config tweaks can make it super comfortable and tailored to your workflow.

If you deal with HEVC videos or want a lightweight player, mpv beats VLC hands down.

Try my configs and adjust them to your taste—you might be surprised how slick mpv can be.

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