diff --git a/aom/aom_encoder.h b/aom/aom_encoder.h
index a8142d9..e992334 100644
--- a/aom/aom_encoder.h
+++ b/aom/aom_encoder.h
@@ -699,8 +699,6 @@
 #define AOM_DL_REALTIME (1)
 /*!\brief deadline parameter analogous to  AVx GOOD QUALITY mode. */
 #define AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY (1000000)
-/*!\brief deadline parameter analogous to AVx BEST QUALITY mode. */
-#define AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY (0)
 /*!\brief Encode a frame
  *
  * Encodes a video frame at the given "presentation time." The presentation
@@ -714,8 +712,7 @@
  * best possible frame by specifying a deadline of '0'. This deadline
  * supercedes the AVx notion of "best quality, good quality, realtime".
  * Applications that wish to map these former settings to the new deadline
- * based system can use the symbols #AOM_DL_REALTIME, #AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY,
- * and #AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY.
+ * based system can use the symbols #AOM_DL_REALTIME and #AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY.
  *
  * When the last frame has been passed to the encoder, this function should
  * continue to be called, with the img parameter set to NULL. This will
diff --git a/aomenc.c b/aomenc.c
index f30ca61..9362202 100644
--- a/aomenc.c
+++ b/aomenc.c
@@ -155,8 +155,6 @@
     ARG_DEF(NULL, "skip", 1, "Skip the first n input frames");
 static const arg_def_t deadline =
     ARG_DEF("d", "deadline", 1, "Deadline per frame (usec)");
-static const arg_def_t best_dl =
-    ARG_DEF(NULL, "best", 0, "Use Best Quality Deadline");
 static const arg_def_t good_dl =
     ARG_DEF(NULL, "good", 0, "Use Good Quality Deadline");
 static const arg_def_t rt_dl =
@@ -220,7 +218,6 @@
                                         &limit,
                                         &skip,
                                         &deadline,
-                                        &best_dl,
                                         &good_dl,
                                         &rt_dl,
                                         &quietarg,
@@ -936,8 +933,6 @@
       global->usage = arg_parse_uint(&arg);
     else if (arg_match(&arg, &deadline, argi))
       global->deadline = arg_parse_uint(&arg);
-    else if (arg_match(&arg, &best_dl, argi))
-      global->deadline = AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY;
     else if (arg_match(&arg, &good_dl, argi))
       global->deadline = AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY;
     else if (arg_match(&arg, &rt_dl, argi))
diff --git a/av1/av1_cx_iface.c b/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
index d1cb67f..b109faf 100644
--- a/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
+++ b/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
@@ -912,18 +912,17 @@
 
 static void pick_quickcompress_mode(aom_codec_alg_priv_t *ctx,
                                     unsigned long deadline) {
-  MODE new_mode = BEST;
+  MODE new_mode = GOOD;
 
   switch (ctx->cfg.g_pass) {
     case AOM_RC_ONE_PASS:
       switch (deadline) {
-        case AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY: new_mode = BEST; break;
         case AOM_DL_REALTIME: new_mode = REALTIME; break;
         default: new_mode = GOOD; break;
       }
       break;
     case AOM_RC_FIRST_PASS: break;
-    case AOM_RC_LAST_PASS: new_mode = deadline > 0 ? GOOD : BEST; break;
+    case AOM_RC_LAST_PASS: new_mode = GOOD;
   }
 
   if (ctx->oxcf.mode != new_mode) {
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder.h b/av1/encoder/encoder.h
index 1c11e08..f21263a 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder.h
@@ -101,11 +101,6 @@
   // time it takes to encode the output. Speed setting controls how fast.
   GOOD,
 
-  // The encoder places priority on the quality of the output over encoding
-  // speed. The output is compressed at the highest possible quality. This
-  // option takes the longest amount of time to encode. Speed setting ignored.
-  BEST,
-
   // Realtime/Live Encoding. This mode is optimized for realtime encoding (for
   // example, capturing a television signal or feed from a live camera). Speed
   // setting controls how fast.
diff --git a/av1/encoder/rd.c b/av1/encoder/rd.c
index d6561fc..fff0176 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/rd.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/rd.c
@@ -890,8 +890,7 @@
   SPEED_FEATURES *const sf = &cpi->sf;
 
   // Set baseline threshold values.
-  for (i = 0; i < MAX_MODES; ++i)
-    rd->thresh_mult[i] = cpi->oxcf.mode == BEST ? -500 : 0;
+  for (i = 0; i < MAX_MODES; ++i) rd->thresh_mult[i] = cpi->oxcf.mode == 0;
 
   if (sf->adaptive_rd_thresh) {
     rd->thresh_mult[THR_NEARESTMV] = 300;
@@ -1160,20 +1159,34 @@
 }
 
 void av1_set_rd_speed_thresholds_sub8x8(AV1_COMP *cpi) {
-  static const int thresh_mult[2][MAX_REFS] = {
+  static const int thresh_mult[MAX_REFS] = {
 #if CONFIG_EXT_REFS
-    { 2500, 2500, 2500, 2500, 2500, 2500, 4500, 4500, 4500, 4500, 4500, 4500,
-      4500, 4500, 2500 },
-    { 2000, 2000, 2000, 2000, 2000, 2000, 4000, 4000, 4000, 4000, 4000, 4000,
-      4000, 4000, 2000 }
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    2500
 #else
-    { 2500, 2500, 2500, 4500, 4500, 2500 },
-    { 2000, 2000, 2000, 4000, 4000, 2000 }
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    2500,
+    4500,
+    4500,
+    2500
 #endif  // CONFIG_EXT_REFS
   };
   RD_OPT *const rd = &cpi->rd;
-  const int idx = cpi->oxcf.mode == BEST;
-  memcpy(rd->thresh_mult_sub8x8, thresh_mult[idx], sizeof(thresh_mult[idx]));
+  memcpy(rd->thresh_mult_sub8x8, thresh_mult, sizeof(thresh_mult));
 }
 
 void av1_update_rd_thresh_fact(const AV1_COMMON *const cm,
diff --git a/av1/encoder/rdopt.c b/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
index 9157e5c..f938deb 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/rdopt.c
@@ -6090,20 +6090,18 @@
            * and new motion search. */
           if (new_best_rd < label_mv_thresh) break;
 
-          if (cpi->oxcf.mode != BEST) {
 #if CONFIG_EXT_INTER
-            bsi->mvp.as_int = bsi->ref_mv[0]->as_int;
+          bsi->mvp.as_int = bsi->ref_mv[0]->as_int;
 #else
 // use previous block's result as next block's MV predictor.
 #if !CONFIG_REF_MV
-            if (index > 0) {
-              bsi->mvp.as_int = mi->bmi[index - 1].as_mv[0].as_int;
-              if (index == 2)
-                bsi->mvp.as_int = mi->bmi[index - 2].as_mv[0].as_int;
-            }
+          if (index > 0) {
+            bsi->mvp.as_int = mi->bmi[index - 1].as_mv[0].as_int;
+            if (index == 2)
+              bsi->mvp.as_int = mi->bmi[index - 2].as_mv[0].as_int;
+          }
 #endif  // !CONFIG_REF_MV
 #endif  // CONFIG_EXT_INTER
-          }
           max_mv = (index == 0) ? (int)x->max_mv_context[mbmi->ref_frame[0]]
                                 : AOMMAX(abs(bsi->mvp.as_mv.row),
                                          abs(bsi->mvp.as_mv.col)) >>
diff --git a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
index a44a733..92de8cf 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@
 
 #include "aom_dsp/aom_dsp_common.h"
 
-// Mesh search patters for various speed settings
-static MESH_PATTERN best_quality_mesh_pattern[MAX_MESH_STEP] = {
-  { 64, 4 }, { 28, 2 }, { 15, 1 }, { 7, 1 }
-};
-
 #define MAX_MESH_SPEED 5  // Max speed setting for mesh motion method
 static MESH_PATTERN
     good_quality_mesh_patterns[MAX_MESH_SPEED + 1][MAX_MESH_STEP] = {
@@ -587,31 +582,19 @@
   cpi->diamond_search_sad = av1_diamond_search_sad;
 
   sf->allow_exhaustive_searches = 1;
-  if (oxcf->mode == BEST) {
-    if (cpi->twopass.fr_content_type == FC_GRAPHICS_ANIMATION)
-      sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 20);
-    else
-      sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 21);
-    sf->max_exaustive_pct = 100;
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_MESH_STEP; ++i) {
-      sf->mesh_patterns[i].range = best_quality_mesh_pattern[i].range;
-      sf->mesh_patterns[i].interval = best_quality_mesh_pattern[i].interval;
-    }
-  } else {
-    int speed = (oxcf->speed > MAX_MESH_SPEED) ? MAX_MESH_SPEED : oxcf->speed;
-    if (cpi->twopass.fr_content_type == FC_GRAPHICS_ANIMATION)
-      sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 22);
-    else
-      sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 23);
-    sf->max_exaustive_pct = good_quality_max_mesh_pct[speed];
-    if (speed > 0)
-      sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh << 1;
+  int speed = (oxcf->speed > MAX_MESH_SPEED) ? MAX_MESH_SPEED : oxcf->speed;
+  if (cpi->twopass.fr_content_type == FC_GRAPHICS_ANIMATION)
+    sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 22);
+  else
+    sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = (1 << 23);
+  sf->max_exaustive_pct = good_quality_max_mesh_pct[speed];
+  if (speed > 0)
+    sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh = sf->exhaustive_searches_thresh << 1;
 
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_MESH_STEP; ++i) {
-      sf->mesh_patterns[i].range = good_quality_mesh_patterns[speed][i].range;
-      sf->mesh_patterns[i].interval =
-          good_quality_mesh_patterns[speed][i].interval;
-    }
+  for (i = 0; i < MAX_MESH_STEP; ++i) {
+    sf->mesh_patterns[i].range = good_quality_mesh_patterns[speed][i].range;
+    sf->mesh_patterns[i].interval =
+        good_quality_mesh_patterns[speed][i].interval;
   }
 
 #if !CONFIG_XIPHRC
diff --git a/examples/twopass_encoder.c b/examples/twopass_encoder.c
index 161b0ed..7e97d13 100644
--- a/examples/twopass_encoder.c
+++ b/examples/twopass_encoder.c
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@
 // Encoding A Frame
 // ----------------
 // Encoding a frame in two pass mode is identical to the simple encoder
-// example. To increase the quality while sacrificing encoding speed,
-// AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY can be used in place of AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY.
+// example.
 //
 // Processing Statistics Packets
 // -----------------------------
diff --git a/test/encode_test_driver.cc b/test/encode_test_driver.cc
index 626ca52..a28aaed 100644
--- a/test/encode_test_driver.cc
+++ b/test/encode_test_driver.cc
@@ -110,13 +110,10 @@
     case kOnePassGood:
     case kTwoPassGood: deadline_ = AOM_DL_GOOD_QUALITY; break;
 
-    case kOnePassBest:
-    case kTwoPassBest: deadline_ = AOM_DL_BEST_QUALITY; break;
-
     default: ASSERT_TRUE(false) << "Unexpected mode " << mode;
   }
 
-  if (mode == kTwoPassGood || mode == kTwoPassBest)
+  if (mode == kTwoPassGood)
     passes_ = 2;
   else
     passes_ = 1;
diff --git a/test/encode_test_driver.h b/test/encode_test_driver.h
index 5de949d..dd07b94 100644
--- a/test/encode_test_driver.h
+++ b/test/encode_test_driver.h
@@ -27,24 +27,15 @@
 class CodecFactory;
 class VideoSource;
 
-enum TestMode {
-  kRealTime,
-  kOnePassGood,
-  kOnePassBest,
-  kTwoPassGood,
-  kTwoPassBest
-};
-#define ALL_TEST_MODES                                                        \
-  ::testing::Values(::libaom_test::kRealTime, ::libaom_test::kOnePassGood,    \
-                    ::libaom_test::kOnePassBest, ::libaom_test::kTwoPassGood, \
-                    ::libaom_test::kTwoPassBest)
-
-#define ONE_PASS_TEST_MODES                                                \
+enum TestMode { kRealTime, kOnePassGood, kTwoPassGood };
+#define ALL_TEST_MODES                                                     \
   ::testing::Values(::libaom_test::kRealTime, ::libaom_test::kOnePassGood, \
-                    ::libaom_test::kOnePassBest)
+                    ::libaom_test::kTwoPassGood)
 
-#define TWO_PASS_TEST_MODES \
-  ::testing::Values(::libaom_test::kTwoPassGood, ::libaom_test::kTwoPassBest)
+#define ONE_PASS_TEST_MODES \
+  ::testing::Values(::libaom_test::kRealTime, ::libaom_test::kOnePassGood)
+
+#define TWO_PASS_TEST_MODES ::testing::Values(::libaom_test::kTwoPassGood)
 
 // Provides an object to handle the libaom get_cx_data() iteration pattern
 class CxDataIterator {