Embedded Codec (EBC) circuitry for image block coding based on pixel-domain pre-processing operations on image block is provided. The EBC circuitry includes memory that stores a first image block and encoder circuitry that computes a first sum of absolute differences (SAD) from a first prediction block of row-wise residual values and a second SAD from a second prediction block of column-wise residual values in pixel-domain. The encoder circuitry selects a residual prediction type from a set of residual prediction types as an optimal residual prediction type and a set of quantization parameters as optimal quantization parameters for each of a first encoding mode and a second encoding mode. The encoder circuitry generates a set of bit-streams of encoded first image block in the first encoding mode and the second encoding mode, respectively, based on the selected residual prediction type and the selected set of quantization parameters.