Question about quality when converting from mkv to avi

[CasualObserver]

I have two different files of the same video.

File 1 Video
Codec: XVID
Bitrate: ~1400 kb/s
FPS: 23.98
Resolution: 624x352
Size: 550mb

File 2 Video
Codec: x264
Bitrate: ~3300 kb/s
FPS: 23.98
Resolution: 1280x720
Size: 1100mb

File 2 also has much better audio (high bitrate AC3) than file 1 (medium bitrate MP3).

I do not store files on DVD, I only store them on CD.
I don't doubt that most people will find that odd, but I have my reasons.

If I recompress file 2 (audio to medium bitrate MP3, video to XVID bitrate ~2100 kb/s),
I estimate this will create a file size around 700mb.

My question is:
Is it likely that this new 700mb file will have better video quality than file 1?
My guess is yes, but I am hoping that someone with expertise in this area will confirm it.

Thanks in advance.

[poisondeathray]

It is impossible to say with out seeing the video . The numbers alone mean nothing.

e.g. you could encode a 3300kb/s noisy vhs source video, but the quality would be crap.

Assuming file 1 is an xvid rip from a DVD source, and file 2 is a x264 rip from blu-ray source, both clean encodes, then it should look better @ 2100kb/s compared to the file 1 with only 1400kb/s

But your math is off. Assuming both videos are the same, ie. ~55min, the video at 2100kb/s will be about 825MB video only, then you have to add in the audio

Filesize = bitrate x running time

The correct question would be would it look better resized and encoded @ 1400kb/s like the 1st one, and the answer is probably look the same, or very slightly better. If you used the bluray source it should definitely look better.

[CasualObserver]

Thank you for your help.