diff --git a/xrspatial/geotiff/_compression.py b/xrspatial/geotiff/_compression.py
index 007c78bd..40a39e7e 100644
--- a/xrspatial/geotiff/_compression.py
+++ b/xrspatial/geotiff/_compression.py
@@ -696,6 +696,15 @@ def _fp_predictor_encode_row(row_data, width, bps):
         row_data[i] = np.uint8((np.int32(row_data[i]) - np.int32(row_data[i - 1])) & 0xFF)
 
 
+@ngjit
+def _fp_predictor_encode_rows(data, width, height, bps):
+    """Dispatch per-row encode from Numba, avoiding Python loop overhead."""
+    row_len = width * bps
+    for row in range(height):
+        start = row * row_len
+        _fp_predictor_encode_row(data[start:start + row_len], width, bps)
+
+
 def fp_predictor_encode(data: np.ndarray, width: int, height: int,
                         bytes_per_sample: int) -> np.ndarray:
     """Apply floating-point predictor (predictor=3).
@@ -715,10 +724,7 @@ def fp_predictor_encode(data: np.ndarray, width: int, height: int,
         Encoded array.
     """
     buf = np.ascontiguousarray(data)
-    row_len = width * bytes_per_sample
-    for row in range(height):
-        start = row * row_len
-        _fp_predictor_encode_row(buf[start:start + row_len], width, bytes_per_sample)
+    _fp_predictor_encode_rows(buf, width, height, bytes_per_sample)
     return buf
 
 
diff --git a/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_predictor_fp_write_1313.py b/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_predictor_fp_write_1313.py
index d168a209..bcdf2872 100644
--- a/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_predictor_fp_write_1313.py
+++ b/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_predictor_fp_write_1313.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
 import struct
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -201,3 +202,72 @@ def test_predictor3_multiband_round_trip(tmp_path):
     else:
         out_arr = out.values
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(out_arr, arr)
+
+
+def test_predictor3_large_round_trip_value_exact(tmp_path):
+    """1024x1024 float32 deflate+predictor=3 round-trips with no value drift.
+
+    The encode path was refactored to dispatch the per-row kernel from
+    inside an ``@ngjit`` wrapper instead of from a Python ``for`` loop.
+    Guards against any silent corruption from the refactor by asserting
+    the output array is byte-for-byte identical to the input: dtype must
+    match, and a ``uint8`` view of the bytes must compare equal so the
+    check catches signed-zero drift, NaN payload changes, and any other
+    bit-level divergence that ``assert_array_equal`` would mask.
+    """
+    h, w = 1024, 1024
+    arr = _smooth_float((h, w), np.float32)
+    da = _da(arr)
+    path = tmp_path / 'pred3_large_round_trip_1313.tif'
+    to_geotiff(da, str(path), compression='deflate', predictor=3)
+
+    assert _read_predictor_tag(str(path)) == 3
+    out = open_geotiff(str(path))
+    out_arr = np.ascontiguousarray(out.values)
+    assert out_arr.dtype == arr.dtype, (
+        f"dtype drift: in={arr.dtype}, out={out_arr.dtype}"
+    )
+    assert out_arr.shape == arr.shape
+    assert out_arr.tobytes() == arr.tobytes(), (
+        "predictor=3 round-trip diverged at the bit level "
+        "(signed zero, NaN payload, or actual corruption)"
+    )
+
+
+def test_predictor3_encode_within_2x_of_predictor2(tmp_path):
+    """Loose regression check: predictor=3 encode is within 2x of predictor=2.
+
+    Before the ngjit row-loop refactor, predictor=3 was ~2.5x slower than
+    predictor=2 because the row loop was in Python.  Opt-in via
+    ``XRSPATIAL_RUN_PERF_TESTS=1`` -- shared CI runners, CPU throttling,
+    debug builds, and noisy filesystems all make absolute wall-clock
+    timings flaky, so the test stays off by default. Matches the
+    convention from ``test_streaming_write_parallel.py``.
+    """
+    if os.environ.get('XRSPATIAL_RUN_PERF_TESTS') != '1':
+        pytest.skip(
+            "set XRSPATIAL_RUN_PERF_TESTS=1 to run wall-clock perf tests")
+
+    import time
+
+    arr = _smooth_float((1024, 1024), np.float32)
+    da = _da(arr)
+    p2 = tmp_path / 'pred2_timing.tif'
+    p3 = tmp_path / 'pred3_timing.tif'
+
+    # Warm up numba
+    to_geotiff(da, str(p2), compression='deflate', predictor=2)
+    to_geotiff(da, str(p3), compression='deflate', predictor=3)
+
+    t0 = time.perf_counter()
+    to_geotiff(da, str(p2), compression='deflate', predictor=2)
+    t_p2 = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
+    t0 = time.perf_counter()
+    to_geotiff(da, str(p3), compression='deflate', predictor=3)
+    t_p3 = time.perf_counter() - t0
+
+    assert t_p3 < 2.0 * t_p2, (
+        f'predictor=3 ({t_p3*1000:.1f} ms) is more than 2x slower than '
+        f'predictor=2 ({t_p2*1000:.1f} ms); ngjit row loop may have regressed'
+    )