An apparatus is capable of achieving high-throughput entropy decoding, and includes an arithmetic decoding processing circuitry and a variable-length decoder (VLD). The arithmetic decoding processing circuitry receives a video bitstream through a bitstream input, applies arithmetic decoding to at least a portion of the video bitstream to derive one or more arithmetic-decoded binary strings containing no arithmetic encoded binary string, and stores the arithmetic-decoded binary strings in the storage device. The variable-length decoder is coupled to the arithmetic decoding processing circuitry, the storage device and a VLD output. The variable-length decoder receives at least a portion of arithmetic-decoded bitstream when arithmetic-decoded bitstreams stored in the storage device are complete for a selected image unit, decodes at least a portion of arithmetic-decoded bitstream into one or more decoded syntax elements, and provides the decoded syntax elements through the VLD output.