The use of data URIs for images can be beneficial. However, something to keep in mind is that conversion to a data URI, results in a 1/3 increase in size over the original binary content when content is base 64 encoded. So, while you're avoiding the overhead of an additional request, you're also increasing the payload of that one request. YMMV depending on the content that you're delivering, so you should still test carefully to understand the results instead of just blindly converting binary content to data URIs.