How to optimise your workstation for DaVinci Resolve 18

With the DaVinci Resolve video editing programme, you are able to edit online and offline editing, video and audio post-production as well as visual effects in the same application. DaVinci Resolve is free of charge and a very good alternative to AVID, Final Cut or Premiere. The software is regularly updated to provide users with the latest technologies and features.

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The right processor for DaVinci Resolve 18

The choice of CPU for DaVinci Resolve depends primarily on the balance of all components (RAM, graphics card and hard drives). A processor with 8 cores and 3.50 GHz delivers better results than a CPU with 6 cores and up to 4.00 GHz in Turbo Boost. We recommend the following performance workstation for DaVinci Resolve 18: We have a Lenovo Thinkpad P17 with the manufacturer's remaining warranty in our programme as a mobile version. We are able to offer both RENEW and REFRESH (at least two new components) and excellent REFURBISHED business workstations. More information about our high-end refurbishment programme. Ask for a non-binding offer. From a net order value of 2,000 euros, we are happy to offer commercial customers a leasing model.

Choosing the right processor determines performance and multitasking capability

Professional video editing quickly leads to high multitasking requirements. If your business workstation has enough cores, background processes can easily be outsourced to a free CPU core. If you mainly work with 2K film material, we recommend a high-frequency 6-core Xeon processor or alternatively an Intel i7 with up to 4.00 GHz in Turbo Boost. If you are using 4K, 6K and 8K video material, we recommend a high-frequency Intel Xeon with 10 cores and up to 4.50 GHz in Turbo Boost, e.g. Intel Xeon W-2155. An alternative is a business workstation with a dual processor system with 2 x 8-, 10-, 14- or 18-core Xeon processors with at least 3.5 GHz in Turbo Boost. Intel Xeon processors are powerful, optimised for continuous operation in workstations and servers and impress with their reliability, durability and energy efficiency. The high number of cores and the large L3 cache as well as the scalability in multi-CPU systems with dual CPU sockets enable exceptional multitasking. Ideal conditions for DaVinci Resolve. Further details about Intel Xeon processors can be found in our Wiki. The higher the MHz frequency, the better DaVinci Resolve will work. An Intel i9 with 10 cores and 4.5 GHz in Turbo Boost, e.g. an Intel i9 10900x, is suitable as an alternative. AMD processors have become a real alternative. Unfortunately, very few business workstations are equipped with AMD processors. With the Thinkstation P620, Lenovo currently has a business workstation with an AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3955WX with 16 cores, 32 threads and up to 4.3 GHz at the start. The best models for DaVinici can currently be found at the following link.

How much memory does DaVinci Resolve 18 need?

The size of your RAM depends primarily on the resolution of the video to be edited and the complexity of your editing sequence. Pay attention to the maximum clock rate (MHz) of your RAM modules. The higher the clock rate, the higher the data rate and the performance of your RAM. We recommend 32 GB RAM with error correction code for 2K video material, 64 GB for 4K film material, 128 GB for 6K material and 256 GB RAM if you are editing 8K video material.

Which GPU is suitable for DaVinci Resolve 18?

DaVinci Resolve offloads the intensive image processing to the GPU and uses YRGB 32-bit floating point processing for exceptional colour accuracy. Ideally, you should use one GPU for your user interface and a second graphics card for image processing with DaVinci Resolve. If you are planning to purchase a mobile workstation, make sure it has a Thunderbolt 3 port so that you have the option of running an external graphics card

Which graphics cards are suitable for 6K and 8K video material in DaVinci Resolve?

We recommend an NVIDIA Quado P4000, an NVIDIA Geforce RTX4000 or a Geforce RTX3060 as a basic graphics card. The NVIDIA Quadro P4000 with 8GB and 1792 CudaCores is recommended by Blackmagic, among others, for more complex Resolve setups and the processing of 3D and 4K video material works optimally. As a high-end graphics card for 6K and 8K video material, you can use the NVIDIA Quadro RTX A4000 with 16 GB VRAM or an NVIDIA Quadro RTX A5000 with 24 GB VRAM without hesitation. DaVinci Resolve offers excellent GPU acceleration support and benefits from powerful graphics cards.

What are the advantages of using two graphics cards in DaVinci Resolve?

If you use DaVinci Resolve in the Studio Edition, you can achieve a performance gain of approx. 50 % by using two identical graphics cards. As DaVinci Resolve has problems scaling multiple graphics cards, a single NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3090Ti achieves better results than two high-performance graphics cards from the Quadro RTX series. Some functions, such as the Fusion tab, can only be used effectively by one graphics card. As high-end graphics cards, we recommend the NVIDIA Geforce RTX3090Ti and RTX 4090 series if available at fair conditions (as of 01.06.2023), alternatively an Nvidia Quadro RTX A5000 with 24 GB VRAM. AMD offers you a few cost-effective alternatives in direct comparison, e.g. the Radeon Pro W6600 with 8 GB VRAM as an entry-level graphics card for 4K editing. Some of our customers edit with 8K media or use DaVinci to remove image noise. A large VRAM is recommended for this workflow. To use a Radeon Pro W6800 with 32 GB DDR6 VRAM and 3,840 streaming processors in your workstation, you need 1x PCIe 6-pin and 1xPCIe 8-pin adapter for the power connection.

How important is the size of the VRAM memory?

When choosing the right graphics card for your projects, the VRAM (graphics card memory) plays a decisive role. Depending on the length and complexity of your timeline or the resolution of your video material, you will need a GPU with a larger graphics card memory. We recommend using 8GB VRAM for 4K video material and 24GB graphics card memory for 6K and 8K material.

How do I update the graphics card driver for DaVinci Resolve?

Update the graphics card driver at regular intervals. An overview of the NVIDIA drivers can be found here [external link]. Updates and support for AMD graphics cards are available at the following link [external link].

Which hard drive configuration for DaVinci Resolve 18?

For optimum hard drive performance, we recommend the following configuration:

SSD Samsung 980 Pro, from 512 GB for the operating system and software, depending on the size of your programmes
NVMe Flash Storage Drive, HP Z Turbo Drive or a Samsung 980 Pro M.2 SSD for your active project-related data
External hard drives with Thunderbolt connection are ideal as fast data storage for your project data. When purchasing, please ensure that the installed hard drive supports the full data transfer rate.

Are there special keyboards for DaVinci Resolve?

The use of a Logic Keyboard with colour-coded keys makes it easier to control DaVinci Resolve. A DaVinci Resolve Editor keyboard with integrated search controller is available as an option. With this keyboard you are able to edit much faster than with a mouse.