Davinci resolve 15 system requirements

Note:- To get the best experience while gaming we suggest you to go with Recommended Davinci resolve 15 system requirements.

Also read: Apex legend, Forza Horizon 3 System Requirements, and Hitman 2 system requirements

DaVinci Resolve is a software application for color correction and non-linear video editing (NLE) which can be used on macOS, Linux as well as Windows. The software was initially developed by da  Vinci systems but is currently being developed by Blackmagic Design after it was acquired by the company in 2009. 

Initially, da Vinci was introduced as a resolution-independent software. It introduced itself with three types of possible configurations which are digital intermediate configuration tool, visual effects tool, and a 2K resolution processing tool. All these tools were then integrated exclusively for a dedicated hardware controller. The systems are made to leverage parallel processing in InfiniBand topology to support the performance during the color processing and grading.

In 2009, Blackmagic Design which is an Australian video processing and distribution technology company bought the designs for da Vinci systems and started to retain and expand the team for its DaVinci Resolve software system. Since Resolve is only a software-only option, Blackmagic Design has also released various hardware control panels which are specifically designed to integrate with Blackmagic’s Resolve software and provide the users with a tactical interface as well as access to additional shortcuts.

These panels are the DaVinci Resolve micro panel, the DaVinci Resolve mini panel, and the DaVinci resolve advanced panel. In addition to all the full control panels, Blackmagic designs also introduced an editor keyboard for Resolve in 2016. The editor keyboard was designed to include a standard computer keyboard along with specially made components to control the DaVinci Resolve software.

DaVinci has been used to colour grade and editing in major films such as Avatar, Deadpool 2, Jason Bourne, La La Land, Pirates of Caribbean, Spectre, X-Men: Apocalypse, Jedi, Kingsman: The golden circle, Love and Mercy, the best of enemies and many more. It has also been used for the development and restoration of various classic films such as Les Misérables, Spartacus, Black like me, The perfect women, and Jamaica inn.

Software like DaVinci Resolve can be very demanding and extensive on the computer. While Blackmagic provides a Hardware Selection and Configuration Guide for DaVinci Resolve 15, it still lacks specific information regarding different hardware options and system requirements. Several components are necessary to run software smoother and efficiently. This article will provide you with all the specifics on which kind of hardware is best for this software and what you can expect from various hardware options.

Initially, da Vinci was introduced as a resolution-independent software. It introduced itself with three types of possible configurations which are digital intermediate configuration tool, visual effects tool, and a 2K resolution processing tool. All these tools were then integrated exclusively for a dedicated hardware controller. The systems are made to leverage parallel processing in InfiniBand topology to support the performance during the color processing and grading.

In 2009, Blackmagic Design which is an Australian video processing and distribution technology company bought the designs for da Vinci systems and started to retain and expand the team for its DaVinci Resolve software system. Since Resolve is only a software-only option, Blackmagic Design has also released various hardware control panels which are specifically designed to integrate with Blackmagic’s Resolve software and provide the users with a tactical interface as well as access to additional shortcuts.

These panels are the DaVinci Resolve micro panel, the DaVinci Resolve mini panel, and the DaVinci resolve advanced panel. In addition to all the full control panels, Blackmagic designs also introduced an editor keyboard for Resolve in 2016. The editor keyboard was designed to include a standard computer keyboard along with specially made components to control the DaVinci Resolve software.

DaVinci has been used to colour grade and editing in major films such as Avatar, Deadpool 2, Jason Bourne, La La Land, Pirates of Caribbean, Spectre, X-Men: Apocalypse, Jedi, Kingsman: The golden circle, Love and Mercy, the best of enemies and many more. It has also been used for the development and restoration of various classic films such as Les Misérables, Spartacus, Black like me, The perfect women, and Jamaica inn.

Software like DaVinci Resolve can be very demanding and extensive on the computer. While Blackmagic provides a Hardware Selection and Configuration Guide for DaVinci Resolve 15, it still lacks specific information regarding different hardware options and system requirements. Several components are necessary to run software smoother and efficiently. This article will provide you with all the specifics on which kind of hardware is best for this software and what you can expect from various hardware options.

Initially, da Vinci was introduced as a resolution-independent software. It introduced itself with three types of possible configurations which are digital intermediate configuration tool, visual effects tool, and a 2K resolution processing tool. All these tools were then integrated exclusively for a dedicated hardware controller. The systems are made to leverage parallel processing in InfiniBand topology to support the performance during the color processing and grading.

In 2009, Blackmagic Design which is an Australian video processing and distribution technology company bought the designs for da Vinci systems and started to retain and expand the team for its DaVinci Resolve software system. Since Resolve is only a software-only option, Blackmagic Design has also released various hardware control panels which are specifically designed to integrate with Blackmagic’s Resolve software and provide the users with a tactical interface as well as access to additional shortcuts.

These panels are the DaVinci Resolve micro panel, the DaVinci Resolve mini panel, and the DaVinci resolve advanced panel. In addition to all the full control panels, Blackmagic designs also introduced an editor keyboard for Resolve in 2016. The editor keyboard was designed to include a standard computer keyboard along with specially made components to control the DaVinci Resolve software.

DaVinci has been used to colour grade and editing in major films such as Avatar, Deadpool 2, Jason Bourne, La La Land, Pirates of Caribbean, Spectre, X-Men: Apocalypse, Jedi, Kingsman: The golden circle, Love and Mercy, the best of enemies and many more. It has also been used for the development and restoration of various classic films such as Les Misérables, Spartacus, Black like me, The perfect women, and Jamaica inn.

Software like DaVinci Resolve can be very demanding and extensive on the computer. While Blackmagic provides a Hardware Selection and Configuration Guide for DaVinci Resolve 15, it still lacks specific information regarding different hardware options and system requirements. Several components are necessary to run software smoother and efficiently. This article will provide you with all the specifics on which kind of hardware is best for this software and what you can expect from various hardware options.

Initially, da Vinci was introduced as a resolution-independent software. It introduced itself with three types of possible configurations which are digital intermediate configuration tool, visual effects tool, and a 2K resolution processing tool. All these tools were then integrated exclusively for a dedicated hardware controller. The systems are made to leverage parallel processing in InfiniBand topology to support the performance during the color processing and grading.

In 2009, Blackmagic Design which is an Australian video processing and distribution technology company bought the designs for da Vinci systems and started to retain and expand the team for its DaVinci Resolve software system. Since Resolve is only a software-only option, Blackmagic Design has also released various hardware control panels which are specifically designed to integrate with Blackmagic’s Resolve software and provide the users with a tactical interface as well as access to additional shortcuts.

These panels are the DaVinci Resolve micro panel, the DaVinci Resolve mini panel, and the DaVinci resolve advanced panel. In addition to all the full control panels, Blackmagic designs also introduced an editor keyboard for Resolve in 2016. The editor keyboard was designed to include a standard computer keyboard along with specially made components to control the DaVinci Resolve software.

DaVinci has been used to colour grade and editing in major films such as Avatar, Deadpool 2, Jason Bourne, La La Land, Pirates of Caribbean, Spectre, X-Men: Apocalypse, Jedi, Kingsman: The golden circle, Love and Mercy, the best of enemies and many more. It has also been used for the development and restoration of various classic films such as Les Misérables, Spartacus, Black like me, The perfect women, and Jamaica inn.

Software like DaVinci Resolve can be very demanding and extensive on the computer. While Blackmagic provides a Hardware Selection and Configuration Guide for DaVinci Resolve 15, it still lacks specific information regarding different hardware options and system requirements. Several components are necessary to run software smoother and efficiently. This article will provide you with all the specifics on which kind of hardware is best for this software and what you can expect from various hardware options.

Initially, da Vinci was introduced as a resolution-independent software. It introduced itself with three types of possible configurations which are digital intermediate configuration tool, visual effects tool, and a 2K resolution processing tool. All these tools were then integrated exclusively for a dedicated hardware controller. The systems are made to leverage parallel processing in InfiniBand topology to support the performance during the color processing and grading.

In 2009, Blackmagic Design which is an Australian video processing and distribution technology company bought the designs for da Vinci systems and started to retain and expand the team for its DaVinci Resolve software system. Since Resolve is only a software-only option, Blackmagic Design has also released various hardware control panels which are specifically designed to integrate with Blackmagic’s Resolve software and provide the users with a tactical interface as well as access to additional shortcuts.

These panels are the DaVinci Resolve micro panel, the DaVinci Resolve mini panel, and the DaVinci resolve advanced panel. In addition to all the full control panels, Blackmagic designs also introduced an editor keyboard for Resolve in 2016. The editor keyboard was designed to include a standard computer keyboard along with specially made components to control the DaVinci Resolve software.

DaVinci has been used to colour grade and editing in major films such as Avatar, Deadpool 2, Jason Bourne, La La Land, Pirates of Caribbean, Spectre, X-Men: Apocalypse, Jedi, Kingsman: The golden circle, Love and Mercy, the best of enemies and many more. It has also been used for the development and restoration of various classic films such as Les Misérables, Spartacus, Black like me, The perfect women, and Jamaica inn.

Software like DaVinci Resolve can be very demanding and extensive on the computer. While Blackmagic provides a Hardware Selection and Configuration Guide for DaVinci Resolve 15, it still lacks specific information regarding different hardware options and system requirements. Several components are necessary to run software smoother and efficiently. This article will provide you with all the specifics on which kind of hardware is best for this software and what you can expect from various hardware options.

Minimum requirements for the DaVinci Resolve

The listed minimum requirements are the absolute essentials that are needed by this software to be able to run smoothly on your system. The software program DaVinci is pretty intense on your computer and uses a lot of processing power. Make sure to meet the minimum requirement otherwise the system will not work. To run Resolve 15, following are the minimum requirements:

1. CPU with an intel core i7 processor which is the same recommendation as OS C 10.10.5 or higher in Mac,  Windows 8.1 or newer and for Linux: CentOS 6.6
2. RAM minimum requirement is 16GB or preferably more than that which will depend on your budget. Note that video space takes up more of your RAM and that is why you need so much Random Access Memory when you are working with video editing, grading, and coloring.
3. GPU has a minimum of 4GB. The GPU is responsible for most of the performance of the resolve software. GPU carries the image pretty well and therefore there is a chance you can bypass the minimum requirements of Resolve if you have a huge amount of memory in your system.
4. Video memory takes up a large amount of space in the hard drive of your system and therefore DaVinci Resolve needs a minimum of 512 GB SSD storage space. The recommended specs on Mac are the same.
5. Data rates should be as close as the file type in your system as possible. If the processing power is faster than the speed of your PC sending data to storage then the result will always be a smooth finish to your editing.

Recommended Requirements for DaVinci Resolve 15

The processor- CPU

DaVinci Resolve is a software that has more reliance on GPU when it comes to performance, especially when using the noise reduction tool, but CPU is still a very important component for the system. The CPU is the overall controller of the computer and is responsible for the control of any kind of software like Resolve on your computer. CPU choice will depend on the GPU that you are using particularly about this software. If you have a single GPU, then a CPU like intel i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7 will just work fine.

If you want even better performance and your budget is giving you more to spend then you can go for Intel i9 12 or 14 core, or an AMD Ryzen 9. If you have more than one GPU and want to get the most out of your investment then the recommended CPU will be Intel i9 10980XE 18 Core or the AMD TR 3970X.

These CPU processors will help you run Davinci resolve even better. To avoid confusion, a general rule of thumb is followed which is to have a minimum of 4 cores and the more core you can add, the better performance you will receive. It all depends on your budget. Keep in mind that a lot of the performance of Resolve depends on the GPU than your processor so make that your priority. The best minimum performance you will get from 4 cores and the top performance will be achieved at 18 cores processor.

 The video card- GPU

The more, the better in the case of GPU for Resolve. As discussed before, the GPU is the most vital component in running the DaVinci resolve software. This is because the software heavily leverages the video card in your computer system to improve playback performance and rendering performance. In simple words, go for the best graphic cards in your budget. The best graphic card (GPU) for Resolve will currently be NVIDIA RTX 2080 Ti, which is followed closely by RTX 2080. 

Depending on the budget, if you need to invest the major amount on GPU then go for AMD Radeon Vega, which is worth every penny for its price and if you are on a low budget then you can opt for GTX1660 Super. They all promise a solid performance based on their price. If you want to further increase the performance then you can add multiple GPUs.

There is a noticeable performance gain of up to 75% when a second GPU is added to the system and even a further performance enhancement of 50% when a third GPU was added. But when it comes to adding four GPU’s, there is little to no performance enhancement unless relatively low-end graphic cards are being used. The best minimum performance will be achieved at 1080p: 4GB VRAM or 4K: 8GM VRAM and the top performance will be achieved at 6K-8K: 20GB VRAM.

The memory- RAM

The more RAM your system has, the more multiple processors your system will be able to handle effectively. As a rule of thumb, keep in mind that a 16GM of RAM is good enough for an HD video editing but if you want to step up your game then a 32GB of RAM is best for 4K editing. If you need to edit more than 4K that means into 6K to 8K then 64GB of RAM is recommended. 

The exact amount of RAM will also depend on the resolution, complexity, and length of your project. In simple terms, the exact amount of RAM will depend on the task in hand. The minimum performance requirement for RAM in Resolve is HD: 16GB OR 4K: 32GB and the top performance can be availed at 6K-8K: 64GB.

The storage- Hard drive

Most video editors tend to overlook storage as an important aspect of video editing workstations. While the CPU and hard drive do all the processing but if the storage isn’t able to keep up then there is no benefit of how fast the system works. When it comes to storage, the more resources you can take off one drive, the better it becomes for the system. Keeping this in mind, a multiple hard drive setup will be best for software like Resolve to work efficiently. 

Configuring and setting up storage for your system can get complicated because of the overwhelming variety of hard drives that are available nowadays and also choosing the best among them to have it configured for maximum performance for DaVinci Resolve is a hefty task. There are three main types of storage drives that can be used for video editing workstations which are SSD, NVMe, and the traditional platter device. 

Among the three of these, the traditional platter device is the slowest but the most affordable one. SSDs are several times more expensive than traditional platter devices. These devices are perfectly made to do a wide range of tasks such as storing media, holding OS and application, storing projects you are working on as a cache drive, and much more. 

On the other hand, the third option NVMe drive is at least 30% more expensive than the SSDs drive and they come in two varieties which are M.2 and U.2. NVMe drives are up to five times faster than SSDs drives and therefore worth the cost. When it comes to the configuration you can use one drive for the operating system and program files and second one for media files and projects and a separate drive for catche and scratch files. This way it will improve the performance of DaVinci Resolve.

Audio Device- Sound Card

Audio is sometimes not the primary concern of the video editors and colorists. But depending on what you are doing, it can be a critical part of your workstation. A wide variety of auto options are available to choose from, such as onboard audio which is in-built in the motherboard, a USB DAC, or a discrete PCI-E sound card. It is a concern for many Resolve users if onboard audio is good enough for the software or not. 

Well, the quality of onboard audio functions has improved drastically over the years but still, there are discrepancies because the audio chip is attached to the PCB as the rest of the motherboard which sometimes creates signal noise and can deplete audio quality. USB DAC’S is currently the top recommendation by any editing or grading workstation using Resolve software. 

The quality is excellent and there are a lot of options to choose from for your input and output needs. While sound cards provide excellent quality at a lower cost, they can hamper and cause issues with Resolve. So, make sure to avoid that.

How to install DaVinci 15?

When you are downloading DaVinci resolve on Linux then remember that Davinci only supports CentOS. It requires some tweaks here and there for it to work properly on other Linux distributions. There are various ugly hacks on the internet to get the application to work on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Pop!_OS. To avoid these hacks, make sure you make it easier to install the software in Debian based Linux systems.

If you are downloading this video editing software in your Windows 10 PC then follow through the steps mentioned below:

• Go to the Blackmagic design website. 
• Click on the “products” on the main menu of the website.. 
• Scroll down till you come to “DaVinci Resolve 15 Studio” (There has been an update to DaVinci Resolve 16 now)
• Click on the “Learn more” button below the name of the software.
• There will be an option to download. Click on downloads. 
• Options will be provided. Then choose the operating system that is installed on your computer. Choose between Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux.
• Register and download the software.
• A window will open. Here you will find a tab “install”. Click on ‘install’. 
• Click ‘next’ 
• The terms and conditions regarding the software will be presented. Go through the terms and conditions then click on “next” after accepting the terms and conditions.
• Choose the installation path for the software which you can also leave on default and then click next.
• Finally, click on install. The software will take a few minutes for installation.
• Click on the finish tab when the installation process is complete. 
• Now Davinci Resolve 15 has been successfully downloaded on your computer system.
• Make sure you meet the mentioned minimum system requirements for DaVinci Resolve 15 otherwise, the software will not get downloaded, or even if it does get downloaded it will not work.
• Resolve 15 gives you an option to install SQL database items, Resolve 15, Blackmagic control surface app, and even Fairlight hardware accelerator app. 

It is recommended to never run two versions of Davinci resolve side by side or you will need to uninstall and then install it back to simply troubleshoot the whole software. Your focus should be on testing the functions of your shiny new software and discover its various features and workflows. Make sure you go through the Resolve 15 guide to discover new ideas that might seem useful for your area of work.

The system requirements for installing Davinci is available on the Blackmagic Design website. It is there at the bottom of the “read me” option. You must make sure that all the minimum requirements for downloading the software are ready in your system and your computer is fully capable of handling DaVinci Resolve 15.

Basic specifications are based on different operating systems. The following is a list for macOS and Windows

Minimum system requirements for macOS:

• The system update should be macOS 10.12.6 Sierra.
• The memory requirement is 16 GB of system memory and it is 32 GB  of minimum memory when you are using the Fusion version of the software.
• Desktop version for Blackmagic: Blackmagic Design Desktop Video version 10.4.1 or later
• CUDA Driver version 8.0.63
• Based on the requirements by the GPU: GPU based NVIDIA Driver version
• The driver and firmware can be: RED Rocket-X Driver 2.1.34.0 and Firmware 1.4.22.18 or later
• Another recommendation: RED Rocket Driver 2.1.23.0 and Firmware 1.1.18.0 or later

Minimum system requirements for Windows:

• The system should be on Windows 10 Creators Update
• The same as that on Mac, a 16 GB of system memory is recommended when using the basic version and a 32 GB is recommended minimum when using the Fusion version
• Blackmagic Design Desktop Video version 10.4.1 or later
• Based on the requirements by the GPU: NVIDIA/AMD/Intel GPU Driver version
• The driver and firmware can be: RED Rocket-X Driver 2.1.34.0 and Firmware 1.4.22.18 or later
• Another recommendation: RED Rocket Driver 2.1.23.0 and Firmware 1.1.18.0 or later

Rounding up and Conclusion:

To conclude, on the minimum and recommended requirements for downloading your very own Davinci Resolve 15 software, the general rule will be to have higher specs as possible for the software to run smoothly and efficiently on your computer. If the footage you want to edit and perform color grading on along with other functions is a big file then only the highest-end gear will work. 

The exception on this part is only for the RAM as the software seems easy on the RAM function. For everything else about the hardware requirements for this particular software, the DaVinci Resolve 15, the more the better is the case. It is recommended to double up the disk drive and the memory as well to achieve optimum functioning that will save you time and give you excellent results. 

Storage bandwidth is also important for this software to work efficiently, so check the date rate requirements for the media that you are using or plan to use with Resolve and make sure that your storage is fast enough to deliver these data rates in time. Also, invest heavily in your GPU than any other hardware component when looking for optimal performance for Resolve to work. As long as you have a compatible GPU then investing in a $299 DaVinci Resolve 15 software will be worth the money. 

If you require a laptop to run Resolve, then you can expand the power of your GPU by plugging in an external eGPU over Thunderbolt 3. A desktop screen or monitor is not the best way to monitor color grading and it will not help Resolve to show its optimal efficiency, therefore when you are ready to invest more and step up your grading game then consider installing a separate video output interface. 

This video output interface can be a card or an external Thunderbolt interface or a calibrated reference monitor as well. Ultimately a more extensive system is a one-time investment that will save your time and money in the long run. But the ultimate decision should be made based on the purpose of installing the software and the budget of the user.