How to optimise your workstation for DaVinci Resolve 20

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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DaVinci Resolve 20: The optimal processors for every business requirement – from compact to complex

DaVinci Resolve 20 is one of the most powerful tools for video editing, colour grading and post-production. Choosing the right processor is essential – especially for professional users who need to complete projects efficiently and reliably. Below you will find our optimised processor recommendations for small, medium and complex projects – each with a focus on Intel Core and Intel Xeon in a business environment.

1. Small DaVinci projects – Full HD, simple cuts, light effects

Requirements: Good single-core performance, high efficiency, cost-effective operation.

Intel Core i7-14700K

20 cores (8P + 12E), high clock speeds, excellent price-performance ratio for smaller workflows.

Ideal for freelancers, agencies with low rendering requirements or training institutions.
Intel Xeon W-2245

12 cores / 24 threads, ECC RAM support, stable continuous operation for workstations.

Suitable for IT-secure corporate environments with a focus on data integrity.

2. Medium DaVinci projects – 4K, multi-layer timelines, colour corrections

Requirements: Good multi-core performance, stable performance with simultaneous tasks.

Intel Core i9-14900K

24 cores (8P + 16E), very high single and multi-core performance, ideal for 4K workflows.

Recommended for post-production teams, agencies or smaller studios with regular output.
Intel Xeon W-2295

18 cores / 36 threads, ECC RAM compatibility, workstation-oriented performance.

Ideal for small to medium-sized production companies with a focus on system stability and long-term operation.

3. Complex DaVinci projects – 8K, VFX, Fusion, collaboration workflows

Requirements: Maximum multi-core performance, high RAM capacity, long-term scalability.

Intel Core i9-Ultra

Enthusiast version with higher clock speed, excellent performance in GPU-accelerated processes.

Suitable for high-end projects, individual workstations in large creative productions.
Intel Xeon w9-3495X

56 cores / 112 threads, extreme multi-core power, support for ECC RAM up to 4 TB.

Professional choice for high-end studio environments, shared storage workflows and large render farms.

Our conclusion:

For small to medium-sized DaVinci projects, Intel Core processors impress with their high clock speed and excellent price-performance ratio. For complex projects with the highest demands on stability, RAM expansion and security, Intel Xeon processors offer long-term investment security and system robustness.

Uli Ludwig's recommendation:

Core = performance-oriented, cost-efficient
Xeon = stability-oriented, fail-safe, ECC RAM-capable

More power for your business: The optimal RAM setups for DaVinci Resolve 20 – from entry-level to high-end

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.

Recommendation for the optimal GPU choice for DaVinci Resolve 20

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].

Faster. More secure. Scalable. Hard drive solutions for DaVinci Resolve 20 – perfect for your business projects

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.