DaVinci Resolve System Requirements for MacOS and Windows

DaVinci Resolve is reliant on solid GPU performance; however, what other aspects do you need to consider when running DaVinci Resolve? Here we take a deep dive into the essential DaVinci Resolve system requirements for PC, Mac and Linux. 

DaVinci Resolve is an insanely good piece of video editing software and free of charge. Let’s see what requirements you need to run DaVinci resolve efficiently. 

Davinci Resolve 18 System Requirements

Here we delve into the Davinci Resolve 18 System Requirements for Windows, Mac and Linux. Each system has different system requirements, so scroll down to the one for you!

DaVinci Resolve system requirements for Windows

Here are the system requirements to run DaVinci Resolve 18 on Windows smoothly: 

• 16GB of system memory; use 32GB minimum if you’re going to use Fusion.
• Update Windows 10 minimum and set the Creators update. 
• 10.4.1 or later for your Blackmagic Design Desktop. 
• Discrete or integrated GPU of at least 2GB of VRAM.
• GPU that supports CUDA 11 or OpenCL – and a GPU driver version that will support the GPU, either an AMD, Intel or NVIDIA.
• NVIDIA driver at a minimum of the version level of 451.82. Click here to find out what version of the NVIDIA driver you have.

*Here’s a great link on CUDA 11 to explain in more detail.

Further Reading: How to Remove Background Noise in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve system requirements for Mac 

Now we are onto the Mac. Let’s have a look at the DaVinci Resolve requirements for Mac. Here we go:

• Ensure you have the latest version of Mojave, macOS 10.14.6 or higher. 
• 16GB of system memory; use 32GB minimum if you’re going to use Fusion.
• Discrete or integrated GPU of at least 2GB of VRAM.
• 10.4.1 or later for your Blackmagic Design Desktop. 
• Ensure your GPU supports OpenCL 1.2 or Metal.

Since August 2021, DaVinci Resolves latest update means a seismic improvement in the rendering capabilities of the program on Mac. Macs with an M1 chip, DaVinci Resolve will work three times faster than previous.

DaVinci Resolve system requirements for Linux

Here we delve into the minimum system requirements of DaVinci Resolve for Linux. Let’s take a look below: 

• Needs to be running on at least CentOS 7.3. 
• Will need to have a minimum of 32GB system memory to run smoothly and efficiently. 
• Version 10.4.1 or later of Blackmagic Design Desktop Video.
• GPU that supports CUDA 11 or OpenCL – and a GPU driver version that will support the GPU, either an AMD or NVIDIA. A minimum of NVIDIA driver version 450.51.06 is recommended. 
• 2GB of VRAM minimum for discrete GPU.

DaVinci Resolve 18 Reference Manual

We managed to get an official copy of the DaVinci Resolve 18 Reference Manual which you will be able to access below.

The DaVinci Resolve 18 reference manual offers detailed operational information on how to use DaVinci Resolve for editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics, audio post production and finishing.

Here is the table of contents inside the reference manual:

• DaVinci Resolve Interface
• Setup and Workflows
• Ingest and Organize Media
• The Cut Page
• Edit
• Editing Effects and Transitions
• Import and Conform Projects
• Fusion Fundamentals
• Fusion Page Effects
• Color
• Color Page Effects
• Resolve FX Overview
• Fairlight
• Deliver
• Advanced Workflows
• Project Libraries, Collaborative, and Remote Workflows
• Menu Descriptions
• Regulatory Notices
• Safety Information
• Warranty

Here is the DaVinci Resolve 18 Reference Manual [PDF]

It’s a pretty large PDF file, so it may take a moment to download.

DaVinci Resolve 18 Supported Codecs Manual

We were also able to get a copy of the PDF for the DaVinci Resolve 18 Supported Codecs.

This reference list provides you with a quick and easy way to identify the formats and codecs supported by DaVinci Resolve 18.

It is broken up in 3 sections:

• MacOS
  • Video
  • Video – Miscellaneous
  • Still and Sequence Formats
  • Audio
• Windows 10
  • Video
  • Video – Miscellaneous
  • Still and Sequence Formats
  • Audio
• CentOS 7.3 (CUDA)
  • Video
  • Video – Miscellaneous
  • Still and Sequence Formats
  • Audio

Here is the DaVinci Resolve 18 Supported Codecs Manual [PDF]

It’s a pretty large PDF file, so be it will take a few moments to download.

What is a GPU?

A GPU is known fully as a graphic processing unit. It’s essentially a card that is used to accelerate the graphics and rendering of video in DaVinci Resolve.

Ideally, you need to have these implemented to ensure you’re running DaVinci Resolve at it’s optimum, a slick editing workflow is what you need to have to ensure you’re efficiently managing your editing duties. A fast GPU will accelerate this.

What is a CPU?

A CPU stands for a central processing unit. A CPU is a chip attached to the motherboard that receives information from the other parts of your and processes it. 

The CPU needs to be quick for DaVinci Resolve to process multiple pieces of information at one time. The quicker the processing, the smoother the actions within DaVinci. It’s imperative that you have a strong and quick central processing unit to ensure that you are able to edit with speed and efficiency.

We hope this article on DaVinci Resolve System Requirements was useful to you! Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments; we love to hear from you!

Happy editing!