DaVinci Resolve 16 review

Our Verdict

This comprehensive post-production bundle has a steep learning curve but enables editing to a professional person standard. The free version has most features yous'll need, and the premium version is fairly priced.

For

Streamlined integration of editing with color, sound, and effects
Large range of features enable editing to a high standard
Free version includes most major features

Against

Steep learning curve

Tom's Guide Verdict

This comprehensive post-production bundle has a steep learning curve but enables editing to a professional standard. The complimentary version has most features you'll need, and the premium version is adequately priced.

Pros

+
Streamlined integration of editing with color, audio, and furnishings
+
Big range of features enable editing to a high standard
+
Complimentary version includes nearly major features

Cons

-
Steep learning curve

DaVinci Resolve 16 specs

Mac
OS: Os X 10.10.5 or newer
Retentivity: 16GB RAM
Graphics: 4GB VRAM

Windows
OS: Windows 8.ane or newer
Retentiveness: 16GB RAM
Graphics: 4GB VRAM

If y'all're serious most making video content, you demand the best video editing software on the market, and DaVinci Resolve sixteen from Blackmagic Design is an option worth considering.

Originally designed for color correction, DaVinci Resolve has developed into a comprehensive post-product package. The current fully bachelor version, reviewed here, is DaVinci Resolve 16. The next version, Resolve 17, is in open beta, and will see a full release at some indicate in the coming months.

DaVinci Resolve 16 has a number of new features, including aligning clips, automatic stabilization tools, and object removal. In our DaVinci Resolve sixteen review, we assess its interface, features, and pricing, and compare information technology to the contest.

DaVinci Resolve is an increasingly popular option for editors (Paradigm credit: Blackmagic Design)

DaVinci Resolve xvi review: Plans and pricing

One of the best things virtually DaVinci Resolve is that the standard version is completely gratis. Information technology can exist downloaded from Blackmagic's website and has most major features, including visual effects, color correction, and sound post-production.

There is a premium version bachelor, called DaVinci Studio 16. This has a number of additional features, including the neural engine, collaborative workflow, and HDR color grading. It also includes GPU dispatch, and then videos are rendered faster.

A one-off fee of $299 will allow you to download Studio xvi and access all future updates. If you're a professional editor, this will be more cost effective over time than the subscription fee model used by deject-based competitors.

DaVinci Resolve review — DaVinci Resolve is available with gratis and premium options (Image credit: Blackmagic Design)

DaVinci Resolve xvi review: Features

Resolve includes all-in-ane mail service-production, with nonlinear editing, colour correction, sound post, and visual effects streamlined into 1 awarding. Each of these functions has its own workspace and range of useful features, and so Resolve is finer 4 first-class mail service-production programs in i.

These interfaces all have new features in DaVinci Resolve 16. We'll wait at some of the key additions.

Rather than copying effects from clip to prune, you can now add aligning clips. When you employ furnishings such as color grading to an adjustment clip, the effects utilise to all clips beneath information technology on the timeline. They're like to Adobe Premiere Pro's adjustment layers simply can exist moved around the timeline like any other clips, which gives extra flexibility. A very useful addition, aligning clips speed upwardly the process as you can accommodate multiple clips simultaneously and enable not-destructive editing—every bit you don't have to touch on the main edit underneath when working with them you can hands backtrack on your piece of work.

The edit page now has automatic stabilization tools built into every prune. You can apply these to whatsoever prune in your timeline without having to gear up up complicated tracking points, as you had to in previous versions of the software. Though results aren't ever perfect, this is an effective and efficient feature that can improve the quality of shots affected by camera wobble.

We've all left a photographic camera purse in a shot at some point, merely the colour page's new object removal tool is designed to fix such errors. You draw a mask around the object yous want removed, then Resolve analyzes the video and replaces the object with a suitable background. While this doesn't requite a perfect result all the time—detailed backgrounds or shots with lots of motility cause problems—information technology's surprisingly powerful in a lot of cases.

DaVinci Resolve sixteen review: Interface and in use

Resolve can be daunting at start, not least considering it features unlike workspaces for colour, audio, and effects, then there'due south a lot packed into i program. If you don't need all the functions, which a lot of projects won't, it can seem too complex. However, after some employ, you tin get the hang of switching betwixt the workspaces.

The primary editing interface is similar in layout to other applications on the market, but introduced in Resolve 16 is an alternate edit interface named the Cut Page. This is designed for speed and is ideal for professional person editors working to a fast turn-around.

The Cutting Page includes a dual timeline; the upper timeline is focused on the entire edit, while the lower timeline focuses on where yous're working. Clips are no longer collected in bins but appear as one collected "record." Both these features may sound cumbersome only really speed up navigation of your projection.

DaVinci Resolve 16 review: Support

Resolve's transmission is more than iii,500 pages, so it may exist difficult to locate the solution to your problem. Thankfully, Blackmagic's support is very efficient. You lot can email the engineers and get a fast and helpful response, or phone them if there's a squad in your country.

At that place's as well a customer back up forum with a growing base of operations of users. Then if you accept a problem, it'due south worth checking if anyone has brought it up before or asking the forum.

DaVinci Resolve xvi review: The competition

Other free video editing applications you may consider include Hitfilm Express, VSDC, and Apple tree's iMovie. These all have simpler interfaces and are easy to learn, and enable a good standard of video editing. Hitfilm Express in particular has a very practiced nonlinear editing interface that enables videos to be edited to a professional standard, as well every bit a number of effects and 2nd and 3D limerick tools.

However, these competitors lack Resolve'south more state-of-the-fine art features and all-in-i nature, with few options for advanced color, audio, and effects work. In fact, DaVinci Resolve is so comprehensive that information technology'southward a competitor for even high-finish expensive software like Adobe Premiere Pro, and is used by Hollywood flick and TV productions, which no other costless software tin claim.

DaVinci Resolve 16 review: Final verdict

DaVinci Resolve enables you to achieve a professional standard of nonlinear editing, colour correction, audio post, and visual effects. When it comes to gratuitous video editing software, information technology'southward the well-nigh comprehensive option available.

If you're a confident editor and desire to create professional person-looking video content, it's a very good choice. However, it is very complex and so has a steep learning curve. Less experienced editors put off by this may want to await at other options, such as Hitfilm Limited, which isn't as comprehensive merely still enables a high standard of editing.

The gratis version includes all y'all demand to edit high-quality video, and the premium version's extra features go far worth the price for professionals, especially teams working collaboratively on a projection.

Read our guide to the all-time video editing software.

Kieron Moore is a freelance author based in Manchester, England. He contributes to Time to come sites including TechRadar and Creative Bloq, focusing on subjects including creative software, video editing, and streaming services. This work draws on his experience as an independent filmmaker and an independent Tv watcher. He can be plant on Twitter at @KieronMoore, usually when he'due south meant to be writing.