Editing 8K RAW on a standard laptop used to be a slideshow. Resolve 18 solves this elegantly with the new app.
Blackmagic Cloud allows multiple users—editors, colorists, sound designers, and VFX artists—to work on the exact same project simultaneously from anywhere in the world. Here is how it works:
For a free user? You get a free Cloud account with 5GB of storage. For indie teams, this is a seismic shift.
Blackmagic Design offers two versions of the software: the completely free and the paid DaVinci Resolve Studio 18 . davinci resolve 18
Version 18 introduced a revolutionary remote workflow. By hosting project libraries on the Blackmagic Cloud, multiple users across the globe—editors, colorists, VFX artists, and sound designers—can work on the exact same timeline simultaneously. Timeline locking prevents users from overwriting each other's work, while an integrated chat system keeps teams aligned. The DaVinci Neural Engine
Unlike many competitors who offer limited "trials," the free version of DaVinci Resolve 18 includes more features than many fully paid editing systems. It handles unlimited video tracks, advanced color grading, full audio mixing, and high-quality exports.
If you’re upgrading from an earlier version: . It’s strongly recommended that you back up your existing (disk-based and PostgreSQL-based) project libraries before performing an upgrade. Editing 8K RAW on a standard laptop used to be a slideshow
The Ultimate Guide to DaVinci Resolve 18: Hollywood’s Favorite Editor
: Requires a powerful computer (minimum 16GB RAM, though 32GB is recommended for 4K) and a dedicated GPU to run smoothly. Interface Limitations
Instead of exporting XML files to jump from an editor to a colorist, you simply click on a different tab at the bottom of your screen. 2. Cloud-Based Remote Collaboration Here is how it works: For a free user
Solid State Drives (SSDs) or NVMe drives are mandatory for high-bitrate video playback. Avoid traditional mechanical hard drives (HDDs) except for long-term project archiving. Final Thoughts: A Complete Professional Suite
The free DaVinci Resolve 18 limits project mastering and output to Ultra HD resolutions or lower. It only supports a single processing GPU on Windows and Linux (2 GPUs on the latest Mac Pro). To access multiple GPU support, 4K output, motion blur effects, temporal and spatial noise reduction, HDR tools, camera tracker, and remote rendering, you’ll need DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.
A flexible audio routing system that replaces traditional fixed buses with multi-purpose tracks, making it effortless to manage complex mixes.