Review Summary
DaVinci Resolve is the best free professional video editing software — Hollywood-grade color grading, Fusion VFX, Fairlight audio, and a cut editor all in one suite.
About This Product
2004
Melbourne, Australia
Grant Petty (CEO of Blackmagic Design), Peter Chamberlain
Detailed Review
DaVinci Resolve has a complex history: it began as DaVinci — a professional color grading system created by da Vinci Systems in 1984 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2009, Blackmagic Design of Australia acquired da Vinci Systems. Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic, then made the boldest decision in post-production history: in 2012, he released DaVinci Resolve completely free with a feature set sufficient for professional production work.
That decision completely transformed the market. Premiere Pro and Final Cut rapidly lost ground in the colorist and high-end editor segments. Hollywood colorists who previously used expensive DaVinci hardware systems (costing $500,000+) could now train everyone on the free version. Fusion (visual effects, acquired from eyeon Software in 2014) and Fairlight (a DAW, acquired in 2016) were integrated into the suite.
DaVinci's Color Science isn't just "nice-looking filters" — it's a professional color management system with color space transforms, HDR grading, and an ACES pipeline that major film studios and streaming platforms like Netflix require. DaVinci Wide Gamut color space and DaVinci Intermediate gamma create a consistent workflow from camera to distribution.
Current Developments (2025–2026)
DaVinci Resolve 20 with AI Magic Mask enables automatic subject tracking and isolation in video — eliminating manual rotoscoping. IntelliTrack upgrades tracking accuracy especially with motion blur and occlusion. DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor and Editor Keyboard hardware accessories are expanding the ecosystem. Blackmagic Cloud enables true remote collaboration for editors working on the same project.
Strengths
- The color grading page is Hollywood's gold standard — completely free
- Fusion integrates professional VFX directly inside Resolve — no need for a separate After Effects license
- Fairlight audio is powerful enough for music mixing — no need for Pro Tools or Logic for video post-production
- DaVinci Neural Engine accelerates AI tasks like magic mask and super scale using Mac and NVIDIA GPUs
Areas for Improvement
- Steeper learning curve than Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro — takes several weeks to get comfortable with the coloring workflow
- Requires a powerful machine, especially a good GPU to preview 4K and handle heavy Fusion nodes without stuttering
- Multi-editor collaboration workflow is more complex than Premiere Pro/Avid, requires setting up a dedicated server
Verdict
DaVinci Resolve is an excellent choice for anyone needing a powerful tool in the PC Software category. Founded in 2004 by Grant Petty (CEO of Blackmagic Design), Peter Chamberlain, this product has undergone years of development and continuous improvement. With a rating of 9.7/10, it ranks among the best in its segment. We encourage you to try the free version before deciding to upgrade.
