DaVinci Resolve Hardware Specifications

I'm not going to talk about Linux, not because I'm opposed to it, but because I haven't taken the time to configure a linux installation to run resolve (it can be done but requires extra work, plus some functionality isn't there in the free version due to licencing).

The general rule for hardware is that more is better, but you can never have enough power. If you are a professional, time is money so being able to work faster allows you to make more money over time, worth the hardware investment. If like me you are a hobbyist, the balance is more of a challenge.

These guys do a lot of comparisons and stats. But will end up trying to sell you a machine which has an eyewatering price:

• Hardware Recommendations for DaVinci Resolve

For editing on lower spec hardware, have a look at this video (it's for an older version of resolve, but replace optimised media with the new proxy media flow and it still stands true):

• THE 5-STEP SYSTEM for Smooth Playback on Any Laptop - DaVinci Resolve

This was announced shortly after DaVinci Resolve 17 beta came out. A version of resolve for the M1 chip.

• Secret Resolve version... this will blow your mind - DaVinci Resolve 17 for M1 chip. First testing.

They have done a series on M1 chip performance, playlist:

• https://youtu.be/TrlpuvHg_Ig

My experience with a MacBook Air (using the new M1 chip) had me impressed. For a laptop it's able to do a lot with resolve at a price point which impressed me. I haven't tried a MacMini (similar specs), but I'm very tempted to get one for video work. For the price, it's just damn impressive. The only problem is I hate the mac interface with a passion.

Taken from Amazon UK (RRP):

• £648.97 (£699.00) - 2020 Apple Mac mini with Apple M1 Chip (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)
• £1,099.97 (£1,249.00) - 2020 Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) - Silver
• £1,167.00 (£1,299.00) - 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Space Grey
• £1,349.00 (£1,499.00) - New Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) - Space Grey (Latest Model)

Inspired by hardware constraints and my work with cloud technologies…

• See: DaVinci Resolve in the cloud

https://www.reddit.com/r/blackmagicdesign/comments/ktzd6c/is_a_gtx_1650_ti_enough/

I upgraded my system by adding a new graphics card last year, it transformed my experience! From my reading, resolve seems to leverage some of the clever stuff in the RTX SUPER cards. Although the advantages of going higher in the RTX range aren't as significant as in gaming. As long as the card is RTX and SUPER, it's got the clever tech in it that resolve tries to leverage. So, getting a cheaper RTX 2060 SUPER with 8 gigs of ram should be fine for most things (it is in my experience). Note, my cheap 2060 SUPER card is a bit noisy with the fans. Also, measure the space in your case, these new cards are physically chunky.
For editing on lower spec hardware, have a look at this video (it's for an older version of resolve, but replace optimised media with the new proxy media flow and it still stands true): https://youtu.be/ZLFrKP9hyuU
For the Mac side, have a look at the YouTube channel for Learn Color Grading, they have done a series on M1 chip performance. https://youtu.be/TrlpuvHg_Ig
If you can buy a mac mini and use happily it for 3 years, I'd call that a win for hardware costs. I'm not an apple fan, I hate the UI, I don't like aspects of the ecosystem… But the new M1 seems to give a massive bang for buck on resolve. I'm strongly considering getting one.
I've been experimenting using EC2 instances from AWS, a virtual computer which costs £10 a day to run is an interesting alternative to a hardware investment if you don't use it very often. In my case I have an old laptop which I try to edit on when not at home… Do I buy a new one for £2,000 or more for the 10 days a year I'd be using it for video editing (which is obsolete in 3 - 5 years), or do I spend £100 a year on VMs.

https://www.reddit.com/r/blackmagicdesign/comments/je5p5q/struggling_with_your_gpu_memory_is_full_on_gtx/

I had a similar issue, I'd got a similar video card (with 3gb video ram) and 16gb ram in the machine.
You can try updating your drivers for video, or you can try changing from gaming to creator drivers. You might get some improvement.
I got that message often, doing just a little in fusion or using a fusion transition. Resolve is GPU intensiv, it's in its nature.
I ended up breaking out the wallet and buying the cheapest rtx 2060 super with 8GB video memory. It transformed my editing instantly! The whole experience was better, smoother and I was editing faster.
If you look at the statistics for performance in resolve, it appears the importance is that the card is “rtx” and “super”. There is something clever in the card that resolve really uses (apparently). The clock speed on the other cards further up the range gives an improvement… But the increments are fairly small compared to what you might expect.