Nvidia’s 50 Series GPUs Unlock 4:2:2 Workflows in DaVinci Resolve 20
Tech manufacturer Nvidia and video editing software DaVinci Resolve 20 partner to amplify pro video workflows with hardware acceleration and 4:2:2 color support.
As 4:2:2 chroma subsampling techniques ramp up in popularity for consumer cameras, computer software, and hardware must keep up. DaVinci Resolve 20, touted as “the world’s only solution that combines editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics, and audio post-production all in one,” has just jumped to the head of the line adding hardware support accelerated 4:2:2 encoding and decoding for Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 Series and RTX Pro Blackwell GPUs to its latest beta version.
As PetaPixel previously reported, new GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs for desktop and laptop computers are blazing fast and excel at satisfying the growing demands of artificial intelligence (AI). These latest Nvidia graphics cards are built on Nvidia Blackwell architecture, the cutting edge technology utilizing technological breakthroughs including accelerated data science, RAS engine diagnostics, and the supercharged fifth generation Blackwell Ultra Tensor Cores.
That DaVinci Resolve and Nvidia have partnered to optimize their latest hardware and software to work in tandem is excellent news for creators. With this beta update, users can now import footage into DaVinci Resolve and export finished products in 4:2:2 color.
As Nvidia explains, “Most consumer cameras are confined to 4:2:0 color compression, which reduces the amount of color information. 4:2:0 is typically sufficient for video playback on browsers, but it can’t provide the color depth needed for advanced video editors to color grade videos. The 4:2:2 format provides double the color information with just a 1.3x increase in RAW file size — offering an ideal balance for video editing workflows.”
However, working with 4:2:2 video is taxing on a computer, bogging it down. This is where the update optimizing the latest GPU hardware and editing software to work together is key.
“Decoding 4:2:2 video can be challenging due to the increased file sizes. GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs include 4:2:2 hardware support that can decode up to eight times the 4K 60 frames per second (fps) video sources per decoder, enabling smooth multi-camera video editing,” Nvidia says.
“These multi-encoder and decoder setups, paired with faster GPUs, enable the GeForce RTX 5090 to export video 60% faster than the GeForce RTX 4090 and at 4x speed compared with the GeForce RTX 3090.”
Harnessing the power of GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs also allows DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 beta to boost overall performance and accelerate AI features. The latest beta version offers 100 new professional-grade features for video from AI tools to special effects.
Running DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 beta with a GeForce RTX 50 Series or RTX Pro GPU using the newly optimized April Nvidia Studio driver will improve the speed and performance of heavy-load workflows such as AI video tasks.
Nvidia promises, “Take UltraNR Noise Reduction, an AI-driven noise reduction mode that intelligently targets and reduces digital noise in video footage to maintain image clarity while minimizing softening, especially in images with motion. UltraNR Noise Reduction runs up to 75% faster on the GeForce RTX 5090 GPU than the previous generation.”
The DaVinci Resolve 20 beta app takes complete advantage of the additional hardware 4:2:2 decoders Nvidia implemented in its GeForce RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs, plus RTX Pro 6000, 5000, 4500, and 4000 Blackwell GPUs. Nvidia says that creators can import five 8Kp30, nine 4Kp60, or 20 4Kp30 streams at once using the RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs. When using the RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell GPU, performance is even greater, with creators able to import 10 8Kp30 or 40 4Kp30 streams simultaneously.
The beta update will also improve AI-powered features such as Magic Mask, which “enables users to quickly and accurately select and track objects, people, or features within a scene.” This simplified process of creating masks and effects is amplified with Magic Mask V2, which adds a paintbrush, making mask selections even more accurate and fast.
The DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 beta update also includes several AI effects and RTX accelerated AI features from AI IntelliScript to auto-generate timelines to AI Animated Subtitle and AI Multicam Smartswitch to intelligently select camera angles by detecting speakers.
This powerful update will be available at no charge for existing DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 users and can be downloaded from the Blackmagic design support page.
Image credits: Nvidia, Blackmagic Design
