Choosing your go-to video editing system is not to be taken lightly. You need to understand what each software package brings to the table. You also need to know your own needs, both for today and in the future.

Two of the most popular video editing packages out there are DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro X. Both programs offer a large variety of tools, effects, and workflows that can be tailored to any type of editor.

Just as important, both programs have third-party plugins to expand the software’s capabilities. Active online communities also provide support to users of either program.

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So, how do you choose the video editing software for you? Consider these aspects:

Technicals

The technical details of a video editing program may not have much to do with editing, but they are still very important. You want to know that your chosen video editing software is trustworthy, reliable, and cost-efficient. Be sure to consider these things before making a purchase.

DaVinci Resolve is a complete video editing package that costs $200 but also has a fully free version. The free software doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the paid version, but it could be perfect for the novice editor or someone who needs quick work done.

The software was developed in 2004 and was bought by Blackmagic in 2009. Its latest update came in 2021 and the software can be used on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Final Cut Pro has long been a popular choice for all types of video editors. The software offers a user-friendly interface and tons of effects, filters, tools, and settings. FCPX has a free trial that features everything the paid version has to offer. The full software cost is $300.

The software was developed in 1998 by Macromedia before being purchased by Apple. In 2011, Final Cut Pro X debuted and updates have been made ever since. The latest update was in 2021 and the software is only available on Mac.

Video Editing

Editing footage is at the core of every good video editing software. A clean interface and powerful tools can make all the difference in the workflow of a project.

DaVinci Resolve offers creators a wide array of editing features. The edit page provides a clean workspace that includes preview, assets, timeline, and other common editing essentials. The Cut Page offers a streamlined editing interface for quick or basic edit sessions.

For those who want simplicity, DaVinci delivers. The AI system can match colors, sort videos, and retime clips on its own. Auto color quickly color corrects any clip. Facial recognition AI can spot faces and select them for specific edits you may want to apply.

Final Cut Pro has long been known for its incredible editing tools, and new ones are added with every update. Multicam editing allows for up to 64 different angles to be handled at once. Duplicate detection automatically catches duplicate video clips.

Synchronization tools allow creators to match video with audio seamlessly. Motion allows you to create amazing 2D and 3D graphics and titles. The compressor provides every option you could ever need to export your work for specific platforms and devices.

Color Correction

One of the most important aspects of any video editing software is its color correction capabilities. No matter how good of a camera you own, you’ll need a few color correction tools to make your videos look exceptional.

DaVinci Resolve provides professional-grade color correction features. Basic users may only need brightness, hue, and saturation tools, but pros will appreciate the wide variety of tools and effects. Creators can clean up film grain, low light, overly bright video, lens dust, and more. For added style, you can add lens flares, film grain, and other stylistic visuals.

Final Cut Pro has its fair share of expert-level color correction tools. Creators can make keyframes and LUTs to better handle their color correction. Color wheels and hue/saturation tools make it easy to zone in on specific colors for specific areas of a shot. Best of all for novices, the auto color grading tool lets the AI handle it all with ease. All features are available in the Final Cut Pro trial period, too.

Audio Mixing

Audio and music can make or break a video. With high-quality audio, you can entertain, get your message across, and impress your audience.

DaVinci Resolve is equipped with many audio features. Multi-function equalizers, plugins, and automation tools make this program a great option for those who need good audio for their project. Tools are available that clean up poor audio as well as add ambient noise to mimic certain locations. Noise reduction tools also make it simple to sharpen important audio and downplay background sound.

Final Cut Pro is more simplified than DaVinci, but this can greatly benefit the novice video editor. FCPX also has a unique feature called “audio roles”. This feature lets you assign a role to your audio, such as background, ambient, dialog, music, or other roles. This can be invaluable for editing specific types of audio within a project.

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Video Rendering

Rendering a video can be stressful on both a computer and a video editor. Software that can handle the workload will make the whole process easier.

DaVinci Resolve allows you to “add to render queue” while you work. The system can work on rendering clips while you continue to edit. This makes it simple to move right along to your next task.

Final Cut Pro has a ton of rendering power. It can handle up to 18 streams of 8K video or 56 streams of 4K footage. Real-time rendering makes for a seamless flow of video during the editing process. It integrates with M1 Max and M1 Ultra in Mac Studio for incredible performance.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Davinci Resolve.

DaVinci Resolve vs. Final Cut Pro

For top-quality video editing and motion graphics, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro are both excellent options. Whichever software you choose, be sure to consider your specific editing goals as mentioned in our content.

Improve Your Rendering Performance

Regardless of your chosen video editing software, a powerful physical computer is needed to render quickly.

If your computer doesn’t render footage quickly, Vagon is your best choice. With Vagon, you can utilize the power of cloud computing to render your videos.

The system allows you to use a wide range of offsite computer systems to render your videos. These computers are built for high-res rendering and can tackle the biggest projects.