DaVinci Resolve 17.3 is Now Up to 3x Faster on M1 Macs

The latest DaVinci Resolve 17.3 version is now available for download boasting a new, more efficient processing engine which enables faster 4K and 8K editing and grading on Apple Mac models with the M1 chip. The software also gets new Resolve FX controls, improvements in audio latency, and more.

In addition, there are new controls for Resolve FX including mosaic blur, keyer and glow, as well as improvements in audio latency and the Fairlight export dialog. Edits from subclips can now be match framed to original media, plus DaVinci Resolve 17.3 will now decode AVC Intra files using the media engine built into the Apple M1 chip. You can find all details of the new improvements and fixes below.

Image Credit: Blackmagic Design

What’s new in DaVinci Resolve 17.3

Apple Silicon Performance

• 2-3x performance improvements for image processing on Apple Silicon.

Fairlight

• Improved thru-latency and adjustable processing/input buffers.
• Improved export clips dialog with naming, metadata and format control.
• Edit selections in the timeline can now be nudged.
• In-Out ranges can be cleared and navigated to in the timeline.
• Timeline clips can be selected from the Fairlight edit index.
• Improved context-based defaults when adding new audio tracks.
• Improved Fairlight timeline ruler resolution.
• Gain curves show tooltip values when selected.
• Changing clip gain under an edit selection now adds bounded keyframes.
• Timeline clip names and gain curves can now be hidden.
• New timeline scroll options during playback – fixed, page and none.
• Buses can be reordered by dragging in the track index.
• Bus delay compensation can now be bypassed in the track index.
• Multiple selected tracks can now be deleted from context menu.
• New audio I/O preference options with support for separate I/O selections.
• Support for a wider range of Windows native audio devices.
• Support for multichannel I/O on Windows using Steinberg ASIO.
• Native Linux audio recording support using ALSA inputs.
• Improved mixdown support for LRC, 5.0 and 7.0 track formats.
• Improved edit, nudge and fade behavior for linked clips.
• Modify track and mixer parameters on all or selected tracks with modifiers.
• Pan, EQ and dynamics control dialogs accessible from Fairlight consoles.

Color

• User configurable default grid size for Color Warper.
• User configurable default zone preset for HDR color controls.
• Active playheads can be switched by clicking on the split screen viewer.
• New anamorphic aperture controls for Resolve FX Aperture Diffraction.
• New shapes and finer mosaic control for Resolve FX Mosaic Blur.
• New rotation controls for Resolve FX Keyer garbage mattes.
• New sat and gamma controls and faster performance for Resolve FX Glow.

Cut

• List views in the media pool can be sorted from column selection.
• New badge to easily identify still clips on the timeline.
• Improved sync bin to ignore still images placed on top in the timeline.

Edit

• Edits from subclips can now be match-framed to original media.
• Shape and iris transitions can be rotated from the inspector.
• Play around selection now works with transition selections.
• Newly added subtitles retain playhead position to allow text preview.
• Compound clip instances in the timeline can be renamed.
• Fusion compositions can be renamed from the inspector panel.
• Options to name and use full clip extents when creating a subclip.
• Timelines and clips in smart bins can be duplicated from context menu.
• Improved context menus with quick actions for tabbed timelines.
• Timeline viewer overlays are now retained during playback.
• Media pool marker lists can be expanded using cursor keys.
• New badge to easily identify still clips on the timeline.
• Improved offset tooltips and thumbnails for mouse drags in the timeline.

Fusion

• DRFX bundles can be double-clicked to install on Windows and Linux.
• Support for viewing node type by holding Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-E.

Codecs & Deliver

• Support for audio encoding in the encoder plugin SDK.
• Optimized H.265 encodes for speed on Apple Silicon systems.
• Hardware accelerated AVC Intra decodes for on Apple Silicon.
• Support for decoding and encoding JPEG-HT .JPH image sequences.
• Support for decoding 12-bit DPX formats.
• Support for decoding AV1 clips on Mac OS and Linux.
• Hardware accelerated AV1 decodes on NVIDIA graphics in Linux.
• Hardware accelerated H.265 10-bit encode on AMD graphics on Windows.
• Hardware accelerated H.264 4:4:4 8-bit encodes in NVIDIA on Windows.
• Improved H.264 and H.265 decode performance in Windows Intel systems.
• Support for decoding MKV clips with VP9 video codecs.
• Support for DFXP sidecar export options for DCP renders.
• Improved decode performance for MKV clips with AAC and AC3 audio.
• Support for encoding ISDCF compliant audio channels for DCP packages.
• Support for embedding MPEG2 bitstream captions in XDCAM clips.

General

• Improved startup speeds for disk databases with many projects.
• Support for simplified database creation and connection process.
• AAF imports now support translation of simple nested clips.
• Resolve FX Motion Blur for dedicated motion effects across pages.
• Resolve FX Frame Replace to reuse or blend adjacent frames on artefacts.
• Multiple keyboards and speed editors can now be connected and used.
• JKL playback with stop and go to last position now works correctly.
• Timelines can be located in media pool from smart bin context menu.
• Media, inspector and other panels can be scrolled by holding middle click.
• Scripting API support for Gallery, Gallery Album and GalleryStill objects.
• Scripting API support for adding video or audio-only clips to the timeline.
• Addressed PostgreSQL installation issues on some Windows systems.
• General performance and stability improvements.

You can download the latest DaVinci Resolve 17.3 free of charge here.

Additionally, Blackmagic Design has slashed the price of the URSA Mini Pro 12K which is now $4,000 cheaper selling for $5,995.

Image Credit: Blackmagic Design

It seems that this new price reduction has been made possible by efficiencies in manufacturing combined with an improved supply of 12K sensors. So, if you have ever considered picking this 12K beast, this new price is a no-brainer for what you get with the package indeed.

[source: Blackmagic Design]

B&H Order Link:

Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro 12K (PL)