DaVinci Resolve 20 vs 19: What’s New, What’s Better

Blackmagic Design released DaVinci Resolve 20 at NAB 2025 with clear upgrades over version 19. If you’re editing, color grading, or doing audio post, here’s what’s changed and how it improves your workflow. 

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Smarter AI Features

Resolve 20 builds on the DaVinci Neural Engine introduced in 19. Here are the new AI-powered tools:

• IntelliScript: Import a transcript (TXT, SRT, or VTT) and Resolve 20 builds a timeline based on spoken words.
• Multicam SmartSwitch: Detects who’s talking and automatically cuts to the right camera.
• Animated Subtitles: Adds motion to each word as it's spoken—useful for accessibility and social content.

Resolve 19’s AI features like IntelliTrack and UltraNR were helpful for tracking and noise reduction, but 20 expands the scope into editing decisions and timing.

Editing Upgrades

The Cut and Edit pages in Resolve 20 improve precision and workflow:

• Dedicated Keyframe Editor: Control animation curves and speed ramps without switching pages.
• Safe Trim Mode: Prevents overwriting clips during ripple edits, helpful for tight edits or long timelines.
• Voiceover Palette: Record voiceovers directly into the timeline with proper monitoring levels and waveform preview.

These tools help solo editors stay organized and avoid timeline errors. In version 19, these tasks required more manual setup or bouncing between pages.

Color Grading and Magic Mask

Resolve 20 improves the Color Warper with a Chroma Warp mode, letting you reshape hue/saturation in context. Colorists will notice:

• Magic Mask v2: Brush-based masking helps isolate faces, arms, and clothing with better detail.
• Support for External HDR Displays: More precise grading across Dolby Vision and HDR10 workflows.
• Film Look FX: Control halation, bloom, and film response curves (introduced in 19, refined in 20).

These upgrades reduce the need for third-party plugins and roundtrips to external grading tools.

Fusion: Visual Effects & 3D Tools

Fusion in Resolve 20 adds:

• Deep Image Compositing: Composite 3D passes with embedded Z-depth and alpha.
• 180° VR Support: Edit and preview immersive video directly in Resolve.
• Dome Light Tool: Create ambient, natural 3D lighting for scenes without complex setups.

In version 19, Fusion added better rotoscoping with the Multi-Poly tool and surface tracking—but version 20 brings more flexibility to 3D artists and VFX teams.

Fairlight: Audio Enhancements

Fairlight in version 20 introduces several AI tools:

• Audio Assistant: Auto-balances dialogue, music, and SFX tracks based on target levels.
• Dialogue Leveler: Matches tone and loudness across takes.
• IntelliCut: Finds and removes long silences from recorded dialogue—great for podcasts and interviews.

Resolve 19 improved panning and added support for Ambisonic sound. Resolve 20 goes further by speeding up common tasks with AI.

Faster Performance

If you're working with 4K or multicam timelines, Resolve 20 improves speed:

• Up to 3.5x faster SuperScale (on supported AMD systems)
• Up to 3x faster Neural Engine AI (on newer Intel chips)
• GPU-accelerated performance for 27 new Resolve FX

Playback, export, and real-time preview feel smoother, especially with hardware acceleration enabled.

Ready to Upgrade?

DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 delivers meaningful upgrades over version 19. Whether you’re editing solo, grading for clients, or delivering high-volume content, these new tools help you work faster with fewer steps.

Order DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 now from Coremicro, a certified Blackmagic Design reseller. We offer fast shipping and expert support from our team in Union City, CA.