Sony Vegas Pro vs. Davinci Resolve

With tons of professional video editing software out there, choosing the best among the equal could be overwhelming and tiring as such, we will be looking into Sony Vegas Pro vs Davinci Resolve as one of the leading video editing apps.

To find out which editor is right for you, you will need to take out time to read through their alternatives, compare features, cost and explore honestly their pros and cons.

You will also have to look into their attributes in other to map out which of the software is most suitable for your project.

System Requirements of Sony Vegas pro vs. DaVinci Resolve

In an attempt to put an end to the long and unending debate of Sony Vegas Pro and Davinci, we will first compare these video editing software system requirements and subsequently, pick the better one.

Sony Vegas Pro

1. A 64-bit operating system and processor are needed for Sony Vegas Pro. 
   
   
2. It works better with Windows 10 (64-bit) but can be found in other Windows series like Windows 7 and 8.
   
   
3. Sony Vegas Pro requires a Processor of 2 GHz to perform its function without crashing.
   
   
4. The memory capacity required for Sony Vegas Pro is 8 GB RAM.
   
   
5. The graphics supported by Sony Vegas Pro are NVIDIA, AMD/ATI, or Intel GPU.
   
   
6. It has a storage capacity of 1500 MB and 50GB of cloud storage available when the Sony Vegas Pro subscription plan is purchased.
   
   
7. Sound Card: Sony Vegas Pro has a Multi-channel sound card recommended for surround sound editing.
   
   
8. Internet connection: Vegas Pro requires a connection to the internet to be used for downloading, registering, and validating the program, as well as for some other program functions to work.
   
   
9. 4K & 8K Editing: To expedite 4k and 8k editing on all machines with recommended specs for HD, Proxy workflow for Vegas Pro can be used.
   
   
   

DaVinci Resolve

1. GPU: Davinci Resolve Studio has a minimum GPU of 2GB+ VRAM but recommends using a GPU of 8GB+ VRAM for optimal use.
   
   
   The GPU is essential to this software, but you are advised to use the best graphics card your budget can afford.
   
   
   Heavy graphics-related functions, including Fusion, color grading, effects, and the Neural AI engine, are functions that users would not be able to manage if the computer had an inadequate GPU.
   
   
2. CPU: Davinci Resolve Studio requires a minimum of Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 and a maximum of Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 for its processor.
   
   
   After prioritizing your GPU, the CPU is an essential component for using Davinci Resolve studio as it is the overall controller of the computer and is responsible for executing Resolve and other commands you give to your computer.
   
   
   The CPU used depends on which GPU you are using.
   
   
3. RAM: Davinci Resolve studio requires a minimum memory of 16GB, which is suitable for editing HD videos for simple color correction but rather frustrating when using Fusion.
   
   
   It recommends 32GB to help users step up to 4k editing and allows Fusion to run in HD projects comfortably.
   
   
   It is best to use 64GB or more if you need to edit more than 4k,6k, or 8k and perform heavy color grading to prevent glitches in the software.
   
   
   The more RAM used, your computer can handle multiple processes simultaneously. It might not be easy to add some extra RAM, but this depends on your work.
   
   
   
4. Storage: Davinci Studio requires minimal Media Storage of SSD or RAID but highly recommends using SSD, Direct Attached RAID, or NAS RAID.
   
   
   Storage is essential because of the space needed for large files and because it is better to take off more resources from one drive.
   
   
   It is preferable to have a multiple hard drive setup. You can use one drive for your operating system and program files, a second drive to store your media and project files, and another separate drive for your scratch files and cache.
   
   
   Spreading these resources in multiple hard drives improves the overall performance of Davinci Resolve Studio.
   
   
   
5. Hard Drive: The type of hard drive used is equally significant; though mechanical hard drives are affordable, they are usually slower, but Solid-state drives (SSDs) have no moving parts and can speed up your projects.
   
   
   
   SSDs are a bit more expensive than mechanical drives but produce a noticeable improvement to a workflow.
   
   
   
6. Laptops: For a mobile editor, you would need to pick a gaming laptop, which is generally much better than other laptops.
   
   
   
   But not all gaming laptops are created equally. Cooling abilities should be considered as it plays a massive role in keeping things running smoothly.
   
   
   
   These gaming laptops can be pretty expensive, but you may sometimes be able to choose a more budget-friendly model because it has good airflow capabilities. This will help improve the performance of a less high-end CPU.
   
   
   
   You do not need the most expensive and updated rig to run Davinci Resolve properly. The Razer Blade and the Razer Blade Stealth are great options.
   
   

Differences between the Features of VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio Software

Here’s a quick look at the differences between VEGAS Pro software and DaVinci Resolve Studio software:

• PRICING

For Pricing, VEGAS Pro’s pricing is usually a one-time payment that can be yours forever and it is available at the rate of $399. It also has subscription options for VEGAS Pro 365 available for $19.99 per month.

In contrast, DaVinci Resolve Studio has no subscription options but offers a one-time fee payment of $295. You would have to pay for the product once to have it forever when you purchase the software.

But these days, more options have been provided where you can decide to pay a flat fee once, and then the software is yours forever, known as a perpetual license.

But many software companies offer a subscription model, where you pay a fee monthly or annually, which is generally much less than the general cost if you buy it outright. 

With this option, you can often access software that would be too expensive to afford if you paid upfront. There is an issue here: if you stop your subscription, you can lose access to the software.

Also, with time, the subscription fee can add up to more than the flat fee would have.

But you also get automatic updates any time there’s a new software release, whereas if you paid a flat fee, you would have to pay an upgrade charge to update your perpetual license to the latest version.

Both options have advantages and disadvantages, but you must decide how best to proceed with your budget needs.

• EDITING WORKFLOW

For Editing Workflow, VEGAS Pro’s workflow is intuitive, logical, and easy to learn; this is different from DaVinci Resolve Studio, which has a steeper learning curve. VEGAS Pro was designed to work the way the user wants it to.

Users comment that it’s intuitive because rather than making the user work in a particular way, it provides users with many different ways to accomplish most tasks or projects, so whatever step you need to take, you can take it.

It provides businesses with tools to help them create professional videos and also help them add multiple audiovisual effects that they require for their video.

Supervisors can use the stabilization engine to reduce the appearance of shaky movements that are not needed across videos and improve the overall quality of the content.

DaVinci Resolve Studio runs more like traditional editors. This works by using a “source” window or clip trimmer to pre-trim clips of videos and then send them to the timeline.

So users generally only have one way of accomplishing many tasks, the traditional way. These days, some of the built-in functions of the conventional style can affect the workflow and the learning curve.

• TIMELINE

For Timeline, VEGAS Pro’s timeline has extensive hardware decoding with support for AMD, Intel, and Nvidia, but DaVinci Resolve Studio has its Hardware decoding with Nvidia CUDA and AMD OpenCL.

VEGAS Pro was designed specifically for speed and flexibility. The users can arrange and rearrange tracks and mix and match file formats on the same routes. 

Although the DaVinci Resolve Studio timeline allows for drag-and-drop editing, its design is most effective when employing the two-point and three-point editing techniques typical of the original computer editing programs.

It’s a style of editing that promotes efficient thinking and planning. 

DaVinci Resolve Studio separates video and audio tracks; this organizational style can affect while editing clips in a complex project.

To create transitions in DaVinci Resolve Studio, you can right-click and choose from the choices in a menu rather than organically dragging clips or ends of clips into each other.

• CUSTOMIZABLE INTERFACE

VEGAS Pro has a Customizable Interface but is not the same as DaVinci Resolve Studio, which does not.

• MODE BASED WORKFLOW

Both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio have a Mode Based Workflow.

• AUTOMATIC CROSSFADES

VEGAS Pro has Automatic Crossfades, but DaVinci Resolve Studio does not feature this. Simple touches like automatic crossfade on videos that overlap take defining transitions instantly and make it easy to adjust, so instead of re-trimming clips or pulling the “handles” familiar in other editing apps like VEGAS Pro; trim handles are also available under the event hamburger menu if that style of editing is what you prefer.

• NESTED TIMELINE

Both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio have Nested Timelines. Nesting helps users include a prior project in another project, modularizing the editing process to ensure that an array of tracks and edits become one track for further editing. 

Any changes made to the previous project are then reflected in the last project. Nesting is also very helpful in large, complex, or special effects projects as it makes the final rendering not suffer any generation loss.

• TRIM HANDLE

The Trim Handles for VEGAS Pro are optional, but DaVinci Resolve Studio has trim handles.

• STORYBOARD

VEGAS Pro features storyboards, but DaVinci Resolve Studio lacks the storyboard feature.

Storyboards make the first stage of video editing more straightforward and understandable. The project’s media pool, like arranging photos on a desk, makes it easy to assemble a rough cut before working on the timeline.

Quick and straightforward to use, VEGAS Pro’s storyboards enable playback previews of sequences directly from the media pool without accessing the timeline.

Additionally, Vegas Pro refreshes the chronology whenever you edit the storyboard and, in a unique way, whenever you choose to update the storyboard manually.

• SCREEN RECORDING

Screen Recording can be done with VEGAS Pro, but this can not be done with DaVinci Studio.

• SMART SPLIT

Both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio have the feature of Smart Splitting videos.

• AUTOMATIC SCENE DETECTION

They also have the feature to detect Scenes using Automatic Scene Detection automatically.

VEGAS Pro applies AI technology to automatic scene detection instead of forcing users to scrub through a video file that was previously rendered to find and mark scene changes.

VEGAS Pro then splits or sub-clips or inserts keyframes in the video file at the scene changes, saving you tons of time. Also, automatic scene detection is another feature of DaVinci Resolve Studio.

• SCRIPTING

Scripting is a feature both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio have, which provides task automation, simplified workflow, and creates greater efficiency and productivity. The Vegas Pro community has made available the free and paid pre-written on the web for downloads.

• AI-DRIVEN UPSCALING

Both of them can upscale to 4k using AI-Driven Upscaling.

• ANIMATED TRANSITION

The feature of Animated Transitions is available for both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio.

• 360°/ VR SUPPORT

360° Editing / VR Support feature is present in both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio.

• PROFESSIONAL TITLER

VEGAS Pro has Professional Titler, and so does DaVinci Resolve Studio.

• UNLIMITED HD & 4K CONTENT

VEGAS Pro has Unlimited HD & 4K Content Downloads in 365, but DaVinci Resolve Studio does not have this feature.

• PROGRAM LANGUAGES

Sony Vegas Pro has English, Deutsch, Español, and Français as program languages. This helps people from different countries understand the program.

At the same time, the DaVinci Resolve Studio program languages are English, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese. 

Therefore when it comes to language variety, we could say DaVinci Resolve studio is better than Sony Vegas Pro as more people from different parts of the world can have access to DaVinci Resolve.

• TEXT TO SPEECH

Text to Speech is also available as a feature of VEGAS Pro in 365, but this feature is absent in DaVinci Resolve Studio.

Text-to-speech technology can transform the written text into dynamic Speech, complete with personalities, accents, and proper moods. 

The easy-to-use Text to Speech tool in VEGAS Pro 365 allows you to choose between dozens of different voices, accents, languages, and narration styles for a seamless spoken presentation.

It can also translate text into other languages. But DaVinci Resolve Studio doesn’t offer text-to-speech.

• COLOR GRADING

As for Color Grading, both VEGAS Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio have the Unified Color Grading Panel feature. They both have a Complete Set of Color Grading Filters, and they both have HDR Support and HDR-Ready Scopes.

VEGAS Pro offers the new and improved Unified Color Grading panel, which provides curves, contrast, exposure, color sliders, color wheels, the ability to import LUTs, and a single, dockable panel; you have access to a wide variety of valuable tools.

This feature comes with the enhanced adjustable Vectorscope Skin Tone line, the new logarithmic exposure control that emulates camera exposure, and the improved two-way auto-contrast tool.

The Unified Color Grading panel offers an incredibly powerful color correction and color grading workflow.

DaVinci Resolve Studio evolved from industrial standard DaVinci color grading tools and provided users with a complete set of color correction tools and scopes beyond VEGAS Pro.

Pros of VEGAS Pro

1. Intuitive timeline
   
   
2. Faster editing
   
   
3. GPU decoding for more real-time playback
   
   
4. ACES 1.2 environment
   
   
5. Extensive native VFX
   
   
   
6. Full digital audio workstation
   
   
   

Pros of DaVinci Resolve Studio

1. Good for traditional editors
   
   
2. Outstanding color correction
   
   
3. Upscalable with DaVinci hardware and controls
   
   
4. Wider format support
   
   
5. Integrated Fusion FX capability
   
   
6. Multi platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, IOS, and Android.
   
   
   

Cons of VEGAS Pro

1. Non-traditional
   
   
2. Windows only
   
   
3. It does not integrate with Adobe apps

Cons of DaVinci Resolve Studio

1. Fewer Audio tools
   
   
2. Non-customizable interface
   
   
3. Fewer VFX tools
   

Sony Vegas Pro vs Davinci Resolve: Our Take

Our submission on the Vegas Pro vs. Davinci Resolve is simple. You’ll agree that Vegas Pro is a more powerful video editing software, and it comes with an advanced set of features.

It also has many pre-installed and pre-configured tools, so you do not have to start from scratch when creating your workflows.

Additionally, the software bundles come with many extra features, including sophisticated graphical options, an animated keyboard, a special toolbar, a wide range of transitions, and more.

It is not as if the Sony Vegas Pro editing tool is flawless, it has its loopholes too. To access advanced noise removal tools and motion blur or mist effects, DaVinci Resolve Studio software is far ahead of Vegas Pro.

The two editing software have their distinct characteristic which has been discussed earlier, but in all honesty, Sony Vegas has an edge over Davinci Resolve.

Are you inspired? Kindly follow Adilo on Twitter.