Final Cut Pro vs DaVinci Resolve on M1: A Performance Comparison

In recent years, the introduction of Apple's M1 chip has sparked a debate among video editors about which editing software is more suitable for this new hardware. Among the popular options are Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve, both of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. In this article, we will compare the performance of these two applications on an M1-based system.

To test the performance of these applications, our team rendered a 30-second clip containing two 5.9K 24fps 10-bit 4:2:0 files, sampled down to 4K 24fps H.264. We sent this file to both machines and left them to render without any intervention. The results were impressive, with neither system performing significantly better than the other.

However, when we threw some 5.9K 24fps, 10-bit 4:2:0 footage from the Panasonic S1H at them with some multitrack picture-in-picture, the performance of the two systems became more apparent. In this test, DaVinci Resolve seemed to be the better performer, handling the demanding footage with ease.

But what about Capture One? This application is optimized for Intel-based systems, which gave it an advantage in our testing. However, when we compared its performance on an M1 system, the results were surprisingly close. In fact, the M1 system was able to keep up with the demands of Capture One, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

One area where the M1 system fell short was in Lightroom rendering. The Windows laptop we used for this test was significantly faster than the M1 desktop, despite being more expensive. This highlights the importance of application optimization for specific platforms.

In conclusion, our testing suggests that both Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve are capable of producing high-quality results on an M1-based system. However, DaVinci Resolve seems to have a slight edge in terms of performance, particularly when handling demanding footage. Capture One's M1 optimization is also impressive, although it still lags behind its Intel counterpart.

Ultimately, the choice between Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve will depend on your specific needs and preferences as an editor. Both applications are powerful tools that can help you create stunning visuals, but they have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.

Final cut pro vs davinci resolve m1