DaVinci Resolve for iPad is now available — filling the missing link of a pro video editor on a tablet. This begs one question: can a tablet finally replace your laptop?
The one thing that always holds people back from buying a tablet is one simple question: “can I get stuff done on this?” In response, you get an answer that’s always a little mealy-mouthed and vague, but is always some form of “yes, but there’s more versatility in a laptop.”
We’ve waited a long time for a full suite of apps for any creative professional to take advantage of, and DaVinci Resolve launching on the iPad (opens in new tab) may just be the final piece of the puzzle.
Pro video editing at your fingertips
First, let’s talk about the app, because while it will look familiar to regular DaVinci users, the UI has been made a whole lot more touch-friendly. But that doesn’t mean anything has been cut out for simplicity’s sake.
Everything is still here: advanced contrast and color correction, HDR support, cut page editing, compatibility with all popular codecs including Blackmagic RAW, and 3D trackers.
In fact, BlackMagic Design has gone a little further in adding not only some really helpful tools, but easier ways to navigate the app. This starts with Apple Pencil and multi-touch trackpad support, which extends to all the familiar keyboard shortcuts on Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
And it peaks with the DaVinci Neural Engine — AI processing tools that help make advanced, complicated edits a lot simpler, such as smart reframing videos for different aspect ratios, isolating people’s voices, and even isolate subjects in shot and make them stand out with a little under lighting.
Outlook
We’ve been building to this moment for a long, long time — the moment where we start to see proper laptop-class software appear on a tablet. So why is the response so muted? Simply put, it’s taken over a decade to get to this point and the debate was settled a long time ago.
Because sure, the usefulness of tablets just increased quite a bit with the introduction of DaVinci Resolve (and if someone in Apple could build Final Cut pro for iPad, that would be swell), but a laptop continues to be the default choice for getting stuff done.
Not to cause offense to my friends who do have an iPad-focussed setup (shout-out to them), but given how long it’s taken us to get to this point, the debate about whether a tablet can replace your laptop is sort of dead and buried. They co-exist.
