Comparison CPU/GPU Upscaling versus 4k images

Hi,

my Mac isn't the best and fastest. Before I start my new project, may I ask this community:

Would you rather use images in HD - and then select upscaling in DaVinci and let the CPU do its job.
Or:
Would you upscale these HD images externally, import these and de-select upscaling.

My question is not about quality, it is about to prevent GPU Errors, which caused significant errors in my videos already.

Thank you!
Johannes

Content specs:
- only images, mostly morph over into others
- no video footage at all

Tech specs:
- I'd like to render in 3840 x 2160

Computer specs:
MacBookPro late 2013
8GB Ram, IntelIrisPro
OSX Sierra
DaVinci Resolve 15

Forget it. Your computer can barely handle HD, but definitely not UHD. Why upscale at all? It's a waste of time, storage and energy.
You don't gain any new detail and most modern UHD TVs have pretty good upscalers built in.

If you do want to use 3840x2160 image files and your originals are in a RAW format you can easily do the conversions to that size in your RAW software obviously. I've been doing that professionally for two decades with Capture One Pro.

You can use JPEGs in Davinci so you don't need to have larger file sizes like PNGs or TIFs n.b. in Vegas Pro 18 I have to do PNGs then add transparent backgrounds for portrait aspect files otherwise these files are limited into what area they can be moved without losing some content whereas if I put a portrait aspect file onto a transparent 3840x2160 background I can place the photo whereever I want.

Also, a newish software called JPEGmini can reduce your JPEG file sizes very substantially without any loss of quality. I batch process with all finished JPEGs before going into Davinci.

My TV's do indeed do a great interpolation on my LG OLED TV's including with standard definition DVDs. Computer monitors not so much.

Forget it. Your computer can barely handle HD, but definitely not UHD. Why upscale at all? It's a waste of time, storage and energy.
You don't gain any new detail and most modern UHD TVs have pretty good upscalers built in.

Agreed. OP is running V15, probably because their machine can't run V17 and use its advanced scaler.

Also, a newish software called JPEGmini can reduce your JPEG file sizes very substantially without any loss of quality. I batch process with all finished JPEGs before going into Davinci.

Hi Asthon,
thanks for your answer, I appreciate! I use JPEGs in DaVinci. The sources are computer generated arts-pictures which have never the same resolution due to the algorithm. I have to upscale them anyway. Also they are meant to be shown mainly on computer displays (youtube).

I could render already a 7min video with 100 of upscaled pictures into my preferred video resolution. My computer can handle this, but it takes a lot of time and yes, it's tricky but I cannot change my system at this time.

Greetings to the community.