Optimizing GPU Question

I'm using Davinci Resolve Studio V18.0.1 Build 3. My PC is running Windows 10 has an integrated graphics card (GPU 0) and a NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card (GPU 1). The BIOS is set up to use the NVidia as the default GPU.

I often have GPU errors if I attempt to do anything other than light grading. I noticed one thing that really improves this is closing any other apps that use the GPU. Chrome is guaranteed to make DR crash for me. But there are many services running in the background that are also using the GPU that can't be shut off.

My question is about how to best optimize the GPU(s) I have in my system. Which should I select for DR and how should I partition them for the best DR performance?

Details
PC running Windows 10 32GB RAM
Davinci Resolve Studio V18.0.1 Build 3
Integrated graphics card: Intel UHD Graphics 630, 1GB RAM
Second graphics card: NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 4GB RAM
DR Meadia Storage, Cache and Proxy drive = 1TB SSD

My DR GPU settings

DR_GPU.jpg (48.75 KiB) Viewed 3138 times

I am assuming that the NVIDIA card is superior to the integrated graphics card and that I should be choosing it for the GPU in DR. I have manually configured other applications to use the Integrated GPU to reduce the load on the NVIDIA card. All drivers are up to date. Is this a reasonable approach? Is there some other optimization that could improve things?

I understand the NVIDIA card I have is not high end but I was never planning to do video editing when I got this PC. Also the Wikipedia GPU CUDA Support list shows a compatibility of 6.1 and I read that anything above 3.5 should be good.

Thanks

Jones

Your settings are what I would choose and recommend.

But...4GB is kinda skimpy for VRAM.

I think your best option is to get a better card with more VRAM. I recommend nothing less than 8GB. I just picked up an RTX 3060 with 12GB for about $400.

Is there some other optimization that could improve things

You don't mention anything about the source, edit and target resolutions you are working with, so it may be worth having a look at that and seeing what if anything you might be able to better control, in line with your existing hardware and expectations. For example, I've been working for some years now with a vanilla 6GB GTX 1060. It is very far from state of the art (its super slow compared to the latest and greatest) but I'm just churning out broadcast TV using mostly HD and 4K sources in an HD timeline for HD delivery... for that my current 6GB GPU memory footprint is more than adequate. If I were working on UHD timelines or larger then I would probably want and/or need a card with more VRAM (and faster processing).

Your settings are what I would choose and recommend.

But...4GB is kinda skimpy for VRAM.

I think your best option is to get a better card with more VRAM. I recommend nothing less than 8GB. I just picked up an RTX 3060 with 12GB for about $400.

Yes, I understand 4GB is lacking. A better card will be in the future but for now I need to work with this one.

Is there some other optimization that could improve things

You don't mention anything about the source, edit and target resolutions you are working with, so it may be worth having a look at that and seeing what if anything you might be able to better control, in line with your existing hardware and expectations. For example, I've been working for some years now with a vanilla 6GB GTX 1060. It is very far from state of the art (its super slow compared to the latest and greatest) but I'm just churning out broadcast TV using mostly HD and 4K sources in an HD timeline for HD delivery... for that my current 6GB GPU memory footprint is more than adequate. If I were working on UHD timelines or larger then I would probably want and/or need a card with more VRAM (and faster processing).

Sorry about the lack of information. I am working with 4K footage on HD timelines for editing. I generate proxies for all the clips I'm using in the media pool. Final renders are output at 4K 30fps for youtube. Final renders seem to work fine. It's the timeline editing that can have issues when I use any of the effects like Contrast Pop for example. If I'm just doing simple grading everything is fine.

At some point I'll look at a better graphics card but I need to manage with this one for now.

I need to work with this one.

You might not be able to.

Why do you moved to V18? V17 is still more reliable.

With my 4gb GTX1650 I came to realize exporting 4k was impossible. So I only ever worked in 1080p timelines.

What resolution are you trying to export?

I need to work with this one.

You might not be able to.

That might very well be the case. Just investigating configurations that might make an improvement.

Why do you moved to V18? V17 is still more reliable.

Rumors of performance improvements in V18. So far I there is no difference in the incidence of GPU errors between the versions.

With my 4gb GTX1650 I came to realize exporting 4k was impossible. So I only ever worked in 1080p timelines.

What resolution are you trying to export?

I'm exporting my final videos at 4K. So far exporting has not been an issue. It's only editing. I edit to 1080p timelines to keep things smooth and manageable. Light grading works fine and most of the time that is all I need. On landscape scenes I like the texture pop or contrast pop effects but I have to be very careful applying them as this is where the GPU issues come into play. Again, light grading and sharpening in the color page are no problem.

So it seems like VRAM is the most critical component. Is that correct? Am I correct in thinking that VRAM getting full is the real problem?

Thanks for all the help. I accept that I really need to get a better graphics card but trying to improve my understanding of the issues and how to address them. Sometimes throwing money at a problem is the answer and sometimes it's just throwing money. I don't want to spend a grand on an a new graphics card just to have the same problems.

Jones

You can check if the VRAM is full with Windows Task Manager.

Rather use GPU-Z (free).

Regarding a similar setup. i cant seem to choose the integrated card (i have AMD which is not as bad as the intel one). devinci doesnt let me even mark it and when i change from CUDA to OpenGL it doesnt even open a project or let me choose the other card.

The reason is VRAM ofc, sometimes i prefer to render on bigger VRAM. any clue ?

More details, please, which one is the other card and how much VRAM do you have?

Intel integrated cards are usually better than AMD ones for DaVinci Resolve due to Quicksync video decoder/encoder. But if you don't have a good separated card from Nvidia or ATI preferably with at least 8 GB VRAM your experience will be limited.