For those who don’t know the tool: Samplitude is a Windows DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for recording through mastering, with a video timeline and plugin workflows via VST3. The Suite edition folds in Soundly and Sound Forge for faster SFX pulls and file edits, and was acquired by BorisFX last year.

Finally video that behaves

Samplitude 2026 adds a new video engine aimed at smoother playback and better responsiveness when you keep the picture inside the session. The feature set targets full-resolution 4K footage at up to 60 fps, with GPU acceleration on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel hardware.

Codec support gets an refresh as well. The new engine supports AVC and HEVC, via the standards behind H.264 and H.265, plus AV1. For anyone who has ever had to keep a dialogue edit locked to picture while a laptop fan negotiates with physics (Random example… *cough*), that’s amazing: get video decoding off the CPU so the machine can spend its budget on audio processing.

Samplitude also keeps its existing video import formats, and 2026 positions the new engine as the part that makes navigation, scrubbing, and playback less painful while maintaining tight sync inside the project.

Audio engine work that targets dense sessions

The 2026 update includes performance and stability work, paired with VST3 and audio engine improvements.

The goal is to keep demanding sessions running smoothly by improving CPU management and multicore performance, especially when projects lean on heavier processing chains and higher-latency plugins. This focuses on fewer workflow interruptions during recording, editing, mixing, and mastering, even when the session scales into complex multitrack mixes.

OSC control turns the DAW into a network device

Samplitude 2026 adds OSC remote support, built around Open Sound Control workflows. The feature is intended to let users trigger editing, mixing, and transport functions over a network from a phone or tablet, and it also calls out control surfaces like Stream Deck.

This is not a “single vendor controller” story – interoperability with OSC-compatible apps and controllers is reeeeeaaaally common in audio land, but in many cases not the “Headline” Feature of a new control surface. That matters in small booths, multi-room recording setups, and any environment where the person pressing record is not the person sitting at the DAW. (Get an overview of OSC on Wikipedia, and check your current hardware – some already support it, like my webcam! )

Suite-only routing and library integration aim at post workflows

Samplitude Suite adds an FX Routing Matrix designed for flexible routing through plugins, with support around stereo, surround, and more advanced effect chains. The matrix is a way to route track channels into plugin inputs and then return plugin outputs where you want them, including sidechain-style configurations and multichannel bus work.

Suite users also get Soundly integration inside the arranger window. Find an effect in Soundly, then send it into the Samplitude timeline so it appears on the project without manual file wrangling. The integration also includes organising personal clips alongside the Soundly database, for faster reuse of common assets like theme music or recurring effects beds. Or the swearing bleep, if you edit podcasts.

Finally, the Suite bundles Sound Forge 2026 as an integrated audio editor, with sample-accurate editing, finalisation, and mastering tools for stereo and surround work. The positioning here is: use the DAW for timeline decisions, then jump into a dedicated file editor for detailed waveform surgery and repeatable processing tasks.

Expanded ARA2 support adds two named tools

Samplitude 2026 expands ARA2 support with ReSing and MTrackAlign. The workflow described keeps analysis and processing inside the DAW without exports or manual file shuffling, and it frames the integration as faster clip-based correction and alignment work directly in-session.

Small fixes that add up in daily editorial

Beyond the big-ticket items, Samplitude 2026 lists a set of additional improvements that speak to everyday production friction. It includes overload and noise protection that automatically mutes audio at critical levels. Export gets an option to quickly export audio without effects via a checkbox. The plugin buffer dialogue is updated with clearer descriptions for choosing buffer settings. Navigation adds an “Open in Windows Explorer” option to the right-click menu. Marker list export gets usability and compatibility improvements. Arranger controls bring back a classic double-click behaviour for full track fit. Resampling options get a streamlined workflow. Nested VCA support allows controlling multiple VCAs at once with a single fader.

Pricing and availability in plain numbers

Samplitude is sold with subscription and perpetual options. The listed monthly subscription is $25, the annual subscription is $145, and a perpetual license is $395. Upgrade and support plans start at $185.

Samplitude Suite lists an annual subscription at $175, a perpetual license at $495, and upgrade and support plans starting at $275. The Suite does not list a monthly subscription option.

What to test first before you roll it into real work

If you are considering a move to Samplitude 2026 mid-season, the obvious test plan writes itself. Validate picture playback with your facility’s usual codecs and frame rates, prohibit acquisition from randomly integrating new cameras, and check the GPU path on the specific machine builds you actually ship work on. Then stress the audio engine with your worst sessions, including the plugin chains and routing patterns you know can break lesser setups. If you plan to use OSC control, test your network conditions and controller mapping early, before a client session turns into a Wi-Fi troubleshooting workshop.

https://borisfx.com/products/samplitude/

The post Samplitude 2026: the DAW that learned new video tricks? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.