A PowerGrade is a complete DaVinci Resolve node tree saved as a preset — unlike a LUT, every node stays fully editable after you apply it. Here's how to import one and apply it to your footage. It takes about a minute.
Grab a .drx file (or a still with the grade embedded). Browse the free PowerGrades in the directory if you need one — they're all free downloads from their creators.
Go to the Color page and click the Gallery button (top-left). This is where Resolve stores stills and grade presets.
In the Gallery's album list, make sure PowerGrade 1 is visible — if it isn't, click the … menu and enable it. Anything saved in a PowerGrade album is available in every project, not just the current one.
Right-click inside the PowerGrade album and choose Import, then select your downloaded .drx file. The grade appears as a still in the album.
Select a clip in the timeline, then middle-click the PowerGrade still (or right-click → Apply Grade). The full node tree is copied onto your clip — open the node editor and tweak any node to taste.
PowerGrades are built on the assumption of a balanced starting image. If you shot log, do your conversion to Rec.709 or color-manage the project first, then apply the PowerGrade on top.
A LUT is a single "baked" color transform. A PowerGrade is a full Resolve node tree — every node stays editable, so you can adjust each part of the look after applying it.
Usually a .drx file (a Resolve grade export), sometimes shared as a still image with the grade embedded. Both import into the Gallery the same way.
Yes — PowerGrades work in the free version, as long as the nodes inside don't use Studio-only OFX plugins.