Whether you’re a 3D artist, architect, or animator, Blender’s open-source technology allows you to produce high-quality images from the comfort of your own home. However, in order to fully realize its potential and render projects at high speeds, you’ll need a powerful graphics card/GPU.
This guide examines the best GPUs for Blender, including prominent competitors from Nvidia, AMD, and others. We’ll go over their pros and disadvantages to help you choose the best tool to fuel your creativity and expedite your Blender process, regardless of your level of experience. So, get ready to boost your renderings and elevate your artistic vision to the next level.
How We Selected the Best GPU for Blender?
When selecting the best GPU for Blender, it is critical to consider more than just raw power, since there are other significant elements that have a direct impact on your rendering experience. Specifically, GPU cores, VRAM, and ray-tracing cores. CUDA cores/stream processors will perform the heavy lifting of rendering; more cores often equate to faster rendering. In terms of VRAM, this function stores textures and scene data, therefore more VRAM enables more complex scenes with detailed textures without bottlenecking performance.
Ray tracing cores are necessary if you intend to use Blender’s Cycles render engine for hyper-realistic lighting effects, as these dedicated cores considerably accelerate ray tracing calculations. Finally, software optimization is taken into account because it impacts how well each GPU is optimized for Blender’s specialized workloads, allowing you to get the most out of your investment.
Last but not least, we relied on our extensive understanding of GPUs, particularly our reviews of the RTX 4090, RTX 4080, RX 7900 XTX, and RTX 4070 Ti Super. Having hands-on experience is critical, as we were able to make our conclusion based not only on the benchmarks of each of these cards in 4K gaming and synthetic performance, but also on their cost and overall design. Essentially, you can be confident that we have tried and approved all of these options.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
PROS:
- Superior Blender performance with 16,384 CUDA Cores
- Massive 24 GB GDDR6X VRAM for ultra-realistic textures
- Nvidia’s DLSS 3 technology enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
CONS:
- The card is pricey, costing over $2000.
- It may be deemed overkill and will bottleneck without a sufficient CPU.
- The GPU is bulky and heavy at 9.53 pounds.
The NVIDIA RTX 4090 is our top pick for the finest GPU for Blender, giving exceptional performance in both rendering and viewport operations and receiving a 4.5/5 rating in our assessment. This beast of a graphics card has an impressive 16,384 CUDA cores and 24 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, allowing it to handle even the most demanding Blender projects with ease.
The RTX 4090’s support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing makes it an excellent choice for artists that want accurate lighting, shadows, and reflections in their images. As the greatest GPU money can buy right now, it’s no surprise that our benchmarks from in-house testing by WePC’s Sebastian Kozlowski corroborate this GPU’s graphics and rendering capabilities. The 4090 achieved 6.44 seconds in Blender’s bmw27 and a 3DMark graphics benchmark score of 18,940 in Time Spy Extreme. If you benchmark your present graphics card, you’ll acquire a better understanding if you want to upgrade.
In addition to its outstanding ray tracing capabilities, the RTX 4090 delivers impressive AI performance thanks to its Tensor cores. These cores can speed up denoising and other AI-based processes in Blender, helping to streamline your workflow. While the RTX 4090’s high price may deter some, it is a smart purchase for professional 3D artists and animators who want the finest performance possible for their work.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 16GB AMP Extreme AIRO
PROS:
- Superior performance with 9,728 CUDA cores
- 16 GB GDDR6X VRAM for high-quality textures and graphics
- The $1,169 price point is more affordable than the $4090.
CONS:
- The RTX 4090 has improved performance.
- It has been superseded by the RTX 4080 Super.
- It remains extremely pricey, especially for an 80-class card.
The Zotac 4080 is a formidable powerhouse, with top-tier gaming performance and outstanding Blender capabilities. With 16GB of GDDR6X memory, a clock speed of 2520MHz, PCIe 4.0 support, brilliant RGB lighting, and an integrated triple-fan cooling configuration, this GPU is ready to take on the most demanding tasks, such as running Unreal Engine 5 or managing intensive rendering projects.
Zotac’s version of the Nvidia 4080 exemplifies premium GPU performance. With a substantial 16GB VRAM capacity, clocked at 2520MHz, and a triple-fan cooling system, it consistently delivers top-tier performance. Along with these features, it includes luxuries such as RGB lighting. It also has a large heatsink with composite heat pipes, fan vibration dampeners, and an integrated GPU support stand, which improves both functionality and user experience.
In our assessment, we found our industry-standard simulated benchmarks in 3DMark and Blender 4.0 to be well than enough, only to be outperformed by the more expensive RTX 4090 GPU. The Monster, Junkshop, and Classroom rendering scenarios scored 4345.6, 2065.9, and 2143.6 samples respectively.
So, while the RTX 4080 lacks the punch of the newer RTX 4090, it provides more than adequate performance and is arguably more efficient than our first selection; it will cost you less and will not be considered overkill.
XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XTX
PROS:
- The 24GB VRAM is the highest on this list.
- It has a strong price-to-performance ratio at $999.
- It is lightweight, weighing only 5.72 pounds.
CONS:
- Lacks ray tracing capabilities.
- Poor overall performance compared to Nvidia.
- Expensive for RDNA 3 graphics cards.
We understand that some people want to live and die by their manufacturers, therefore we decided to provide an AMD option for those who favor Team Red. However, we will start by mentioning that AMD’s absence of ray tracing technology substantially reduces their performance and rendering capabilities with Blender, despite the fact that this card’s 4K capabilities are impressive.
AMD’s flagship GPU, the 7900 XTX, has emerged as a powerful competitor in the high-performance graphics market. This Speedster model boasts amazing features, including a big 24GB VRAM size and a fast 2615MHz clock speed, providing smooth performance across demanding creative work and games. Our simulated benchmarks for Time Spy Extreme (4K) yielded 14,230 graphics and 14,010.
Furthermore, with a triple-fan cooling system, it effectively handles heat dissipation for long-term performance under heavy loads. While it may not outperform Nvidia’s 4090, for those who like AMD, the 7900 XTX is the peak of the hill.
PNY GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super
PROS:
- At $849.99, this GPU is the most economical on our list.
- Its innovative RGB lighting and beautiful design make it a perfect addition to any rig.
- A good enhancement from the original 4070 Super.
CONS:
- May struggle with intensive workloads and is aimed at 1080p/1440p rather than 4K.
- Might be too large for smaller builds.
For Blender users who do not want to spend a lot of money but still want an Nvidia model, the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super is an excellent choice. This slightly less expensive GPU has 8448 CUDA cores and 16 GB of VRAM, more than enough to support the bulk of Blender applications. Although it is not as fast as the higher-end GPUs on this list, the RTX 4070 Ti Super does have hardware-accelerated ray tracing, allowing you to create stunning, photorealistic renders.
The GPU also features Tensor cores for AI-accelerated workloads, resulting in a smooth and efficient Blender workflow. In fact, we found our benchmarks utilizing a ROG Strix OC RTX 4070 Ti Super, which scored 3707.8 in Blender 4.0 monster, 1785.2 in junkyard, and 1883.6 in classroom, which is not a significant difference from the 4080.
The RTX 4070 Ti Super is ideal for Blender users seeking a blend of performance and cost. Whether you’re a hobbyist, a student, or a freelancer just getting started in the field, the RTX 4070 Ti will deliver the performance you require without breaking the bank.
Features and Considerations
When looking for the best GPU for Blender, it is critical to consider GPU performance, as a fast GPU can considerably increase Blender’s performance, allowing you to work on complex projects more easily. It is critical to select a graphics card with sufficient processing capability, especially if you are dealing with realistic models and huge textures.
Modern GPU architectures provide superior performance and efficiency, making it critical to select a card based on cutting-edge technology. Nvidia’s Ampere and AMD’s RDNA 2 architectures are popular among professionals due to their performance and support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
Blender can use both Nvidia’s CUDA and AMD’s OpenCL technologies for rendering, so select a GPU that supports the technology you prefer or intend to employ in your projects. Finally, the optimal GPU for Blender should strike the appropriate balance between performance and price. While high-end GPUs provide the maximum performance, they may not be required for all users, and less expensive alternatives can still produce outstanding results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What GPU is ideal for rendering Blender?
The best GPU for Blender rendering is the Nvidia RTX 4090. A new Nvidia model from Team Green is ideal for producing demanding images in Blender. This is primarily owing to its powerful processors and ray tracing capabilities.
Is Blender CPU or GPU heavy?
While the CPU handles the majority of Blender duties and modelling activities, the GPU is more important for rendering and viewport performance. Cycles and Eevee, Blender’s built-in rendering engines, can use both CPU and GPU to render, with GPU often offering faster results. As a result, having a strong GPU can significantly enhance your productivity and render speeds in Blender.
Do you need a powerful PC to run Blender?
The hardware requirements for Blender vary depending on the intricacy of your projects and the level of performance you desire. For simple activities and minor projects, a modest PC with a competent CPU and GPU will suffice. However, if you intend to work on complicated scenes, high-resolution textures, or advanced simulations, a powerful PC with a strong CPU, GPU, and enough of RAM is highly advised. Upgrading your PC can greatly improve your Blender experience, resulting in faster rendering speeds and smoother viewport performance.
