As a 3D artist or game developer, you have several options as regards computer graphics and 3D modeling. Some are very easy, while some are demanding. Notwithstanding, a tool like Blender has its pros and cons. From stunning animations to lifelike simulations, Blender stands as a rewarding platform for artists and creators. If you're new to the software, check out our complete guide to Blender 3D for beginners to get started on the right foot.

Blender is a fantastic 3D program with free and open-source software for beginners and professionals alike. The software has a wide variety of tools and courses to create any model and import and export effortlessly. However, you can only achieve this when you have high-performance PCs. The choice of your PC becomes paramount. Do you need a good PC for Blender? Absolutely. A good computer for Blender ensures seamless rendering, fluid simulations, and a smoother exploration of your artistic imagination. And so, you must choose wisely, to fully maximize the creative abilities of Blender.

Understanding Blender’s System Requirements

Blender software, being a powerful 3D creation suite, is available in versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. Before installation, ensure your devices meet the Blender 3D software system requirements to guarantee optimal performance. These requirements are essential for users to run Blender effectively and take advantage of its features. Understanding what the minimum system requirements for Blender are, including the Blender system requirements for a graphics card, is essential for running the software effectively and taking full advantage of its features.

Learn Particle System and all the Blender 3D terms from our Blender 3D Glossary.

Minimum vs Recommended Specs

There are minimum requirements clearly stated on Blender’s website. At a minimum, Blender expects your system to have at least these components. For optimal performance, it’s crucial to aim for the recommended specs for Blender rather than just the minimum. This ensures you have the best PC for rendering Blender projects efficiently.You may run the basic blender assets but expect that it will be slow, with regular crashes.

Key Components for Blender: CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage considerations

Let’s talk about hardware and the ideal Blender PC configuration. The CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage are the key components of a Blender PC. What should each of these hardware consist of?

CPU (Central Processing Unit)

Minimum Requirement: 64-bit eight-core CPU with SSE2 Support, clocked at a speed of 2 GHz

Recommendation: 64-bit eight-core CPU with SSE2 support, clocked at a speed of over 2.9 GHz

Your system requires a robust CPU to handle complex calculations in Blender. Multi-core processors, especially those with higher clock speeds, contribute to faster rendering and overall responsiveness. If you're looking to further reduce rendering times, check out this complete guide for reducing rendering times in Blender.

GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)

Minimum Requirement: Any GPU card operating on OpenGL 4.3 with 4 GB RAM

Recommendation: Any GPU card operating on OpenGL 4.3 with 12 GB RAM

Blender can leverage GPU acceleration for rendering tasks. A powerful GPU, especially one compatible with Blender’s CUDA or OpenCL, can significantly improve rendering performance. If you're wondering, is Blender CPU or GPU intensive, it actually relies heavily on both, with the GPU handling much of the rendering load.

You can also check out our GPU Guide for tips to use GPU, along with speed up and acceleration tips for Blender 3D.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Minimum Requirement: 8 GB RAM

Recommendation: 32 GB RAM

Blender deals with large data files and projects. Hence, you need sufficient RAM to operate these large datasets and complex scenes. More RAM allows for smoother workflow and better responsiveness when working on intricate 3D projects.

Storage

Minimum Requirement: Above 500 MB

Recommendation: 1 TB

Large project files require adequate storage capacity. Also, fast storage, such as SSDs (Solid State Drives), is ideal for quick loading times and smooth data access.

Importance of a Good Display

Minimum Requirement: Full HD(1920×1080) and a color depth of 24 bit

Recommendation: 2560×1440 display as a separate monitor, a color depth of 24-bit

A high-quality display is crucial for 3D modeling in Blender. A trick for good output is a display that reproduces the accurate color to ensure that users see their projects as intended. A display with good color depth enhances the overall visual experience, especially when working with textures and materials. With a 24-bit display representing over 16 million colors, you are sure of a high level of color accuracy and detail.

Also, a higher resolution provides more screen real estate, allowing for detailed work without constant zooming in and out. Hardware specifications are as important as software specs. Blender runs on all three major OSs: Windows (8.1 and 10), Linux, and macOS (10.13 on Intel and 11.0 on Apple Silicon). However, can you use Blender on iPhone? Currently, Blender is not available on iOS. With Vagon, you can use Blender 3D even on a iPhone.

Top PC Choices for Blender

After highlighting hardware specifications for an ideal Blender PC, here are some of our top choices. Budget-conscious users can opt for pre-built systems like the Dell G5. If you're looking for portability, consider some of the best laptops for Blender that balance power and convenience.

High-Performance PCs

Dell G5 Gaming Desktop

• Price: $899.99

• Processor: Intel Core i5-10400F (6 cores, 12 threads)

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti

• RAM: 8GB DDR4 2666MHz

• Storage: 256GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD

• Display: Full HD

The G15 Gaming Laptop is a solid budget PC for Blender, offering a great balance of performance and cost for under $1000. It has a strong NVIDIA RTX card coupled with Windows 11 OS. It is a great choice for game developers, 3D artists, and Blender experts.

HP Z4 G4 Workstation

Price: $2500

Processor: 3.7 GHz Intel Core i9-10900X (8 cores, 16 threads)

RAM: 32GB DDR4 ECC

Graphics Card: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000

Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD

Display: 2K, color-accurate

HP Z4 G4 Workstation is a pre-built workstation from HP. Z4’s GPU is an Nvidia RTX 4000 with 32GB of RAM. It will comfortably handle 4K jobs and make your computer faster in Blender. The heart of this machine is an Intel Xeon Quad-Core processor running at 3.7 gigahertz.

Budget-Friendly Computers

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 3.4GHz 16-Core

(Processor is a custom AMD Build)

Price: $446

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (16 cores, 32 threads)

RAM: 64GB

Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX 3080

Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD

Display: 4K, color-accurate

The custom built AMD Ryzen 9 5950X workstation is one the leading CPUs in single-core performance. It offers a smooth flow between your viewport and active-work speed such that they do not go faster than the CPU. The 16 Cores and the multi-thread keeps your rendertimes low.

Laptop Options for Increased Mobility

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 (Intel)

• Price: $2,299.99 to $3,499.99

• Processor: Up to 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX (24 cores, 5.4GHz Turbo)

• RAM: 32GB DDR5

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

• Storage: Up to 2TB SSD (PCIe Gen 4)

• Display: 16" WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 165Hz

The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 is a powerhouse built for serious gaming and creative work. It features the latest Intel Core i9 processor and NVIDIA’s RTX 4090 GPU, making it ideal for handling demanding tasks like 3D modeling in Blender. The 16-inch WQXGA display with a 165Hz refresh rate ensures smooth visuals, perfect for both gaming and animation. With up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 2TB SSD, it offers fast performance and ample storage for large projects. This laptop is perfect for gamers, content creators, and professionals needing top-tier performance. Choosing the best laptop for digital art can be a hard choice, but our guide can help your decision!

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio

• Price: $1,399.99 to $2,499.99

• Processor: 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-11370H (quad-core, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 4.8GHz)

• RAM: 8GB

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA RTX A2000

• Storage: 1TB SSD (PCIe, NVMe, M.2)

• Display: QHD (2,400 x 1,600)

The first and second versions of the Microsoft Surface Laptop studio feature the NVIDIA RTX 2000 series of cards. It comes with an 8 GB non-ECC VRAM. Being non-error-correcting RAM improves the GPU’s performance in handling very intensive tasks. It has a smooth image display with a 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for viewing detailed animations. You can enjoy all Blender templates with the 1TB NVMe SSD.

Gigabyte G6X Model

• Price: $1,099 to $1,250

• Processor: Up to Intel Core i7-13700H (14 cores, 4.8GHz Turbo)

• RAM: 16GB DDR5

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

• Storage: 1TB SSD (PCIe Gen 4)

• Display: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz

The Gigabyte G6X 2024 model is designed for gamers and creators who demand high performance without breaking the bank. It features an Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU, making it capable of handling intensive gaming and creative tasks like 3D rendering. The 144Hz FHD display provides smooth visuals, ideal for fast-paced gaming and detailed creative work. With 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, this laptop ensures quick load times and ample storage, making it a reliable choice for both gaming and productivity.

Acer Nitro

• Price: $669.99

• Processor: Intel Core i5-9400F

• RAM: 8GB

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

• Storage: 512GB

• Display: 1080p

The specs of this computer provide a smooth computing performance. It combines Intel Core and NVIDIA GPU for simplified graphics-intensive tasks. This computer is every gamer’s favorite, but we’re sure the artist and the game developers will maximize it.

Custom-Built vs Pre-Built: Pros and cons of building your PC

When deciding between Blender AMD or Intel systems, consider that some of the best AMD CPUs for Blender offer excellent performance for complex rendering tasks. In choosing a PC for Blender, you can go for the Custom-Built or the Pre-Built option. Each has its problems and advantages. Custom-built PCs allow you to choose specific components tailored to your preferences. Many developers go for this to save costs. However, it requires more time and technical expertise compared to purchasing a pre-built system. You simply plug and play with a pre-built PC.

Custom Built Pros:

• Flexibility to choose specific components

• Potential for cost savings.

Custom-Built Cons:

• Requires Technical expertise

• Long assembly time

• Warranty may be component-specific.

Pre-Built Pros:

• Convenience

• Warranties cover the entire system

Pre-Built Cons:

• Limited customization

• Potential higher cost for similar performance.

Before you make a choice, ensure to weigh your costs, technical proficiency, time constraints, and the level of customization you desire in your Blender workstation.

Learn Pose and all the Blender 3D terms from our Blender 3D Glossary.

Enhancing Blender Performance

Now that you have the ideal PC requirements for Blender, how do you make the best out of Blender? How do you navigate slow rendering processes? These tips should help.

Upgrading Existing PCs

Your first instinct should be to upgrade your system components. You can begin by adding more RAM. Increasing your system’s RAM can improve Blender’s ability to handle large data files. Then, consider a more powerful graphics card with better CUDA or OpenCL support for an improved viewport performance.

You could also switch to a Solid State Drive (SSD) for your storage to reduce loading times and enhance overall system responsiveness. If possible, upgrade to a faster or multi-core processor to improve Blender’s rendering and computation speeds.

Optimizing Settings in Blender

After upgrading your hardware, how do you get the most out of them? By optimizing Blender configurations. Employing some or all of these tips guarantees improved performance.

• Adjust the viewport setting using the simplify options.

• Turn off shadows in the workbench viewport to improve viewport performance.

• Fine-tune render settings based on your project requirements to balance quality and speed.

• Utilize Blender’s caching options to optimize the playback of simulations and animations.

• Employ proxy videos for complex scenes to simplify the viewport representation.

• Avoid using arrays, as the modifier duplicates the geometry instead of using instances. Use geometry nodes instead of the array modifier to reduce the number of polygons.

Use Vagon’s Cloud Computers for Top Performance:

After a successful system upgrade and blender optimization, here is another alternative for resource-intensive tasks. Vagon offers cloud-based computing resources for resource-intensive tasks. With Vagon, you have access to high-performance hardware without the need for a physical local machine. For a detailed exploration of how to optimize your workflow, consider using Blender on a cloud computer. You can scale up, scale down, and collaborate on projects with ease. Vagon will provide a seamless environment for running Blender for an enhanced Blender workflow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right PC for Blender is necessary for great performance. To choose a PC, you will consider your specific needs, system requirements, and budget. We recommend custom-built workstations with top-tier components for Professionals and serious hobbyists. Budget-conscious users can opt for pre-built systems like the Dell G5. Alternatively, if you're working with less powerful hardware, learn how to use Blender on a low-end device effectively. Lastly, check out the Blender website regularly to stay up to date regarding hardware and software requirements. Do not hesitate to check out Vagon’s cloud computing solution for top Blender users.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. What are the recommended specs for Blender?

   • The recommended specs for Blender include a multi-core CPU with a speed over 2.9 GHz, a GPU with at least 12 GB of RAM, 32 GB of system RAM, and 1 TB of SSD storage. Meeting or exceeding these specs will ensure optimal performance when using Blender.

2. Is Blender CPU or GPU intensive?

   • Blender is both CPU and GPU intensive. The CPU handles complex calculations, while the GPU significantly speeds up rendering tasks, especially when using CUDA or OpenCL-compatible graphics cards.

3. Can you use Blender on a low-end PC?

   • Yes, you can use Blender on a low-end PC, but you may experience slower performance and longer rendering times. To improve performance on a low-end device, consider optimizing Blender's settings and using Vagon’s cloud-based computing solutions.

4. What is the minimum system requirement for Blender?

   • The minimum system requirements for Blender include a 64-bit dual-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a GPU with 4 GB of VRAM that supports OpenGL 4.3. However, for a smoother experience, it’s recommended to exceed these minimum specs.

5. Do you need a good PC for Blender?

   • Yes, a good PC is essential for using Blender effectively, especially for rendering complex scenes and animations. A well-equipped PC ensures that you can take full advantage of Blender’s features without facing performance issues.

6. Can you run Blender on an iPhone?

   • No, currently, Blender is not available for iPhone or other iOS devices. Blender is primarily designed for desktop operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.