Learn the differences, benefits, and drawbacks of using GPU or CPU for 3D rendering. Find out how to choose the best option for your 3D visualization projects.

CPU rendering plays a crucial role in achieving high-quality visuals, especially for detailed offline projects. While it may not match the speed of GPU rendering for real-time tasks, its ability to handle complex calculations makes it invaluable for tasks requiring precision and realism. Perfect for those rendering projects where quality is the top priority!

Last updated on Aug 21, 2024

What are the pros and cons of using GPU vs CPU for 3D rendering?

3D rendering is the process of creating realistic images from 3D models using software and hardware. If you are a 3D artist, you may wonder whether you should use a GPU or a CPU for your rendering tasks. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs and preferences. In this article, we will explain the differences between GPU and CPU rendering, and the pros and cons of each method.

1 What is GPU rendering?

GPU rendering is a type of rendering that uses the graphics processing unit (GPU) of your computer or device. The GPU is a specialized chip that handles graphics and visual effects. It has hundreds or thousands of cores that can perform parallel calculations at high speed. GPU rendering is ideal for real-time rendering, interactive applications, and complex scenes with many lights and materials.

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2 What is CPU rendering?

CPU rendering is a type of rendering that uses the central processing unit (CPU) of your computer or device. The CPU is the main chip that runs the operating system and other programs. It has fewer cores than the GPU, but each core can handle more complex instructions and logic. CPU rendering is suitable for offline rendering, high-quality output, and accurate simulations and physics.

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Ehsan Geraei

Architect👷♂ | Freelance🧑💻 | BIM Modeler🏗 | 3D Visualizer | CG Artist | 3D Visualizer | Interior Designer🏣 | 3D Artist |I Revit Drafter🏢 Help Architects Turn their Imagination into Reality as Quickly as Passible.
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CPU rendering plays a crucial role in achieving high-quality visuals, especially for detailed offline projects. While it may not match the speed of GPU rendering for real-time tasks, its ability to handle complex calculations makes it invaluable for tasks requiring precision and realism. Perfect for those rendering projects where quality is the top priority!

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3 Pros of GPU rendering

GPU rendering has several benefits, such as faster performance, scalability, and flexibility. It can render images much quicker than CPU rendering, especially for large and detailed scenes. This can help you save time and money, and allow you to iterate and refine your work more easily. Moreover, you can scale up your rendering power and speed by adding more GPUs to your system. GPU rendering also supports a variety of rendering techniques and features, such as ray tracing, global illumination, ambient occlusion, depth of field, and motion blur. You can switch between different render engines and settings without affecting your scene setup.

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Ehsan Geraei

Architect👷♂ | Freelance🧑💻 | BIM Modeler🏗 | 3D Visualizer | CG Artist | 3D Visualizer | Interior Designer🏣 | 3D Artist |I Revit Drafter🏢 Help Architects Turn their Imagination into Reality as Quickly as Passible.
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Its speed and efficiency really make it a game-changer, especially for complex scenes where time is critical. The ability to easily scale up performance with additional GPUs is a huge advantage for professionals looking to enhance their workflow. Plus, the support for advanced rendering techniques unlocks new creative possibilities. Overall, GPU rendering seems essential for anyone aiming to push the boundaries of visual quality!

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4 Cons of GPU rendering

GPU rendering offers advantages in terms of speed and efficiency, however, there are some drawbacks to consider. For example, GPU rendering requires a high-end GPU or multiple GPUs which can be expensive to buy and maintain and may not be compatible with existing hardware or software. Additionally, GPU rendering relies on the memory of the GPU which is usually smaller than the memory of the CPU, limiting the size and complexity of scenes and potentially causing crashes or errors if the memory capacity is exceeded. Furthermore, GPU rendering may sacrifice some accuracy and quality for speed and efficiency; some render engines may use approximations or simplifications for certain effects or calculations which can result in artifacts or noise.

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Ehsan Geraei

Architect👷♂ | Freelance🧑💻 | BIM Modeler🏗 | 3D Visualizer | CG Artist | 3D Visualizer | Interior Designer🏣 | 3D Artist |I Revit Drafter🏢 Help Architects Turn their Imagination into Reality as Quickly as Passible.
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While the speed and efficiency it offers are impressive, the hardware requirements can indeed pose a significant barrier due to cost and compatibility issues. The limited memory on GPUs can be a major drawback for larger scenes, potentially leading to crashes if overexerted. Additionally, the trade-off between speed and accuracy highlights the importance of choosing the right render engine based on project needs. It’s crucial for users to weigh these factors to find the best solution for their rendering tasks!

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Constantin Kormann

Digital Learning Manager @ WHU | MBA Class of 2026
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A main problem of GPU rendering is memory. Modern scenes very quickly push past many Gigabytes in raw data. No matter how you compress your textures for example, they will always be converted into raw data on rendertime, making even 4K textures pretty heavy. Since GPUs often range between 4 and 12GB, with high end consumer cards reaching 24GB, this limit can be exceeded if you are not careful. Once you reach this limit, your renderer either crashes or goes "out of core", which means it has to utilize system RAM. This memory is often much larger (16-64GB usually), but a lot slower than modern GPU memory, slowing down your rendering.

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5 Pros of CPU rendering

CPU rendering has some advantages that can be beneficial for your projects. These advantages include the lower cost, as you do not need to invest in a specialized or expensive GPU, but can use your existing computer or device. Additionally, CPU rendering can access the memory of the CPU and the RAM, which are usually larger than the GPU memory, allowing you to render bigger and more complex scenes with more textures, geometry, and data. Moreover, CPU rendering can produce more accurate and realistic images with less noise and artifacts. For example, some CPU render engines can handle more advanced effects and calculations like caustics, subsurface scattering, and volumetrics.

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6 Cons of CPU rendering

CPU rendering can be slower and less scalable than GPU rendering, and it can be more limited in terms of rendering techniques and features. Performance can be affected, impacting productivity, creativity, costs, and deadlines. It may also be necessary to upgrade or replace the entire CPU or system to scale up. Additionally, some of the latest or most popular render engines or settings may not be available, or switching between them without changing the scene setup may not be possible.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Constantin Kormann

Digital Learning Manager @ WHU | MBA Class of 2026
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GPU rendering has been pushing CPU rendering slowly out of the market since Redshift and Octane became mainstream. Cycles X, used in Blender, is also a very strong contender. Even traditionally CPU based renderers like Arnold have stepped into the field with a GPU version. I think it is important to lay the groundwork for a solid GPU rendering capability in your workstation/renderfarm, if you are building one now. In the very near future, more and more realtime rendering applications, like Unreal 5, will put even more demand on high GPU power.

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What are the pros and cons of using GPU vs CPU for 3D rendering?

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1 What is GPU rendering?

2 What is CPU rendering?

3 Pros of GPU rendering

4 Cons of GPU rendering

5 Pros of CPU rendering

6 Cons of CPU rendering

7 Here’s what else to consider

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