Choosing the best graphics card for your 3D rendering needs

When crafting PBR materials, every 3D artist ensures they work well with the environment and light sources. Yet, this task can become a nightmare when working with a slow processor. Each time the camera moves, or the light source coordinates change, the scene restarts rendering from scratch. Investing even in a cheap graphics card for 3d rendering can accelerate this process by 3-5 times.

The main disparity between consumer and professional graphic cards lies in their software support. The best graphic card for 3D rendering is intricately optimized for exceptional performance in specialized software and ensures maximum compatibility with leading technical programs in computer graphics. Moreover, these card series are backed by the manufacturer for extended periods, making them a substantial long-term investment.

Let’s delve into the criteria that impact the selection of a professional graphic card for rendering.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a 3D Rendering Graphic Card

Before settling on a GPU for your computer, look at the tips below. We’ve crafted these pointers to ensure you make the most out of your investment and to assist you in selecting the ideal GPU that suits your rendering requirements.

Budget

Budget is the primary consideration when purchasing a GPU. While a high-quality GPU lasts around five years, aligning your budget with realistic expectations is essential. Chasing multi-thousand-dollar cards is possible if they’re within your financial reach.

When budgeting, acknowledge that professional video cards cost more than standard ones. Both display images on monitors, but professional cards are optimized differently in firmware to handle specific tasks like 3D design, gaming, film editing, and 3D graphics. Professional cards also come with drivers tailored for specific professional software, while regular cards can manage similar tasks much slower.

For professional graphics cards for rendering 3d, Nvidia offers a broader range, producing about ten cards per generation priced from $250 to $4,500. Yet, AMD also holds its ground. Their professional cards come with a 3-year warranty, extendable to 7 years.

Video Memory

The GPU relies on quick access to data for optimal performance, similar to how RAM operates for a central processor. This immediate data access, stored in video memory (VRAM), is crucial for efficient graphics rendering. It’s distinct from standard drive storage due to its rapid accessibility.

Critical characteristics of video memory include its type and volume. The relevant types are GDDR6 and GDDR6X, with the «X» denoting an upgraded version. GDDR6X offers enhanced operating frequency and bandwidth, elevating card performance by around 15%. However, GDDR6X is limited to older NVIDIA series. AMD uses standard GDDR6 across its devices.

What Happens if There Is Not Enough Video Memory?

VRAM plays a pivotal role in a computer or laptop’s graphics card. It stores essential data crucial for correctly rendering media files on your screen. When your video memory falls short, the system resorts to slower DRAM (PC random access memory) as a backup.

When there’s insufficient VRAM, it severely impacts graphic quality, leading to freezing or incorrect display of videos on the monitor. This often leads to reduced frame rates, occasional stuttering, and texture issues such as image distortion, lag, and frame tearing.

The card’s power and capabilities are directly linked to the memory available. Even the best 3d rendering graphics card can’t perform complex graphics calculations with limited VRAM.

Power Consumption

Power consumption stands as a crucial specification for any graphic card. Like central processors, video cards are among the primary energy consumers in a computer. Mid-range modern models usually demand between 150 and 250 watts, while superior models require up to 300 watts.

Meeting these power demands is vital through an adequate power supply. Otherwise, the computer may face stability issues like blue screens, unexpected reboots, or other malfunctions. Therefore, when building a computer for rendering needs, factoring in power consumption and choosing a suitable power supply capable of handling this load is crucial.

How to Increase GPU Overall Power Consumption

The video processor and memory don’t solely determine a video card’s overall power consumption. Factors like RGB lighting, cooling system fans, and other components also contribute, sometimes consuming several tens of watts. This can restrict the GPU’s maximum potential. By deactivating additional backlighting, upgrading to more efficient fans with the same power, or opting for a water cooling system, you can significantly boost the overclocking capabilities of these video cards.

Connectivity

Connectivity is vital when selecting the best graphic card for rendering 3d images, ensuring it fits your motherboard. It’s essential to verify compatibility between these components before making a purchase. Many modern card models tend to be quite sizable, often occupying two slots, posing additional challenges for the system’s cooling setup. Therefore, the chosen card must match technical specifications and physical dimensions.

Additionally, foreseeing the need to boost graphics power in the future might require installing an additional second video card. For this reason, the motherboard should support the technical capability to operate with two video cards simultaneously and feature the necessary number of connectors for connection. However, adapters can sometimes offer a workaround.

Also, you should remember the following:

• The number and type of output interfaces are crucial considerations. If you plan to connect two or even three monitors simultaneously, ensure the graphic card has enough connectors with the necessary types.
•  It’s wise to verify whether the card supports the resolution of your monitor, especially if it’s large or part of a multi-monitor setup. However, compatibility issues here are typically rare.

Performance

The clock speed of a video card directly influences its performance. Higher clock speeds mean the processor can handle more computations per unit of time. This speed affects how quickly a video card can render objects and prepare frames. Essentially, GPU frequency impacts both the graphics quality and the FPS (frames per second) level in rendering.

However, a graphics chip’s frequency isn’t the sole factor determining its performance. Other contributors include the card’s architecture, the speed and capacity of its video memory, and the data bus width that exchanges information between the card and other components.

Assessing a video card’s power involves considering not just the processor frequency but also these other specifications evaluating them collectively to gauge overall performance.

GPU Performance Class

The key to selecting a card lies in the last two digits of its model name, indicating its performance class:

• 30 and 40: Entry-level models with modest performance, suitable for smaller projects.
• 50 and 50Ti: Mid-range models suitable for small to medium-sized projects.
• 60 and 60Ti: Mid-upper level models ideal for extensive 3D work, particularly in large projects, mainly if they feature ample onboard memory.
• 70, 80, 80Ti, and 90: The best-recommended graphics card for 3d rendering, offering the highest available performance.

Summing Up

For skilled 3D artists, investing in a powerful graphic card for 3d rendering is crucial, as it significantly accelerates processes and enhances capabilities. However, choosing the right card demands considerable effort and investment. Moreover, owning modern equipment doesn’t guarantee quality work, especially if other PC components need to be updated.

If you’re a novice and feel hesitant about affording a robust video card or lack the expertise or resources to upgrade your visual system for top-tier rendering, seeking specialized assistance is wise. Genense Studio boasts experts equipped to craft or refine your project, layout, and presentation from scratch.