Choosing a GPU for 3D modeling and rendering is a big decision, as it can make or break your experience. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best GPUs for Blender to help you find the perfect graphics card.
Blender is an open-source 3D computer graphics software that is used for modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and game development. It can handle an extremely wide range of tasks and projects.
Generally, you should choose a card which is within your budget, has enough VRAM for your monitor resolution, and has enough graphics processing power.
That said, let’s dig into the specifics of the best GPUs for Blender.
Best GPUs for Blender at a Glance
| No. | Item | |
| 1 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 (Editors’ Choice) | Check Price on Amazon |
| 2 | AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT | Check Price on Amazon |
| 3 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 4 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Check Price on Amazon |
| 5 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 6 | AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT | Check Price on Amazon |
| 7 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 8 | AMD Radeon RX 6800 | Check Price on Amazon |
1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 (Editors’ Choice)
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3090 takes the crown as the best GPU for Blender. Nvidia GPUs have always been known for their power and performance. The RTX 3090 did not disappoint – it was great to see how far they had come with their Ampere architecture.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 owns the best performance to price ratio among the Nvidia GeForce RTX cards. This card uses the Nvidia Ampere architecture to provide an immersive 3D modeling, rendering and gaming experience with real-time ray tracing, AI enhanced anti-aliasing, and deep learning super sampling (DLSS) for advanced anti-aliasing and 4K UHD resolution support.
Elsewhere, it features 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM, 10,496 CUDA cores, plus 328 Tensor cores, 82 RT Cores and an incredible 1695 MHz boost clock speed with real-time ray tracing capabilities. This means that the process of rendering realistic environments will be more realistic than ever before.
For the uninitiated, ray tracing is a computer technique for simulating optical ray tracing, the transport of light through space, and rendering 3D scenes using geometric representations of irradiance values or color indices on surfaces with different characteristics or textures.
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3090 can handle multiple tasks simultaneously because it has a lot of memory and a huge number of cores.
It’s also worth adding that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 supports NVLink for connecting multiple cards together to harness VRAM. With NVLink, it is easier to scale up your experience to Ultra HD resolutions and 4K UHD resolutions. The card also comes with three DisplayPort 1.4 connections and one HDMI 2.1 connection for maximum performance in multiple displays. The HDMI 2.1 supports 4K 120Hz HDR, 8K 60Hz HDR and Variable Refresh Rate.
These features make the RTX 3090 more powerful than the previous generation.
Aside from 3D modeling and rendering, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is also ideal for gamers who want to play at 4K resolution and HDR. With it, you can experience games and multimedia at an entirely new level of immersion and realism. In fact, this high-end GPU has been designed for high-intensity games and VR headsets such as Oculus Quest 2, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR.
If money is no object, and you want the best GPU for Blender that gives you more power than ever before, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is the way to go.
PROS
- Extremely fast
- Ideal for rendering, gaming and content creation
- Incredible ray tracing performance
- Faster than RTX 3080
- Good cooling
- Excellent value for money
CONS
- Pricey
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 10496
GPU: Ampere (GA102)
Video RAM: 24GB GDDR6X 19.5 Gbps
Boost Clock: 1695 MHz
TDP: 350 watts
2. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
Another impressive GPU for Blender worth highlighting is the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is one of the best GPUs on the market. It is the best AMD GPU for 3D modeling, rendering as well as gaming.
The RX 6800 XT is a powerful graphics card with a good balance of performance and efficiency. It comes with a 2250 MHz boost clock and 16GB GDDR6 VRAM. It also provides performance that can be competitive to the Nvidia RTX 3080.
With a memory bandwidth of 256 GBs, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is faster than a good number of GPUs out there. This card offers a significant boost in performance compared to the RX 5700 XT and it also features a cheaper price tag than its competitors (we’re looking at you, the Nvidia RTX 3090 and RTX 3080).
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is both VR ready and VR capable.
You’d be impressed by its advanced cooling system that ensures optimal performance at all times. Its cooling is very effective.
It supports ray tracing using DirectX Raytracing or VulkanRT.
Port selection is fair: two DisplayPort 1.4 connectors, a single HDMI 2.1 port, and a USB-C port for VR headsets and charging.
If there is an Achilles’ heel here, it’s mostly to do with its ray tracing performance which isn’t on the level of the Nvidia RTX 3090 and RTX 3080. Again, when it comes to 4K, the 6800 XT lags slightly behind the RTX 3080.
There’s no getting around the fact that the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT still remains an excellent GPU for 3D modeling and rendering.
PROS
- First-rate performance
- Handles 4K and 1440p like a champ
- Ample VRAM
- Not as expensive as RTX 3080
- Ideal for rendering, gaming and content creation
- Excellent cooling
- Quiet
CONS
- Ray tracing performance could be better
- Slower than RTX 3080 at 4K
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 4608
GPU: Navi 21 XT
Video RAM: 16GB GDDR6 16 Gbps
Boost Clock: 2250 MHz
TDP: 300 watts
3. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
If you are looking to buy a powerful GPU for Blender, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 should be near the top of your list.
Like the RTX 3090, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is powered by the Nvidia Ampere graphics architecture. It comes with 10GB GDDR6X VRAM. The RTX 3080 also includes an RT Cores, media cores, and Tensor cores which make it a powerful device for any game available.
The RTX 3080 can provide more than enough power for most 3D rendering software as well as 4K games with no problem at all. With regard to performance, it’s better than the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080.
What’s more, it has support for ray tracing, DLSS and more. It’s the perfect graphics card for gamers as it provides a high frame-rate at 4K resolution. In fact, the ray tracing performance of the Ampere architecture is twice that of Nvidia Turing graphics cards.
This amazing card comes with a price tag to match, but for creators and most gamers, it’s worth it.
An A+ for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080’s cooling system. Power efficiency is top-notch, too.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 remains an excellent GPU for 3D modeling, rendering and gaming at max settings.
PROS
- Outstanding performance
- Perfect for rendering, gaming and content creation
- Faster than previous gen GPUs
- Good pricing
- Excellent value for money
- Power efficient
- Low temperatures
CONS
- Limited availability
- A bit pricey
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 8704
GPU: Ampere (GA102)
Video RAM: 10GB GDDR6X 19 Gbps
Boost Clock: 1710 MHz
TDP: 320 watts
4. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Nvidia is redefining the graphics cards industry with its GeForce RTX line of graphics cards. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a powerful card that delivers fast performance and advanced features to meet the demands of next-generation games and AI-enhanced graphics. It is one of the best graphics cards for Blender.
It comes with a 1665 MHz boost clock, a 256-bit memory interface width and 8GB GDDR6 VRAM (equivalent to the memory tucked inside the RTX 3070). It features 4864 CUDA cores, more than the 2176 the RTX 2060 manages.
The RTX 3060 Ti provides performance better than the RTX 2080 Super. Like the RTX 3090 and RTX 3080, it is built on the Nvidia Ampere architecture.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the top choice for both 1080p and 1440p. The GPU offers players a smoother, more responsive experience with a frame rate of 60fps. It also supports deep learning super sampling (DLSS) and real-time ray tracing, which delivers an excellent level of realism.
This card has a superior cooling system for longevity and efficiency.
There are some shortcomings, notably the 8GB VRAM which isn’t sufficient for some. Plus, when it comes to 4K performance, the RTX 3060 Ti is not on par with top end blowers, like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 and RTX 3080. That said, 4K games that are 60fps should be playable on this GPU with no performance issues.
It’s hard not to be impressed by the RTX 3060 Ti. If you’re looking for a GPU for Blender that provides excellent performance at a reasonable price, this is certainly a solid buy.
PROS
- First-rate 1080p performance
- Impressive ray tracing performance
- Good cooling
- Runs quiet
- Insane value for money
- Can handle 4K at lower settings
CONS
- Could use more VRAM
- 4K performance won’t win awards
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 4864
GPU: Ampere (GA104)
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6 14 Gbps
Boost Clock: 1665 MHz
TDP: 200 watts
5. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is an excellent option for anyone looking for a fast mid-range graphics card manufactured by Nvidia. It can be perfect for 3D rendering, animation, video editing, gaming, or anything in between. It may not pack as much oomph as the RTX 3090 and 3080, but for its price range, it sure does pack a punch.
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070 uses the Ampere architecture with compute power that can be used to render at 4K resolution.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8GB of memory, which makes it a good option for high-resolution gaming. Plus, it features 5888 CUDA cores and 1730 MHz boost clock.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 also supports ray tracing and DLSS technology, which means that all new games will be able to take advantage of these features if they are coded for them. The impressive ray tracing performance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 should keep gamers and anyone using this graphics card happy.
Its cooling is stellar and power consumption is realistic.
A few “buts” if we’re being honest. Still, as good as a GPU as it is, it’s expensive. Like the RTX 3060 Ti, the RTX 3070’s 8GB VRAM isn’t sufficient for some people. AMD’s RX 6800 series graphic cards boast twice this VRAM.
If neither of those things gives you pause, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 3060 is one of the best GPUs for Blender you will find in this segment.
PROS
- Very fast performance
- Impressive Ampere performance chops
- Amazing ray tracing performance
- Good cooling
CONS
- Just 8GB VRAM
- Expensive
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 5888
GPU: Ampere (GA104)
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6 14 Gbps
Boost Clock: 1730 MHz
TDP: 220 watts
Notable Mentions
Here are other GPUs for Blender worth considering, too.
6. AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
PROS
- Fast
- Decent overclocking
- Incrementally faster than RX 6800 XT
- Low power consumption
- Impressive 1080p performance
CONS
- Limited
- Expensive
- Poor ray tracing performance
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 2048
GPU: Navi 23
Video RAM: 8GB GDDR6 16 Gbps
Boost Clock: 2589 MHz
TDP: 160 watts
7. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
PROS
- Good performance
- Cheaper than RTX 3090 and 3080
- Plenty of VRAM
- Low power consumption
- Good value
- Perfect for 1080p and 1440p
CONS
- Slightly noisy
- RTX 3060 Ti is a tad better in performance
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 3840
GPU: Ampere (GA106)
Video RAM: 12GB GDDR6 15 Gbps
Boost Clock: 1777 MHz
TDP: 170 watts
8. AMD Radeon RX 6800
PROS
- Superb performance
- Better than RTX 3070 in non-RT
- Ray Tracing support
- Plenty of VRAM
- Good value
- Power efficient
CONS
- Ray tracing performane isn’t top-notch
- Pricier than RTX 3070
AMD Radeon RX 6800 Key Specifications
GPU Cores: 3840
GPU: Navi 21 XL
Video RAM: 16GB GDDR6 16 Gbps
Boost Clock: 2105 MHz
TDP: 250 watts
| No. | Item | |
| 1 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 (Editors’ Choice) | Check Price on Amazon |
| 2 | AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT | Check Price on Amazon |
| 3 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 4 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Check Price on Amazon |
| 5 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 6 | AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT | Check Price on Amazon |
| 7 | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | Check Price on Amazon |
| 8 | AMD Radeon RX 6800 | Check Price on Amazon |
Bottom Line
We’ve highlighted the best GPUs for Blender. These GPUs boast impressive performance chops geared towards enhancing your 3D modeling, rendering and post-production processes. The GPUs we’ve x-rayed provide the best bang for your buck and are highly recommended.
