How to Choose the Best 3D Application for Your Needs

Check the System Requirements and Hardware

To run many 3D programs smoothly, you will need to have a machine with powerful hardware. When you’re auditioning 3D software, the system requirements below are the most important to consider to ensure that your computer can run your 3D software efficiently and effectively.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to check system requirements and download a trial version of the software before making a purchase. So, before you get started, know your computer’s specs and make sure that it meets the requirements of the 3D software.

It’s worth getting the best computer you can afford before diving into 3D. If you are using an older computer, it’s possible that current versions of some 3D software will not run on your computer or on the OS you have installed. This will allow you to eliminate a few tools right away and hone down your list of potential tools.

1. Processor: The processor is one of the most important components for running 3D software. If you’re in the market for a new computer look for a processor with multiple cores and a high clock speed, such as an M-Series Mac, an Intel Core i7 or i9, or an AMD Ryzen processor. If you’re using your existing computer, make sure that it meets the requirements of the 3D software.
   
2. RAM: 3D software can be extremely memory-intensive, so having enough RAM is important for running complex scenes and projects. On the low end, 16 GB RAM is recommended.
   
3. Graphics Card: For high performance, a dedicated graphics card is essential for running 3D software, as it is responsible for rendering the graphics on the screen. You’ll need a graphics card with at least 4GB of VRAM, such as an NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon graphics card.
   
4. Storage: 3D projects (and software) can quickly fill up your hard drive, so having enough storage is important. You’ll need at least 500GB of storage, but preferably 1TB or more. If space is an issue, you can use external drives, but consider using an SSD instead of a traditional hard drive for faster access to files.
   
5. Operating System: 3D software has specific requirements for the versions of a supported operating system. The software may not run on a system from 2018, for example. Make sure that your computer meets the recommended specifications. This may seem obvious, but as someone who sells software, I can tell you that this is often something that is often overlooked. Look for software that supports the latest versions of Windows or macOS, too.
   
6. Display: Yes, you can work on a laptop, but a high-quality display will be so much more satisfying when working with 3D software. You’ll want a high-resolution monitor with color accuracy, as well as support for a wide color gamut if you working with color-critical work.

The User Interface

When you’re evaluating a 3D app, look for features that make your life easier like a user-friendly design, responsiveness, and customizations. Here are some things to look for in a 3D application’s interface.

1. Customizability: A good 3D application should allow you to customize the interface to suit your workflow and preferences. For example, some customizable features you may want are the ability to rearrange menus, create custom toolbars, or assign your own keyboard shortcuts.
   
2. Intuitiveness: When you dive in for the first time, is the interface designed in a way that makes it easy to understand and navigate? Look for a 3D application with a clean, organized interface, and logical menu structures.
   
3. Consistency: A consistent interface makes it easier to learn and use the application. What does that mean? Look for consistent labeling, menu structures, and keyboard shortcuts across the application’s features and tools.
   
4. Responsiveness: Does the software respond quickly and smoothly to user input, with minimal lag or delays? Are the controls easy to use? Make sure you test the software while working with complex scenes and high-resolution assets to really put it to the test.
   
5. Accessibility: If you have color blindness, limited mobility, or a different level of physical abilities, you already know how important good accessibility can be. Look for accessibility features like high-contrast modes, keyboard navigation, or support for assistive technologies.

Modeling and Animation Features to Look For

Now we’re getting into the meat of it! The heart, soul, and backbone of every 3D application lie in its modeling and animation tools. In order to produce remarkable results, you will need a robust set of modeling and animation tools. You will also want them to be efficient and have all of the bells and whistles that you require. If you’re new to the 3D world, choosing the right tools might seem overwhelming. Take a look at some of the top features to consider below. That said, if the application doesn’t quite have all of the features that you need, there may be a plugin that can do the job with ease.

1. Polygon Modeling: A polygon modeling tool allows you to create complex shapes by manipulating individual vertices, edges, and faces. More on Polygonal Modeling.
   
2. Sculpting: With sculpting tools, artists create organic shapes and textures by “sculpting” them in a way that mimics real-world materials like clay.
   
3. UV Unwrapping: UV unwrapping is the process of flattening a 3D model into a 2D texture map, which is then used to apply textures and materials to the model. A good 3D application should have tools for efficient and accurate UV unwrapping.
   
4. Rigging and Animation: A rigging tool allows you to create a skeleton for a character or object, which can then be animated. Especially if you are going to be creating character animations, you will need intuitive and powerful rigging and animation tools.
   
5. Particle Systems: Particle systems allow you to create complex, dynamic effects like smoke, fire, and explosions. Look for an application that offers a variety of particle presets and customization options.
   
   Alternatively, if you’re going to be creating a lot of visual effects, there are many powerful 3rd-party particle systems, like X-Particles and FumeFX. Who knows? Your choice of 3D application could hinge on the particle system you want to use.
   
   Also, if you’re mainly working with architectural design, you may not need a particle system.
   
6. Physics Simulations: Physics simulations allow you to simulate real-world physical effects like gravity, collisions, and fluid dynamics. Look for applications with advanced physics simulation tools for more realistic and complex effects.
   
   Again, there are some great third-party plugins available. For example, RealFlow is a fast multi-physics simulator for several 3D applications. In other words, if this is an area where the 3D application that you’re interested in is lacking, perhaps you want to look into some plugin options.
   
   If you’re mainly working with architectural design, you may not need a physics simulator. Then again, it could be helpful to add water features to your projects.
   
7. Rendering: The last stage of your pipeline is rendering. A good 3D application should have a robust rendering engine that can produce high-quality images and animations. Look for applications with advanced lighting and shading tools, as well as support for advanced rendering techniques like ray tracing. The most popular 3D applications also support several third-party renderers. More on that, below.

Rendering Quality and Speed

When it comes to producing final output from a 3D application, the rendering engine’s quality and speed are of paramount importance. Ideally, you want a balance between rendering quality and speed. For optimal results, keep these key factors in mind:

1. Rendering Engine: The rendering engine is the core component of a 3D application that generates the final output of a scene. Look for applications with powerful and efficient rendering engines that can produce high-quality output quickly.
   
2. Quality Settings: Most 3D applications allow you to adjust quality settings to optimize the balance between rendering speed and output quality. Look for applications that offer a range of quality presets as well as fine-grained control over individual settings like anti-aliasing, sampling rate, and depth of field.
   
3. Hardware Acceleration: Many 3D applications take advantage of hardware acceleration to speed up rendering times. The GPU is designed for parallel processing to work with a lot of data at once. Look for applications that offer support for GPU rendering or other specialized hardware to accelerate rendering speed.
   
4. Output Formats: The output format of a render can greatly impact both quality and speed. Look for applications that offer a range of output formats, including high-resolution images and animations, as well as support for industry-standard file formats like EXR or Alembic.
   
5. Distributed Rendering: Distributed rendering allows you to spread the workload of rendering a scene across multiple machines or nodes, which can greatly speed up rendering times. Look for applications that offer support for distributed rendering either natively or through third-party plugins. For more information, check out In Depth: Render Farms / Network Rendering / Distributed Rendering.
   
6. Rendering Plugins: With many 3D applications, users can extend the functionality of the rendering engine or add new features by using a separate renderer. Some popular rendering tools you may have heard of are V-Ray, Arnold Render, and Redshift. Look for applications with a strong plugin ecosystem to expand the rendering capabilities of the software.
   
   Want more information about 3D Rendering Software? See: In Depth: Which 3D render engine is best?

Support for Common File Formats

Efficient collaboration and workflow are crucial to a 3D pipeline. Your 3D application should support commonly compatible file formats, enabling seamless import and export of files. For example, a 3D model created in one software application may need to be imported into another application for texturing, lighting, or animation. Whether you’re working with other artists or departments, look for 3D software that provides the ability to import and export files in various formats, minimizing the risk of errors or compatibility issues.

This is also important if you are downloading models from the internet. If your 3D application supports common formats, you have more options for models.

Some common 3D formats used by 3D rendering software include:

1. OBJ: A popular 3D model format that can be used by many different applications.
2. FBX: A proprietary format developed by Autodesk that is widely supported by many 3D applications.
3. STL: A format commonly used for 3D printing, but also used for 3D modeling.
4. Collada: An open standard for exchanging digital assets between different software applications.
5. Alembic: A format designed for exchanging large amounts of animated geometry and other data between different applications.
6. glTF: An open-source and royalty-free 3D file format.
7. USD: Developed by Pixar, Universal Scene Description, or USD, is an extremely fast and efficient platform built for collaboration. USD is fairly new and open source.

Find out How Often the Software is Updated

It may seem trivial but it’s important. Check out the release notes for the software you are checking out. If a company has slow development, they are not likely to keep up with OS updates or bug fixes. When users bought M1 computers, we were barraged with inquiries about software support. Let’s just say there are still some frustrated 3D artists out there.

Companies that are slow in updates and product development likely do not have as many tutorials either.

Going with the Popular Choice

It often makes sense to go with a paid version of popular software, like Cinema 4D, Autodesk Maya, etc. Why? Because the tools are updated often, bugs are usually fixed quickly and they support the latest operating systems and software. They also have large user bases, meaning that you will be able to find help on forums and lots of tutorials on YouTube, and you’ll always have options for plugins, both paid and free.

3D Application Rundown

Because there are so many options available, we are focusing on software that we sell at Toolfarm. To be clear, we’re not snubbing any other products on the market. Yes, there are some great free tools out there, as well. Also, we are only covering full 3D modeling applications, not plugins.

References

Comparison of 3D Computer Graphics Software, Wikipedia

The best 3D modelling software in April 2023, Creative Bloq, by Georgia Coggan, published December 19, 2022

The Best 3D Modeling Software in 2023 (April), Just Creative, by Jacob Cass, April 6, 2023