What is Hybrid Rendering? #burningquestion

If you are new to 3D, you may have come across the term hybrid rendering. The Short Answer? It means that you can use both the GPU and CPU together for rendering. Some renderers utilize the CPU while others use the GPU. Then, there are a few renderers that use them together. This gives you the best of both worlds, like a car that uses both gas and electricity.

If you want to dive in a little deeper, keep reading. This is just an overview of hybrid rendering and why it can be helpful to 3D artists. This article is written in layman’s terms. In other words, I am not going to get too technical here. I’ll be explaining it as if I’m explaining it to my mom.

What are GPUs and CPUs?

First, let’s get some terminology explained. CPUs and GPUs are both microprocessors made of silicon. They both manage data. However, they really don’t do the same job.

You might call the CPU, or Central Processing Unit, the brain of the machine. It includes the logic unit, a control unit, decoding and execution of programs, and more^[2]. This is where your clock speed determines how fast your applications run. When you launch a program on your computer or save a file, this is the job of your CPU.

The GPU, or a Graphical Processing Unit, renders your graphics and video. First developed to speed up 3D processing, today, they also render lighting and shadows, and more complex 3D elements^[1]. They are generally more efficient, and the GPU has even evolved to handle more of the workload from the CPU. The GPU, sometimes confused with a graphics card, is actually the chip that lives on your graphics card.

If you’re a person who enjoys learning about the nuts and bolts of computers, watch the video below from Max’s Tech. He does a great job of explaining the duties of GPUs and CPUs and showing you what they look like inside your computer.

Why is Hybrid Rendering useful?

Hybrid Rendering takes the hybrid approach and uses both the CPU and GPU to render. This is becoming a more common option with renderers.

Which products have a Hybrid Rendering option?

Below are just a few products that have a hybrid rendering feature. This is by no means an exhaustive list, just a few.

Next Limit Maxwell

Maxwell has the option of rendering on GPU, CPU, or can render both at once. They do not seem to use the term “hybrid rendering” in their manual or marketing materials, however.

Maxwell also has a feature called Multi-GPU, introduced in Maxwell 5, which allows users to use two or more graphics cards while rendering. This is windows only, however. From the Maxwell system requirements, “Graphics cards that support CUDA platform (Nvidia), running on Windows. No AMD or Intel will work, sorry. This means the GPU engine is not supported for Mac, as they don’t use Nvidia cards.”

Redshift by Maxon

Redshift v3.5, released in April 2022, introduced Redshift CPU and Redshift XPU. Previously, Redshift was a GPU-only renderer and now it can also run on the CPU.

• Redshift CPU: lets users render with just the CPU. This will allow users to render at CPU render farms.
• Redshift XPU: let users render with a hybrid of the CPU and GPU simultaneously.
• With the latest update in September 2022, Redshift CPU also allows users to use Round Corners, a feature that was not available back in April when Redshift CPU was released.

cebas final Render

cebas finalRender developed trueHybrid™ technology – bringing the power of CPU and GPU together!

Sources

1. Central Processing Unit, Wikipedia.
2. CPU vs GPU: What’s the Difference, Intel.

In Depth: Why Should I Use V-Ray?

In summary, V-Ray is a powerful 3D rendering system built for designers, architects, and jack-of-all-trades. To be sure, click to learn about how artists use V-Ray. To emphasize, there are many examples and trial versions for every field!

Why Should I use V-Ray?