Blender 3D Hardware Requirements: What You Need To Get Started with Blender

1. What are the minimum requirements to run Blender? 
2. What are the optimal requirements to run Blender?
3. Looking for massive rendering power for large projects?
4. Can you run Blender on a Chromebook?

1 - What are the minimum computer requirements to run Blender? 

Minimum Requirements for Windows: 

• Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
• 8 GB RAM
• CPU with 4 cores with SSE4.2 Support
• Mouse, TrackPad, or Pen & Tablet,
• Graphics Card with 2GB RAM, OpenGL 4.3
• Less than 10 years old (generalizing)

Minimum Requirements for Mac

• MacOS 11.2 (Big Sur)
• CPU Apple Silicon or Intel
• 8 GB RAM
• GPU with Metal 2.2 (AMD, Apple Silicon, or Intel (Skylake or newer). 

Minimum Requirements for Linux

• Distribution with glibc 2.28 or Newer (64-bit)
• CPU with 4 cores with SSE4.1 Support
• 8 GB RAM
• GPU with 2GB VRAM with OpenGL 4.3 

Example Graphic Cards: 

• NVIDIA GeForce 400 or newer,
• AMD GCN 1st Gen and newer, 
• Intel Broadwell Architecture and newer

If you notice Blender slowing down, freezing, or stuttering, it might be a sign that your machine could use an upgrade.

If it’s within your budget. However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking your computer is never good enough without the latest gear. Your wallet will thank you for avoiding that mindset.

Now, let’s dive into the optimal hardware specifications recommended by the Blender Foundation.

Review the recommended Blender hardware requirements and supported Graphic cards from the Blender Foundation. https://www.blender.org/download/requirements/ 

2  - Let's cover what optimal hardware recommendations would be.

Recommended requirements for Windows

• Windows 10 or 11
• 32 GB RAM
• 2560×1440 display as a separate monitor
• Three-button mouse or pen+tablet
• Graphics card with 8 GB VRAM
• A couple of years old or newer (generalizing)

Recommended requirements for macOS

• macOS 14 (Sonoma)
• Apple Silicon
• 32 GB RAM

Recommended requirements for Linux

• 8 Cores
• 32 GB RAM
• 8 GB VRAM

Remember, the hardware recommendations we've given you are just the starting point.

If you want even more power and speed, you can always add more to your computer specs. But we also know that sometimes even the most high-end hardware can struggle with extremely complex scenes or large rendering jobs.

That's why there are plenty of other services and options out there to help you tackle those tough challenges without breaking the bank.

3 - What if you need massive rendering power for larger projects?

There will likely be a time when you have to render out an extensive animation or complex scene for a client or yourself that will consume your local hardware resources. 

Typically setting your computer to render overnight while you sleep will be enough. However, when it’s not, what are your options? You could either invest in more local hardware or lean on cloud-based rendering solutions that can cost-effectively amplify your workload capabilities. 

Below are a few examples of online rendering services: 

• Rentaflop
• Blender Grid
• Rebusfarm
• Render Street 

Beyond online dedicated services, there are a few Blender add-ons that will assist in bulk rendering such as Barista.

Another option for mass rendering is to boot up remote machines using computer streaming services such as Vagon (more on this below). 👇

4 - Running Blender on a Chromebook, can it be done?

Chromebooks are popular in schools and while it’s not impossible to run Blender on them, it can be challenging depending on the hardware specs and security policies put in place. 

Chromebooks run on an operating system called Chrome OS which is based on Linux. In order to run Blender on a Chromebook, you’ll need to enable the Linux app and gain access to the Terminal app. 

Furthermore, Chromebooks are typically not built to run native 3D applications. They’re more commonly built for internet browsing and light word processing.

Note: Keep in mind if you're running a Chromebook in a school environment, it’s very likely that you’ll be unable to enable what’s needed to run Blender due to security policies. Check with your IT department about what’s available. 

Here are the general steps to enable Linux apps on a Chromebook: 

1. Open the Settings app and click on Advanced and then Developers. 
2. Click the "Turn On" button to enable the Linux development environment. This will download the necessary files and install Linux on your Chromebook. Note you'll need at least 3GB of storage available to do this. 
3. Open the Linux Terminal app and enter the command "sudo apt-get update" to update the Linux package repositories.
4. When that has been completed, enter the command "sudo apt-get install blender" to download and install the latest version of Blender.
5. The Blender App should now be installed. 

If you cannot get Blender installed on your Chromebook, you may still be able to offer Blender through online streaming services such as Vagon. Vagon is a paid service that enables you to boot up a remote computer and stream it through a web browser. 

For example, you could boot up a remote computer, install Blender and then interact with it through your web browser in a seamless experience depending on your local internet connection. 

If this is of interest, they have a case study for CG Artists to read more about. 

It's worth mentioning https://opendata.blender.org/ as a place to review submitted benchmark reports to the Blender Foundation. If you're curious about specific GPUs and CPUs; if the newer generation gives enough of a boost for it to be worth the price. 

Related reading: 

• Blender’s story
• Beginners guide to Blender
• Read the ultimate Blender's teaching guide
• Understanding Blender's release schedule

Does Blender run on iOS or Android tablets? 

Blender does not run on Android (or iOS). The Microsoft Surface is one of the few tablets that can handle such tasks, given that it's essentially a compact laptop. However, Blender isn't optimized solely for pen or touch input, so having a keyboard is crucial.