Best computer for 3D modeling and rendering 2023

We run through 5 of the best 3D modelling capable desktop computers currently available

Monica White

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3D modeling is the process of creating a virtual three-dimensional model of a physical object. This technique is used in many different industries — so much so that these days, the vast majority of our favorite games or movies would not exist without the help of 3D modeling. It is also used in many scientific projects and helps pave the way to new breakthroughs and that requires some of the best computers for 3D modeling and rendering.

If you have an interest in 3D modeling, you probably know that it’s among the most demanding things your computer is ever going to face. While it can be attempted on machines that weren’t specifically built for it, a lot of them will struggle under such a heavy stress test.

Now that you’ve decided to get a prebuilt PC tailored to the needs of 3D modeling, you might be feeling dread instead of excitement due to all the questions that are tied to the purchase. What kind of CPU do you need? How much RAM? What graphics card? We know that the process of picking the right PC to invest your money in can be just as daunting as it is thrilling. For that reason, we’ve decided to create this guide.

Best computers for modeling at a glance

Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC Desktop (RTX 4090)

CPU

Intel Core i9 13900K

GPU

RTX 4090

RAM

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB NVME

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CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC (RTX 4070)

CPU

Intel i7-13700KF

GPU

RTX 4070

RAM

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB NVMe SSD & 2TB HDD

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iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMono 238i (RTX 3060 Ti)

CPU

Intel Core i5-12600KF

GPU

RTX 3060 Ti

RAM

16GB DDR4

Storage

500GB NVMe SSD & 1TB HDD

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Best computer for 3D modeling and rendering

Best overall PC for 3D modeling and rendering

Skytech Pro Eclipse Gaming PC Desktop (RTX 4090)

CPU

Intel Core i9 13900K

GPU

RTX 4090

RAM

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB NVME

How We Review

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Pros

• Features the best CPU and GPU for gaming
• Comes in a quality PC case with excellent airflow
• 32GB of DDR5 RAM
• 420mm AIO

Cons

• Only 1TB of storage

At the top of the list, as the best prebuilt for 3D modeling and rendering is the Skytech Pro Eclipse gaming PC. With the top selection of hardware available to users, there’s nothing that can beat it but that comes with a much higher price it asks for.

For its GPU, it comes with the top spec of the latest generation from Nvidia with the RTX 4090. Unless you opt for enterprise cards, this is the most powerful option to go for. It brings with it high efficiency and really fast rendering times. As that is something that Nvidia is the best option for over AMD. With 16,384 CUDA cores, 24GB of GDDR6X memory with over 1TB/s bandwidth, there is nothing quite like it for rendering and modeling without hitches.

As for the CPU, it has the Intel Core i9 13900K which is the best option to get the most out of the best GPU it is paired with. It also comes with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, which is the latest generation option that comes with a lot of speed and potential to power the processor in the PC.

Where you might find some drawbacks to the prebuilt is that it comes with 1TB of storage. Of course, it is an NVMe for fast loading and responsiveness, however, it might fill up quite quickly, especially with large files. Although you should be able to expand on it pretty easily even if at this price point you’d expect more. Where the machine also does well is with the cooling as the CPU has a 420mm AIO to keep it in line and provide plenty of airflow into the prebuilt and keep the performance going.

Second best PC for 3D modeling and rendering

CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC (RTX 4070)

CPU

Intel i7-13700KF

GPU

RTX 4070

RAM

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB NVMe SSD & 2TB HDD

How We Review

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Pros

• Fast CPU paired with the RTX 4070 gives you excellent gaming performance
• Aesthetically pleasing
• 3TB of storage

Cons

• Not the best airflow from the PC case

If you’re after something a couple of tiers down for a lower budget, the CyberpowerPC Gamer XTreme combines new-gen hardware with some more value options.

For its graphics card, it has an RTX 4070 bringing with it the same efficiency and power of the Ada series, it doesn’t cost the same as the higher tier options and is one of the better value options. Although it will cut back on some of the performance offered, the power of the architecture still brings with it and it can still work efficiently through any rendering and modeling.

It also scales back the processor used to an i7, but still in the 13th generation. This also does bring the DDR5 memory the latest and fastest option to go for. With 32GB of it, you also get a lot of RAM to support what the processor has to do especially when working on big files and models.

The machine also comes with 3TB of storage which should offer a lot of potential for storing all your files and applications. It’s split across a fast NVMe and a slow HDD, which does give you a lot of capacity overall. For the cooling, it gives you a 240mm AIO for the CPU and with three extra fans it should keep your performance up without throttling.

Best budget PC for 3D modeling and rendering

iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMono 238i (RTX 3060 Ti)

CPU

Intel Core i5-12600KF

GPU

RTX 3060 Ti

RAM

16GB DDR4

Storage

500GB NVMe SSD & 1TB HDD

How We Review

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Pros

• High quality build
• Seamless 1080p gaming performance
• Great aesthetics

Cons

• Only 500GB SSD

Now when it comes to a budget option, there is still some potential for a good 3D modeling and rendering machine. The iBuyPower Pro SlateMono 28i uses older gen hardware but comes at a lower price for it.

As it utilizes the RTX 3060 Ti, it does offer one of the best value options of the Ampere series. One of the more popular cards, it is great for 1440p or 1080p performance. But it also has the potential for 3D rendering and modeling as it still comes with the efficiency and power of Nvidia’s CUDA cores.

As for the processor, it comes with an i5-12600KF, that offers up good potential for the GPU and entire prebuilt. As it also comes with 16GB of DDR4, which does mean there is a lower potential over the newest DDR5 but does save on cost. That can be seen with the lower storage option it also opts for. It still combines a fast NVMe with a slow NVMe, but you only get 1.5 TB in total which still is a lot for most uses.

How we choose

Testing and reviewing PC parts, peripherals, and components is both a job and a passion for us here at WePC. Even though we’ve already picked out and recommended countless different products, it never gets dull. However, this means that we’ve got the process down to a T, and we’re here to use our experience to help you make the most informed choice for yourself.

We scour the Internet for exciting new releases as well as hidden gems, read user feedback, and pick out the best items to review. Once we’re able to, we put them through extensive testing and benchmarking, and only then do we form our final opinion.

We’re aware that choosing the right PC can be a stressful task, especially if you need one for something like 3D modeling and the requirements are high. To make things a bit easier, we’ve already done all the research — all you need to do is pick the computer you like the most!

How we test

In order for us to refer to a product as the best of the best in a given category, it has to first undergo hours of research, benchmarking, and most of all, stress testing. We don’t use the word “best” lightly and we’re quite picky. After all, it’s your hard-earned money — we want you to be happy with your final purchase.

Our testing process begins before we even get our hands on a given product. We scour the internet in search of information, benchmarks, and user feedback. We consider things such as build quality, individual components, the manufacturer, and how highly rated each part of the PC is.

When purchasing a pre-built computer, you save yourself a lot of time and headaches. However, pre-builds come with the risk of hiding subpar components underneath the guise of a high-end computer. We eliminate that factor for you by researching and testing each and every part of your future PC.

The final part is stress testing. As long as we can get our hands on a given product, we push it to the limit and then push it further. A good machine will perform well under stress, and that is what we looked for when assembling our list of best computers for 3D modeling.

Things to consider

You’ve seen our quick summary of our favorite five computers for 3D modeling, but we’re willing to bet that your list of questions hasn’t grown shorter just yet. For that reason, before we talk about our recommendations, we want to address some common concerns.

Which components matter the most?

As mentioned above, 3D modeling ranks high amongst some of the most taxing things your PC can do. The most popular software takes quite a bit of power to run, and then your computer is going to be even more strained under the pressure of heavy projects.

As 3D modeling relies heavily on the CPU, your processor is going to be the most important part of the whole build. However, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to aim for something with a lot of cores. Instead, consider picking a model with a powerful CPU that has a high clock speed and can also be overclocked.

The second thing for you to look at is the graphics card. The heavier the workload, the better the GPU — that’s the general rule. It’s also good to aim for at least 8GB of memory in a graphics card, although this is not a lot these days. As you are likely to do GPU rendering and not just CPU rendering, your computer needs to be strong on both fronts.
Some of the other things to consider include:

• RAM — while you can make do with 16GB, it won’t hurt to have more, and 32GB might be more comfortable, especially with multitasking and working on large projects.
• Storage — most modern PCs come with an SSD, and we highly recommend one. SSDs help your computer run much faster and save you time in the long run.
• Cooling — as 3D modeling is a constant stress test of sorts, basic cooling is almost never good enough. We took that into consideration and only included models that offer superb cooling capabilities.

Not everyone knows that 3D modeling is actually split into two types: CPU rendering, which makes use of the processor, and GPU rendering, which prioritizes the graphics card. The major difference lies in which part of your PC is going to be used the most.

The vast majority of 3D software in this day and age specializes in CPU rendering, so we stand by the opinion that your processor will play a crucial role in the overall performance of your PC. CPU rendering can handle more complex tasks and has more memory to use, so this is usually a good thing.

Before you settle on a given PC, make sure to check what type of rendering you’re going to mostly be doing. However, the desktops on our list all have good CPUs and graphics cards, so they will suffice regardless of the 3D modeling type.

What budget should I aim for?

We know that picking the right budget is one of the first things you will do when it’s time to shop for a new PC. That is why, when assembling this list, we made sure to cover all the bases and have also included a budget option.

We won’t lie to you — computers suited for 3D modeling are not exactly the cheapest on the market, but that is not to say they have to be expensive. Only you can know your needs fully, but to help you make up your mind, we’ve prepared a set of budget guidelines. Take a look and decide what to aim for!

• Low-end PC for 3D modeling – $600-1100
• Mid-range PC for 3D modeling (CPU) – $1000-1500
• Mid-range PC for 3D modeling (GPU) – $900-1500
• High-end PC for 3D modeling – $1500-2500

While some of the most pricey models will cost upwards of $3000, don’t feel like you can’t achieve good results with a budget build. Based on our tests, we were able to pick out computers that offer a mix of good features combined with an acceptable price tag.

Now that you know all the important factors for you to consider, read on to take an in-depth look at the best computers we were able to find!

Why is a powerful PC ideal for 3D modeling?

A powerful PC is needed for 3D modeling because it allows for faster processing and rendering of large, complex 3D models. 3D modeling software often requires a significant amount of memory and processing power to handle the large amount of data and calculations involved in creating and manipulating 3D models.

Additionally, 3D modeling software often utilizes the GPU for rendering and visualization, which can be a very demanding task for the computer. A powerful GPU can significantly reduce the time it takes to render high-quality images and animations.

Moreover, 3D modeling software often includes advanced features such as real-time rendering, physics simulations, and animation tools, which can be very computationally intensive and require a powerful PC to run smoothly.

In summary, a powerful PC is needed for 3D modeling to handle a large amount of data, perform complex calculations, and visualize the 3D models in real time.

Best PC for 3D modeling final words

If you’re in the market for a desktop to help you with all your 3D modeling needs, we don’t blame you if you’re feeling overwhelmed. With the number of options out there and all kinds of specs to consider, even tech-savvy people may end up settling for something subpar instead of searching for the best.

Our aim was to create a comprehensive guide that will help you decide what you need and then pick it out without the hassle of having to assemble it all by yourself. We hope that you were able to find your future PC among our picks.

Our Best Overall pick is the CyberpowerPC Supreme which strikes the perfect balance between pricing and sheer power. Remarkably quiet and reliable, this is a PC that could very well be placed higher thanks to its amazing performance during testing.

Still, take your time, read through all the options, and then, at last, take your pick. The right PC is right around the corner!