Redshift 3.5.19 review: faster than ever with new node for stylised rendering

Several small new features and a range of improvements make it into the latest version of this GPU-accelerated renderer.

Redshift 3.5.19 render by Eric Mcguire
(Image: © Eric Mcguire)

Our Verdict

Maxon Redshift 3.5.19 doesn't include any major new features which is a little disappointing but what it has provided is well implemented. The fact that Redshift is available across a range of DCCs means that it's much harder for Maxon to deliver big updates because they're focused on having to make iterative updates across multiple applications. This release will appeal to artists with an illustrative rendering style rather than to general 3D artists.

For

  • Faster CPU performance
  • New stylised rendering node
  • Distortion of bump maps

Against

  • Only small new features
  • Biased rendering only

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Redshift 3.5.19 system requirements

OS: Microsoft Windows 10+. Apple macOS 12.6+.
Processor:
64-bit processor with AVX2 support or SSE4.2 support
Min. memory: 16 GB RAM, recommended 32 GB RAM
GPU: NVIDIA GPU with CUDA compute capability 5.0 or higher, or AMD "Navi" or "Vega" GPU or later
GPU memory: 2GB VRAM

Many people will know Maxon Redshift as being a GPU renderer. Since its inception this has been its boast and one of its defining characteristics. The first thing you see if you open up their website is this claim: “The world's first fully GPU-accelerated, biased renderer.” It will probably come as a surprise to many to learn that Redshift, as of version 3.5 introduced CPU capabilities. 

The Verdict
8

out of 10

Maxon Redshift

Maxon Redshift 3.5.19 doesn't include any major new features which is a little disappointing but what it has provided is well implemented. The fact that Redshift is available across a range of DCCs means that it's much harder for Maxon to deliver big updates because they're focused on having to make iterative updates across multiple applications. This release will appeal to artists with an illustrative rendering style rather than to general 3D artists.

TOPICS
Paul Hatton
Writer

Paul is a digital expert. In the 20 years since he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science, Paul has been actively involved in a variety of different tech and creative industries that make him the go-to guy for reviews, opinion pieces, and featured articles. With a particular love of all things visual, including photography, videography, and 3D visualisation Paul is never far from a camera or other piece of tech that gets his creative juices going. You'll also find his writing in other places, including Creative Bloq, Digital Camera World, and 3D World Magazine. 

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