macOS versions of AMD’s Radeon™ ProRender plugins for Blender and Maya are now available for 3D artists using Apple’s Mac computer systems that support the Apple Metal 2 API and external GPUs for maximum rendering performance.
Following on a beta release this past February, the final plugins are now available and support AMD’s powerful, physically-based rendering engine for CAD designers and 3D artists.
Radeon ProRender for macOS — What’s Available
Radeon ProRender technology is supported via add-ins for Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Maya, Blender, and Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS.
01 – Viewport Denoising is supported in AMD’s Radeon ProRender technology via macOS plugins for Maya, Blender and inboard tech in Cinema 4D. (image: AMD / Architosh. All rights reserved.)
Additionally, the rendering technology is natively integrated into Maxon’s CINEMA 3D R19. So in addition to CINEMA 4D on Mac, the latest plugins for Maya and Blender on macOS add additional options for 3D artists on Apple’s platform, tapping into the benefits associated with Metal 2.
Radeon ProRender Details
The Blender and Maya plugins for macOS include an updated Uber Shader that enables better PBR workflows and enhanced subsurface scattering (SSS) for better skin rendering. The Blender plugin now includes more AOV (arbitrary output variables) options such as reflections and diffuse lighting can be composited with the final render.
MORE: Maxon Taps AMD Radeon ProRender Technology for CINEMA 4D
There is also now interactive viewport denoising with the macOS version, something that was previously released on Windows first. Radeon ProRender supports denoising for both final renders and interactive renders. The plugins also support Volumetrics to render advanced effects like smoke, fog, and clouds for more realistic images at faster render times.
Metal 2 Support
As part of CINEMA 4D R19 for macOS, Radeon ProRender became the first production renderer to support Apple’s Metal 2 API, that maximizes the performance of GPU-accelerated rendering on macOS, with this recent update to CINEMA 4D R19 SP2 update.
Availability and External GPUs
The macOS Radeon ProRender plugins for Bender and Maya are available now, require macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 or higher, and support all Apple Mac systems that support Metal 2.
In addition, macOS High Sierra 10.13.4’s new support for external graphics processors (eGPUs) allows macOS Blender and Maya Radeon ProRender users to harness the rendering power of select Radeon™ RX and Radeon™ Pro WX graphics cards on their Macs (such as Radeon™ RX 580, Radeon™ RX Vega64, and Radeon™ Pro WX 9100 GPUs), when used with a compatible eGPU Thunderbolt™ 3 chassis.
AMD has user guides and downloadable links to the new plugins here on this page. To learn more click here and watch the video below.
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