V-Ray is 3D model rendering software, usable with many different modelling programs but particularly compatible with SketchUp, Maya, Blender and others for which it has a specialized version. The software is frequently updated with under the hood features that allow it to take advantage of the latest CPUs and GPUs.

Interfacing With The 3D World

V-Ray was in use more than a decade ago as of this writing, making it an extremely mature application that's compatible with just about anything. Unfortunately, it also shows its age a bit in the interface which, despite streamlining in recent versions, is still dull, with lots of large and sometimes disorganized square panes full of small text. On the other hand, the program is very stable, never crashing in our testing, and some of its tools have clearly been perfected over the years to maximize usability: the sectioning tool, for example, makes it very easy to modify large sections of your render that need to be moved or removed.

Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep

Despite some interface problems, it's hard to argue with results. V-Ray's renders can be described without hyperbole as 'beautiful', and that's just what we've done. The more powerful your machine, the better: V-Ray takes advantage of all of the hardware power at its disposal, so run it on a proper workstation and you won't be disappointed.