If you’re using Maya 2026 and wondering whether to render with Arnold on CPU or GPU, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions among 3D artists, especially when deadlines are tight and hardware isn’t cheap. While both options have their strengths, the right choice really depends on what you’re doing and what kind of system you’re using. In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between Arnold CPU vs GPU in Maya, what’s new in Arnold 2026, and help you figure out which option is best for your workflow.
Let’s get started!
Arnold CPU vs GPU: What’s the Difference?
Arnold is a ray-traced rendering engine developed by Autodesk, known for its physical accuracy and versatility. It is one of the most widely used photorealistic rendering systems in computer graphics worldwide, especially in animation and VFX for film and television.
Since its launch in 1998, Arnold has originally a pure CPU rendering engine with superior performance in handling complex calculations and rendering tasks. Its multi-core CPUs can distribute workloads efficiently, reducing rendering times. The CPU option is perfect for high-resolution scenes or when working on projects that require intricate details and photorealistic images.
It was not until 2019 when Arnold 6.0 was released that it started supporting GPU rendering. It was introduced as part of an effort to harness the power of modern graphics cards. While the CPU version focuses on precision and stability, Arnold GPU is geared towards accelerated rendering using NVIDIA’s RTX technology. This allows artists to get real-time feedback and significantly reduce render times. GPU rendering is ideal for rendering simple scenes or when working on projects that require quick turnaround times.
What’s New in Arnold 2026?
Autodesk has released Arnold 7.4.3, the latest version of the production renderer, in July this year.
The highlight of this release is the Inference Imager, which lets you apply machine learning models to your renders using the ONNX framework. It allows image-to-image style transfer. So you can take the look of a reference image and apply it to your final render. The Inference Imager is perfect for non-realistic effects like animated shadows or watercolors. While the feature is great for still images, Autodesk notes that it may not be suitable for animations due to frame-to-frame consistency issues.
Performance-wise, this release is a big improvement. First, it’s faster to render volumes, which can be up to 3.3x faster if you use volume types like OpenVDB. And scenes using Global Light Sampling are up to 2.5x faster. GPU rendering of glossy materials is also better optimized. There are also improvements to OpenPBR materials, especially for subsurface scattering on thin surfaces and more physically accurate metal shading.
On the pipeline side, improvements include better USD support and updated HTML rendering reports. It’s important to note that this will be the last Arnold release that supports CentOS 7, as that OS has reached end-of-life. Future releases will require Linux systems with more up-to-date libraries, such as glibc 2.17 and libstdc++ 4.8.5. Finally, most of the plugins that integrate Arnold into other software have been updated to support version 7.4.3. The Houdini plugin has not yet been updated.
3ds Max: MAXtoA 5.8.3
Cinema 4D: C4DtoA 4.8.3
Katana: KtoA 4.4.3
Maya: MtoA 5.5.4
Arnold CPU vs GPU: Performance Comparison
Arnold CPU Rendering Performance
When using a CPU to render with Arnold, performance is determined by factors such as the number of CPU cores, clock speed, and memory bandwidth. The more CPU cores, the faster the rendering process. Additionally, higher clock speeds and memory bandwidth contribute to faster calculations and data transfer.
Many professionals choose Arnold CPU rendering because of its flexibility and ability to handle complex scenes and large amounts of data. CPUs are also generally more reliable and stable than GPUs when processing complex calculations. It is a good choice for high-demand projects. However, Arnold CPU rendering can be slower than GPU rendering, especially for tasks that rely heavily on parallel processing. Since CPUs typically have fewer cores than GPUs, they can be inefficient in situations involving processing large amounts of data simultaneously.
With Arnold Maya CPU rendering, core count, and architecture matter. Intel’s new hybrid architectures like the i9-13900K are clearly delivering better rendering performance, but AMD’s high-core count Ryzen 7000 and 5000 series CPUs are still very competitive. For artists or studios focused on CPU rendering, investing in a high-end CPU like the i9-13900K or Ryzen 9 7950X will significantly reduce render times.
Advantages:
CPU rendering is flexible and can handle complex scenes and large data sets efficiently.
CPU-based systems are generally more stable and reliable for handling complex and demanding calculations.
CPU performance is easily scaled by upgrading to higher core counts or higher clock speeds.
Suitable for software that does not support GPU acceleration.
Disadvantages:
CPU rendering can be slower than GPU rendering
Long rendering times limit real-time feedback during production.
CPUs are more expensive than GPUs
CPU rendering consumes more power
Arnold GPU Rendering Performance
Arnold GPU rendering has become popular in recent years due to advances in GPU technology and the advent of high-performance graphics cards. GPUs excel at parallel processing, making them ideal for tasks that require large amounts of data to be processed simultaneously.
When using GPU rendering, the main factors that affect performance are the graphics card specifications, such as the number of CUDA cores, clock speed, and memory bandwidth. GPUs with a higher number of CUDA cores, higher clock speeds, and wider memory buses can provide better rendering performance.
In the Maya Arnold benchmark score from Sir Wade Neistadt, we see that the RTX 5090 – the latest graphics card from NVIDIA is the king. Specifically, its rendering performance is 59% faster than the RTX 4090 and more than 2 times faster than the RTX 3090. But RTX 5090 is very expensive and is in short supply, so it is harder to buy.
In the CGdirector benchmark, the RTX 4090 leads in performance. In addition, the RTX 4080 SUPER has almost the same performance as the RTX 4080 but at a lower price. Moreover, in terms of value, the RTX 4070 SUPER seems to be quite good compared to the rest of the cards.
If you are using Arnold GPU to render scenes, the RTX 4090, RTX 4080 SUPER or RTX 4070 SUPER are the best choices.
Advantages
GPU rendering is significantly faster than CPU rendering.
Real-time feedback allows for rapid iteration and adjustment.
Graphics cards are more cost-effective than high-performance CPUs.
Lower power consumption.
Disadvantages
GPUs may not be able to handle complex scenes or large datasets as efficiently as CPUs.
Not all software supports GPU acceleration.
GPU rendering is highly dependent on graphics card specifications, so frequent upgrades are needed.
Graphics cards generate more heat and require additional cooling solutions.
Price and Hardware Requirements
Autodesk Arnold is rental-only, with single-user subscriptions now costing $55/month or $430/year. It also offers a 30-day free trial for you to try out before paying.
In general, Arnold is going to work on pretty much any 64-bit system where Houdini, Maya, Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, or Katana works. However, there are some minimum requirements:
Windows 10 or later, with the Visual Studio 2019 redistributable.
Linux with at least glibc 2.17 and libstdc++ 4.8.5 (gcc 4.8.5). This is equivalent to RHEL/CentOS 7.
macOS 10.13 or later.
x86-64 CPUs need to support the SSE4.1 instruction set. Apple Mac models with M-series chips are natively supported.
GPU rendering and Optix denoising work on Windows and Linux only, and require an NVIDIA GPU with the Maxwell architecture or later.
On Linux, we recommend 570.153.02 or higher drivers.
On Windows, we recommend 573.42 or higher drivers.
Intel OIDN GPU support is limited to:
Intel Xe dedicated and integrated GPUs
NVIDIA GPUs using Turing or newer architectures
Memory Considerations
In addition to performance considerations, memory plays an important role in rendering with Arnold CPU and GPU. Both rely on system memory and graphics memory to store and process data. CPU rendering requires more RAM due to the processing of large data sets and complex scenes. While GPU rendering, the graphics card is equipped with its own dedicated memory, called VRAM. The amount of VRAM determines the ability to process data during rendering.
When working with Arnold Render, it is important to ensure that the system has enough RAM and VRAM to meet the rendering requirements. Lack of memory can lead to performance issues, such as slow render times, system crashes, or limitations in the complexity of the scenes that can be rendered.
Arnold CPU vs GPU in Maya 2026: Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing between Arnold CPU vs GPU in Maya depends on the specific requirements and goals of each project.
Arnold CPU is more stable and powerful if you are working on a feature-length animation, CFX for a feature film, or any project with large amounts of data, complex effects like volumetrics or advanced shading systems. CPUs are also not limited by VRAM like GPUs, and fully support Arnold’s features. This is why large studios still prefer CPUs to ensure more consistent and accurate results.
Arnold GPU, on the other hand, is suitable for short commercial-style projects, light 3D animations or motion graphics, where fast response speed is important. GPUs give you near real-time previews of materials, lighting, and animations, especially when you use the latest RTX graphics cards.
In fact, Arnold allows you to use both modes, so many artists combine both by using the GPU during the workflow for quick previews and edits, then switching to the CPU for the final render for the best quality.
Speed Up Maya Arnold Rendering at iRender
You’re struggling to render your Maya Arnold project because your computer just can’t keep up, but you’re not ready to spend a fortune on a new workstation. Turning to a render farm is a smart move. iRender is a leading render farm that fully supports both Arnold CPU and GPU rendering in Maya. We give you access to high-performance GPUs, so you can render faster and more efficiently, no need to upgrade your own hardware. All servers are equipped with:
AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 3955WX (3.9-4.2GHz) or
AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 5975WX (3.6-4.5GHz)
(1/2/4/6/8x) – RTX 3090/4090
256GB RAM
2TB NVMe SSDs
How to Get Started?
We provide you with high-configuration servers. You just need to transfer your files, connect to the remote machine, and install Maya Arnold with your software licenses. Then you can render yourself like the way you do on your local PC. Setting up ONCE and your working environment will be saved and ready to use at any time.
Why choose iRender?
Unlike other services, iRender lets you upload and download files without starting the server, saving you both time and money. We offer a Desktop app for Windows with a full feature set and a simple Drive app for macOS for easy file transfers. Here’s why iRender is a top choice for your rendering needs:
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iRender – Happy Rendering!
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