Computer for Lumion, D5 Render, Enscape and Twinmotion
Real-time visualisation software computes the image on the graphics card. How large a scene you can open and how fast you can render a 4K animation depends above all on the graphics card and its memory (VRAM), and only then on the processor.
What drives performance
Graphics card and VRAM
A scene with vegetation, textures and effects has to fit into the card's memory. 16 GB of VRAM is a sensible minimum for comfortable work today; 12 GB is enough only for smaller projects. For large building complexes, animations and 4K renders, an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 with 32 GB makes a real difference.
Ray tracing and RTX cards
D5 Render, Enscape and Twinmotion use the hardware ray tracing of NVIDIA RTX cards, as does Lumion in ray-tracing mode. For these applications we recommend GeForce RTX cards: for the same price they deliver more performance than professional RTX PRO cards, and certified drivers are not needed here.
Processor and RAM
The processor mainly affects loading and importing models from Revit, Archicad or SketchUp. These operations use a few fast cores, so a processor with 6-8 cores and high clock speeds is enough. We recommend 32 GB of RAM for smaller projects and 64 GB if you work in a modelling application at the same time.
Cooling and drives
4K visualisations and animations load the graphics card for many minutes, so we use cases with good airflow and power supplies with headroom. Projects and material libraries sit on a fast NVMe drive, which shortens scene loading.
Recommended configurations
Start is enough for smaller projects and single buildings. Studio with the RTX 5070 Ti is the most common choice of architecture studios. We recommend Pro and Ultra for large developments, animations and 4K renders.
All configurations →How much VRAM do Lumion and D5 Render need?
12 GB is enough for smaller projects, but for scenes with lots of vegetation and 4K renders, 16 GB is the comfortable minimum. Large urban developments and animations run best on cards with 24-32 GB of memory.
GeForce or RTX PRO for Enscape and D5?
For real-time software we recommend GeForce RTX cards. For the same price they are faster than professional RTX PRO cards, and Enscape, D5 and Lumion do not require certified drivers. RTX PRO cards make sense mainly for CAD software that requires certification.
Does the processor matter in Lumion?
Less than the graphics card. The processor mainly handles loading and importing models, so a modern processor with 6-8 cores and high clock speeds is enough. It is better to spend the budget on a stronger card with more VRAM.