In OctaneRender, as well as most other GPU-based engines, the CPU does not directly play a role in the process of rendering scenes. However, there are calculations that take place in preparation for rendering, between frames in an animation, and the like. For example, OTOY mentions in their FAQ that “a fast multi-core CPU will significantly improve the scene loading speed.”
What type of CPU does OctaneRender need?
Based on our testing, clock speed has the biggest impact on CPU performance with Octane. Core count does not seem to matter at all. This lines up nicely with the CPU requirements of other programs that are frequently used alongside OctaneRender: Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, and the like all do best with high clock speeds too. If you run other applications besides those, especially any CPU-based rendering engines, then that may change the sort of system you want to get. In such mixed-use cases, please contact our consultants for personalized assistance.
Aside from raw performance, it is also important to consider the number of PCI-Express lanes a CPU supports. This will govern how many video cards can be used, which has a big impact since video cards are the primary driver for rendering performance in Octane.
What is the best CPU for OctaneRender?
As mentioned above, the CPU itself isn’t going to directly contribute to Octane’s rendering – but it will determine how many video cards the system can support, which does impact performance. Here are a couple of our recommendations:
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 8 Core – This is one of the highest clock speed CPUs available, and does very well with both OctaneRender and modeling/animation applications. It has enough PCI-Express lanes to support dual video cards, along with other standard hardware devices (NVMe drives, etc).
AMD Threadripper PRO 7965WX 24 Core – AMD’s Threadripper PRO processors have far more PCI-Express lanes than more consumer-oriented models. Combined with the right motherboard, this CPU can allow up to four video cards in a single tower workstation. The trade-off is that the platform as a whole is more expensive, but being able to fit three or four high-end GPUs in a single system is worthwhile in many workflows.
Will a more powerful CPU help OctaneRender at all?
A faster CPU will sometimes let you open files faster and can make a small difference in multi-frame renders, but it will make no impact on how long it takes each individual render to complete. We recommend sticking with a mid-range CPU and focusing your budget on more powerful GPU(s).
