What are the best desktop computers for CGI and VFX?
We’ve written this guide for digital artists, post-production editors, compositors, animators, 3D modellers, and VFX supervisors. If your work involves creating photorealistic scenes, rendering particle simulations, or compositing green-screen footage in 32-bit color, then your desktop needs to perform. This guide exists to help you choose a machine that handles CGI and VFX production without compromise.
Creating digital illusions is computationally brutal. Between real-time viewport previews, ray-traced final frames, 8K texture maps, and GPU-accelerated simulations, VFX workloads stress nearly every part of a computer. One moment you’re keyframing a camera move, the next you’re caching 15GB of fluid mesh data. Inconsistencies in hardware, like insufficient VRAM or disk bottlenecks, lead to corrupted frames, viewport lag, or hours of wasted rendering.
We’ve compared and evaluated desktops that are built for VFX work. That means machines capable of rendering full sequences, previewing in real-time with little latency, and exporting in high bit-depths without memory overflows. Each pick in our shortlist satisfies rigorous demands tailored for CGI and VFX pipelines.
Let’s define the minimum specs. These are the non-negotiable foundations that ensure your workstation behaves like a partner, not a liability:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X or Intel Core i9-14900K. These CPUs deliver high multi-threaded performance with strong single-core frequencies. That means faster scene updates in Blender or Maya, faster encoding in After Effects, and reduced simulation time for physics, smoke, and cloth. The benefit? Complex rigs don’t stutter, and batch rendering queues complete faster.
RAM: 64GB DDR5. Visual effects work loads memory fast especially when caching particle systems, holding texture arrays, or running multiple 4K timelines. 64GB lets you keep your software open (Nuke, Houdini, DaVinci Resolve, Photoshop) without crashing or throttling. The more memory you have, the fewer headaches you encounter when working in deep EXR pipelines or layering heavy footage with motion blur.
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4090 or RTX A6000. GPU rendering (Octane, Redshift, V-Ray RT) is now standard. These GPUs pack 24GB or more VRAM and thousands of CUDA cores. You’ll see enormous gains in real-time playback, path tracing, denoising, and texture decoding. A high-end GPU mitigates slow viewport previews, out-of-VRAM errors, and pixelation during fast compositing transitions.
Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD (Gen 4 or higher). Your footage, assets, and project files need to load instantly. With a Gen 4 SSD, you can scrub 8K timelines, open dense projects, and export sequences without lag. Sequential reads above 6,000MB/s ensure large cache files don’t block your system. Bonus: less heat and faster backup operations.
Ports and Expansion: Your peripherals aren’t optional. You need multiple DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, Thunderbolt or USB-C for high-speed drives, USB-A for tablets and color panels, dual LAN or 10GbE for studio NAS access, and PCIe slots for GPU expansion. These features keep your studio setup scalable and studio-grade.
Now let’s focus on the critical feature areas—and how each one solves the real problems VFX artists face:
Render Speed
A multi-core processor and GPU with AI denoising engines reduce your wait time per frame. Final-frame quality improves, and you can afford to experiment. Use cases: V-Ray sequence rendering, UE5 path tracing, Arnold batch exports.
Viewport Interactivity
A fast GPU means live previews aren’t choppy. You can orbit high-poly models, adjust camera DOF, and play back composites in Fusion or After Effects without dropped frames.
Simulation & Caching
Houdini FX, RealFlow, and EmberGen simulations load RAM and tax storage. Ample memory and fast SSDs prevent bottlenecks. Large caches don’t hang your system, so you maintain momentum.
Color Grading & Compositing
16-bit color workflows, OCIO LUT previews, and deep-pass compositing require both GPU strength and RAM stability. Your system should render and preview at full fidelity with no proxy hacks needed.
Multi-App Workflows
Most artists switch between Blender, Substance, Resolve, and Adobe Suite throughout the day. With 64GB RAM and strong CPU/GPU balance, you can run them simultaneously. No app crashes. No “Low Memory” dialog. No progress lost.
These are the Best Desktop Computers for VFX and CGI (2025):
Contents
- Corsair Vengeance a8100 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU
- Thermaltake Reactor 380 Liquid-Cooled PC (AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, RTX 3080, 16GB 3600Mhz
- HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB Solid State Drive, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics
- iBUYPOWER Y40 Black Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40BI7N48S01 (Intel Core i7 14700KF, RTX 4080 Super 16GB, 32GB
- ASUS 2023 ROG G22CH Gaming Desktop PC, Small Form Factor, Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 4070
- CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- iBuyPower Pro Y60 Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y60BI9N4701 (Intel i9-13900KF 3.0 GHz, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 12GB, 32 GB
- iBUYPOWER Y40 Black Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40BA9R79XTX01 (Ryzen 9 7900x, RX 7900 XTX 24GB, 32GB
- MSI Aegis RS Gaming Desktop Intel Core i7-13700KF, RTX 4070, 32GB DDR5, 2TB
- Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC Desktop – Intel Core i5 13400F 2.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD
- Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i7 14700KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti GPU - 32GB
- Lenovo Legion Tower T5 Gaming Desktop, Intel Core i7-11700F Processor, GeForce RTX 3060, 32GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD + 2TB HDD
- Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Liquid Cool Gaming PC, Intel Core i7-14700KF 3.4GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- Skytech Gaming Shadow Gaming PC Desktop – AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 3.4 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Corsair Vengeance i8200 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU - 64GB
Corsair Vengeance a8100 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU |
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X |
| Processor Speed | 4.5 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24 GB |
| RAM | 64GB |
| Storage Space | 4TB (2X 2TB) M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 25.63 x 24.25 x 13.86 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
Thermaltake Reactor 380 Liquid-Cooled PC (AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, RTX 3080, 16GB 3600Mhz |
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X |
| Processor Speed | 3.8 Ghz |
| GPU | RTX 3080 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 10 GB |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage Space | 1TB |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 14 x 14 x 24 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Price |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB Solid State Drive, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics |
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, |
| Processor Speed | 4.8 |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 3080 Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 1 TB Solid State Drive |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 8.03 x 18.5 x 21.85 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Very good performance, Value, Compact |
| Disadvantages | N/A |
iBUYPOWER Y40 Black Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40BI7N48S01 (Intel Core i7 14700KF, RTX 4080 Super 16GB, 32GB |
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| CPU | Intel Core i7 14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4 GHz |
| GPU | RTX 4080 Super |
| Graphics Card Memory | 16GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB NVMe SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.28 x 9.44 x 18.58 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Design, Build |
| Disadvantages | |
ASUS 2023 ROG G22CH Gaming Desktop PC, Small Form Factor, Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 4070 |
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| CPU | Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF |
| Processor Speed | 5.6 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 4070 Dual |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 12.72 x 11.3 x 4.53 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Top performance |
| Disadvantages | Price |
CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
| Processor Speed | 4.2GHz |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super |
| Graphics Card Memory | 16GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 23.2 x 22 x 13 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Design, Build quality, Performance |
| Disadvantages | N.A |
iBuyPower Pro Y60 Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y60BI9N4701 (Intel i9-13900KF 3.0 GHz, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 12GB, 32 GB |
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| CPU | Intel i9-13900KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.0 GHz |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12GB |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Storage Space | 1TB NVMe SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 18 x 11.2 x 18.2 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
iBUYPOWER Y40 Black Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40BA9R79XTX01 (Ryzen 9 7900x, RX 7900 XTX 24GB, 32GB |
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| CPU | Ryzen 9 7900x |
| Processor Speed | 3.7 GHz |
| GPU | RX 7900 XTX |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24GB |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage Space | 2TB NVMe |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.28 x 9.44 x 18.58 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Price, Value for money |
| Disadvantages | None |
MSI Aegis RS Gaming Desktop Intel Core i7-13700KF, RTX 4070, 32GB DDR5, 2TB |
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| CPU | Intel Core i7-13700KF |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | RTX 4070 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 NVMe |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 25 x 23.25 x 12.4 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Price, Storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC Desktop – Intel Core i5 13400F 2.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD |
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| CPU | Intel Core i5 13400F |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4060 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8 GB |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 1TB NVME SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 20.5 x 13.5 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Design and Build |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i7 14700KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti GPU - 32GB |
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| CPU | Intel Core i7 14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage Space | 1TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.8 x 9.1 x 18.3 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | design and performance |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Lenovo Legion Tower T5 Gaming Desktop, Intel Core i7-11700F Processor, GeForce RTX 3060, 32GB RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD + 2TB HDD |
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| CPU | Intel Core i7-11700F Processor |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | Nvidia Ge Force Rtx 3060 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage Space | 1TB PCIe SSD + 2TB HDD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 21.65 x 19.09 x 14.57 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Value for Money, Very good performance, Large storage |
| Disadvantages | N/A |
Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24 GB |
| RAM | 64GB |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.8 x 9.1 x 18.3 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Liquid Cool Gaming PC, Intel Core i7-14700KF 3.4GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7-14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4GHz |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super |
| Graphics Card Memory | 16GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 22.5 x 13.25 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Good performance |
| Disadvantages | None |
Skytech Gaming Shadow Gaming PC Desktop – AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 3.4 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD, 16GB DDR4 RAM |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5700X |
| Processor Speed | 3.4 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4060 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8 GB |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 1TB NVME SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 23 x 21 x 14 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Value for money |
| Disadvantages | None |
Corsair Vengeance i8200 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU - 64GB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24 GB |
| RAM | 64GB |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 25.63 x 24.25 x 13.86 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Very good performance, large storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
Also see; the best desktop computer for Animation