What Computer Do I Need to Run Pixologic ZBrush

I hear this question a lot on may of the Forums and Facebook groups so thought I would try to answer it and also give you a bit of a background on it

I hear this question a lot on may of the Forums and Facebook groups so thought I would try to answer it and also give you a bit of a background on it.

Whats so cool about ZBrush is it does not need a massively expensive graphics card, but it should support OpenGL 3.3 or higher most new ones do, the main requirements is a quick CPU and lots of RAM! I suggest at least 16 and if you can 32GB of RAM, a fast CPU like an I7, ideally a solid-state drive would speed things up also!
So as you can see not much to it, you should, however, factor in a graphics tablet or a touch screen tablets as this is the whole point of digital sculpting!

Below is a guide on what you should look for when running ZBrush 2019 this is from Pixologics Website

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
OS: 64-bit editions of Windows Vista or newer. (32-bit operating systems are no longer supported.)
CPU: Core2duo or AMD equivalent with SSE2 technology or better.
RAM: 4 GB (6+ GB strongly recommended)
HDD: 8 GB of free hard drive space for ZBrush and its scratch disk.
Pen Tablet: Mouse or Wacom compatible (WinTab API) pen tablet.
Monitor: 1280×1024 monitor resolution with 32-bit colour.
Video card: Most cards manufactured 2008 or newer. Must support OpenGL 3.3 or higher.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATIONS:
OS: 64-bit editions of Windows Vista or newer.
CPU: Intel i5/i7/Xeon technology or AMD equivalent.
RAM: 8 GB required for working with multi-million poly models. (16+ GB preferred.)
HDD: 100 GB of free hard drive space for ZBrush and its scratch disk. (SSD drive highly recommended.)
Pen Tablet: Wacom or Wacom compatible. (WinTab API.)
Monitor: 1920×1080 monitor resolution or higher with 32-bit colour.
Video card: Most cards manufactured 2008 or newer. Must support OpenGL 3.3 or higher.

If you are looking for a computer optimised for ZBrush, these are the key elements to keep in mind:

A word from Pixologic ZBrush
ZBrush runs the same on Macintosh and Windows. Choosing one or the other is a personal choice.
A fast processor with multiple cores is a key item because ZBrush is only CPU based. The more powerful, the better.
You must have enough memory to handle the system and other background applications in addition to ZBrush itself. If your intent is to create complex models with many millions of polygons, aim for at least 16 GB of RAM and a 64-bit version of your OS.
ZBrush is highly optimised and writes a large number of temporary files in order to ensure fast performance. Depending on your model, this can quickly reach several GB of data. An SSD drive for ZBrush and its virtual memory files will provide the best results. You can save costs by having an additional mechanical drive to save your work on.
A Wacom (or compatible) pen tablet with a preference for professional models will provide you with better accuracy in your brush strokes and increase the artist feeling. We do not recommend tablets based on N-Trig technology, which is an entirely different protocol and not fully compatible with ZBrush.
https://pixologic.com/zbrush/system/

Categories: : Tech Reviews