advice on a new Rendering machine

Enscape Host Applications Enscape for SketchUp
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1

Hello, I’m looking for some advice.

I’ve been running a small rendering business (just me) on the side of my day job as an Arch drafter for about 8 years now(using Enscape/SketchUp for approximately 4 years). my day job has allowed me to use their PC for my side renderings until recently when my (less than 4 year old) Alienware laptop died. my question is this: i need to buy a laptop to create renderings, these renderings range from small houses to large apartment complexes (interiors & exteriors) and the Alienware tackled these like a champ until it didn’t ;( . I love MAC as many of my other devices are IOS already. I’ve read varying things about the mac version of Enscape. Things like: “some of the PC features are not available on MAC” or “the final render quality isn’t as good” or “Enscape or SketchUp crashes a lot”. what I’m asking is should i stick with PC or are my MAC fears unwarranted. Thanks!

2

Given the way software has turned over the last few years, I think relying solely on Enscape to run your 3D rendering business is very dangerous.

It’s like playing russian roulette.

The software hasn’t been reliable at all since it was bought out by Chaos.

It pains me to say it, but Enscape is less and less reliable with each update.

And I’m not even talking about the implementation of functions that take time to develop and that nobody cares about.

Impact, Bim mode, AI Enhancer… Nobody asked for that.

They just make financial agreements, buy out companies and implement tools that nobody wants, to make money.

We just want a reliable and robust tool.
Not a software stuffed with bad and useless modules that nobody asked for.

If I want to improve my images with AI, there are much better tools than the AI integrated into Enscape.

Ditto for BIM, ditto for their IMPACT crap.

3

I’ve dabbled in other software for renderings. Enscape was the easiest for me to learn and the real-time rendering was the most valuable thing to me. even more than final quality as it cuts rerender time to almost zero. i am annoyed by the additions no one asked for, as you mentioned. the thing I’m relying on most is SketchUp. i can change the rendering plugin/software but I’m locked into skechup and I’m worried about its stability on Mac. it has always served me well on PC.

4

Sketchup is OK for years.
But their latest update makes a huge change to the software.
Change of graphics engine, switch to direct-X 12, photorealistic materials with reflections and bumps, integration of AI rendering solutions etc…

So the current period is a bit special.

But I’m relatively confident in their ability to make the software evolve in a robust way.

5

I would stick with PC. Seems like development is always a little bit behind on Mac