Twinmotion Workstation Guide: What Computer Do You Need for Twinmotion?

Twinmotion turns a Revit, Archicad, SketchUp or Rhino model into images, video, panoramas and walkthroughs in real time, and real time is the point: the scene has to render sixty times a second while you move through it, place trees and change the light. That makes Twinmotion the one application in a design office where the graphics card leads and everything else supports it. It also makes the gap between a smooth and a frustrating Twinmotion computer wider than for most software, because a scene that runs out of graphics memory does not slow down gracefully, it stutters, drops detail or refuses to render in Lumen or the Path tracer at all. This guide is written by Modena Technologies, a Twinmotion Authorised Reseller and Africa's only Autodesk Platinum Partner, and by Modena Computers, which builds and stress-tests workstations in Cape Town and installs Twinmotion on request before a machine ships. We sell Twinmotion, train people to use it and specify their hardware every working day.

The guide covers what Epic Games officially requires, how Twinmotion actually uses each component, the thresholds we work to when we specify a machine, and which Modena Computers configuration suits which kind of Twinmotion user, from stills and 1080p video through Lumen, the Path tracer, 4K video and VR. We have deliberately avoided naming graphics card and processor models so that the principles stay useful as components change. The exact parts in each configuration are on the Apollo and Vulcan product pages.

What Epic Games officially requires

Epic publishes two tiers for Twinmotion, minimum and high-end, and it does something most software vendors do not: it specifies the processor and graphics card by benchmark score rather than by clock speed or model name, so the requirements stay meaningful as hardware changes. These are the current Windows figures.

	Minimum	High-end
Graphics card	At least 6GB of dedicated graphics memory; graphics benchmark score of 10,000 or higher	At least 12GB of dedicated graphics memory; graphics benchmark score of 20,000 or higher
Processor	Single-thread benchmark score of 2,000 or higher	Single-thread benchmark score of 2,500 or higher
Memory	16GB or more	64GB or more
Storage	30GB free; SSD recommended	Same
Graphics interface	DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 with current drivers	Same
Operating system	64-bit Windows 11 (or Windows 10 1909 or later)	Same

Epic is explicit about what each tier is for. The minimum is "recommended for small to average sized projects that contain less than 1 GB of geometry and data", and is suitable for local and cloud presentations, exporting video at 1080p and exporting images up to 4K. Epic lists it as unsuitable for VR, for exporting video at 4K or higher, for 360 degree panoramic video, for the Path tracer, and for "the Lumen rendering mode due to higher memory demands". The high-end tier is "recommended for large projects that contain more than 1 GB of geometry and data, such as scenes that contain large buildings, cities, or large landscapes", and supports everything, including VR, Lumen, the Path tracer and exports up to 64K.

The Path tracer has its own requirements: Windows only, a ray-tracing-capable graphics card from a current generation, at least 8GB of graphics memory, DirectX 12 and current drivers. Twinmotion uses DirectX 12 by default when the hardware qualifies and falls back to DirectX 11 when it does not. Epic also notes that Intel Arc cards are not officially supported.

How Twinmotion uses a computer

Twinmotion is built on Unreal Engine, so it uses a computer the way a game engine does. The graphics card draws the scene continuously: geometry, materials, vegetation, water, weather, lighting and reflections, all at the resolution of your screen, many times a second. When you switch to Lumen, the card also calculates global illumination and reflections in real time, which is why Epic warns that Lumen needs more memory. When you render with the Path tracer, the card traces light paths through the scene for a physically accurate image, and the time that takes is set almost entirely by the graphics card. Video export is the same work repeated for every frame. In every one of those tasks the graphics card is the bottleneck and the rest of the machine waits for it.

Graphics memory is the figure that decides what a scene can do. Everything in the scene that is visible has to fit in the card's memory: the imported model, every texture at the quality you chose, the vegetation and people from the library, and the buffers Lumen and the Path tracer need to work. A scene that fits runs smoothly. A scene that does not fit stutters, drops texture quality, or cannot enable Lumen or the Path tracer at all. That is why Epic sets its tiers by graphics memory first, and why the jump from 6GB to 12GB is the single biggest difference between its two tiers.

The processor still matters, in a narrower way than for CAD or BIM software. The Twinmotion editor, importing a model, Datasmith synchronisation with Revit or Archicad, and placing and editing objects are single-threaded work that depends on sustained single-core speed. Epic's processor requirement is a single-thread benchmark score for exactly that reason. System memory matters because the imported model is held in RAM as well as on the card, and because in almost every real workflow Revit, Archicad or SketchUp is open alongside Twinmotion with the same project loaded.

Graphics card: memory first, then speed

Epic's minimum is 6GB of graphics memory and its high-end tier is 12GB, with the Path tracer needing 8GB and a ray-tracing-capable card. Those figures are about what a scene can do; the card's speed is about how smoothly it does it. A faster card with slightly less memory can outperform a slower card with more, provided the scene fits, which is why Epic specifies a benchmark score alongside the memory figure and why we look at both when we specify a machine.

Our thresholds: 8GB of graphics memory is the floor for any new Twinmotion workstation, because it clears the Path tracer requirement and handles small scenes, stills and 1080p video. 12GB is where we steer every professional user, because it meets Epic's high-end tier and is where Lumen, 4K video export and scenes with real vegetation and context stay smooth. 16GB is for VR, for the Path tracer on large scenes, for 4K video with Lumen, and for city or landscape scale projects. Every configuration in our range starts at 8GB, and the two Max configurations and Vulcan Pro carry 12GB or more.

You do not need a professional-series graphics card for Twinmotion. Unreal Engine is built for the consumer cards that gamers buy, and Twinmotion runs best on a current, fast consumer card with plenty of memory and a current driver. The card maker offers a choice between game-ready and studio drivers; Epic recommends the studio drivers, and we install and test them before a machine ships. If you also run software that requires a certified professional card, tell us and we will specify accordingly.

Processor: single-core speed, moderate cores

Twinmotion needs a processor with high sustained single-core speed and a moderate number of cores. Epic's requirement is a single-thread benchmark score, 2,000 for the minimum tier and 2,500 for high-end, because the editor, model import, Datasmith synchronisation and object placement run largely on one core. More cores do not make a scene render faster; the graphics card does that. Where extra cores help is in keeping Revit or Archicad responsive while Twinmotion runs beside it, and in the import and conversion of very large models.

Clock speed is not comparable across processor generations. A newer processor completes more work per cycle than an older one at the same frequency, so compare processors on current single-core benchmarks, which is exactly what Epic's requirement asks you to do, rather than on GHz alone. High-core-count workstation and server processors are the wrong choice for Twinmotion: they run at lower clock speeds, so the editor feels slower, and the cores sit idle while the graphics card renders.

Of all the software we specify for, Twinmotion is the one where a tuned processor's higher sustained clock speed is felt most directly in the editor, because so much of the day-to-day work is single-threaded. That is part of why Vulcan suits Twinmotion users well.

Memory: the scene, the host application and the library

Epic's tiers jump from 16GB to 64GB, a wider gap than for most software, and the reason is what sits in memory at the same time. The imported model is held in RAM, the Twinmotion asset library is cached as you use it, and Revit, Archicad or SketchUp is almost always open alongside with the same project loaded so that Datasmith can synchronise changes. A 16GB machine runs Twinmotion on its own; it does not run Twinmotion beside a large Revit model.

The thresholds we use are these. 32GB is the floor; Epic's minimum is 16GB, but we do not sell a Twinmotion machine that cannot also hold the design application beside it. 64GB matches Epic's high-end tier and is where Lumen, large scenes and a large host model are comfortable together. 96GB is for city and landscape scale scenes, point clouds, and offices where the Revit or Archicad model is itself very large. If you are unsure, open your largest project in both applications and check the memory figure in Windows Task Manager; above 70% of what you have, you need more.

Memory in matched pairs running in dual channel is how every configuration we sell is built, and all Modena Computers workstations can be upgraded to 192GB later.

Storage: NVMe for the library and the exports

Twinmotion itself needs about 30GB, and Epic recommends a solid-state drive for faster loading and saving. In practice the storage load comes from three places: the Twinmotion asset library, which downloads high-quality vegetation, people, vehicles and materials to your drive as you use them; the project files, which carry the imported geometry and textures; and exported video, which at 4K runs to many gigabytes per minute of footage.

An NVMe drive is the only sensible choice for the operating system, Twinmotion, its library and your active projects. Read and write speeds of around 2,000MB/s are a reasonable floor. On capacity, 1TB serves most users producing stills and 1080p video with projects stored on a server. Choose 2TB if you export 4K video regularly, keep a large library of assets, or work with point clouds; our Max configurations are built with 2TB for that reason.

Cooling, power and sustained performance

For most design software the processor is the hot component. For Twinmotion it is the graphics card. A 4K video export or a path-traced render holds the card at full load for an hour, and a modern high-end card under that load draws more power and produces more heat than the rest of the machine combined. If the case cannot move that heat out, the card drops its clock speed to protect itself, the export takes longer and the fans run flat out. If the power supply is sized to the card's typical draw rather than its peak, the machine becomes unstable under exactly the load you bought it for.

We build every Modena Computers workstation with a case and fan layout chosen for the graphics card it carries, a power supply rated well above the system's peak draw so it runs cool and quiet, and, in Vulcan, a 360mm liquid cooler so the tuned processor holds its speed alongside a working graphics card. Every workstation runs under sustained full load on both processor and graphics card before it leaves Cape Town, so throttling, instability and noisy fans are found on our bench rather than during your client's walkthrough.

Why a gaming PC is almost, but not quite, a Twinmotion workstation

Twinmotion is the one application where the gaming PC argument deserves a fair hearing. A gaming PC puts its budget into the graphics card, and the graphics card is what Twinmotion needs most, so a well-built gaming PC is closer to a Twinmotion workstation than it is to a Revit or Civil 3D one. The shortfalls are everywhere else. The typical gaming PC carries 16GB of memory, often in a single stick, which is Epic's minimum and not enough to hold Revit or Archicad alongside Twinmotion. Its processor is chosen for frame rate in games, not for the sustained single-core speed that keeps the Twinmotion editor and Datasmith responsive. Its case and power supply are sized for an evening of gaming, not an hour of 4K export. Its graphics card, unless you specify otherwise, is often an entry-level model with 6GB or 8GB of memory, which clears Epic's minimum and little else.

The real difference is in how the machine is specified and supported. A workstation built for Twinmotion starts from the scenes you produce and the design application you run beside it, pairs the graphics card with enough memory, a fast processor, airflow and power to use it fully, is tested under the loads you will put on it, and comes with a warranty and support from people who use Twinmotion and the software that feeds it. If you do buy a gaming PC for Twinmotion, insist on 12GB of graphics memory, 32GB of system memory in two sticks, a case with real airflow and a power supply with headroom.

Which Modena Computers workstation for which Twinmotion user

We build two models in three configurations each. Apollo uses a standard processor with a high-performance air cooler; Vulcan uses a tuned processor with a 360mm liquid cooler, more cores and faster storage. Both carry a four-year warranty and lifetime hardware support, both are built to order in Cape Town, both are delivered anywhere in South Africa, and we will install Twinmotion on either before it ships if you ask.

Because Twinmotion is led by the graphics card, the configurations with 12GB or more of graphics memory are where professional users belong. The two 8GB Apollo configurations are honest entry points for learning, small scenes, stills and 1080p video, and we would rather say that plainly than sell them for Lumen and VR.

Configuration	Memory	Graphics memory	Suits
Apollo Standard	32GB	8GB	Learning Twinmotion, small scenes under 1GB, stills up to 4K and 1080p video; Path tracer on small scenes; not for Lumen on large scenes or VR
Apollo Pro	48GB	8GB	As above with room for a larger Revit or Archicad model open alongside
Apollo Max	64GB	12GB	Professional visuals: Lumen, 4K stills, 1080p and 4K video, medium scenes with vegetation and context; meets Epic's high-end tier
Vulcan Standard	32GB	8GB	Fastest editor responsiveness for small to medium scenes, stills and 1080p video, with the Path tracer on small scenes
Vulcan Pro	64GB	12GB	Professional visuals with a fast editor: Lumen, 4K video, the Path tracer on medium scenes, a large host model alongside
Vulcan Max	96GB	16GB	VR, the Path tracer on large scenes, 4K video with Lumen, city and landscape scale projects, point clouds

If your work goes beyond this, for example very large scenes, a second graphics card to accelerate the Path tracer, or 8K output, we build custom specifications up to 192GB of memory and 32GB of graphics memory. Tell us what you work on and we will specify the machine for it.

See all configurations and current prices Request a custom spec

Frequently asked questions

Is a gaming PC good enough for Twinmotion?

Closer than for most design software, because Twinmotion depends on the graphics card and gaming PCs spend on that. The usual shortfalls are memory (16GB is Epic's minimum and not enough with Revit or Archicad open), a processor chosen for games rather than single-core speed, and a case and power supply not built for an hour of 4K export. If you buy one, insist on 12GB of graphics memory, 32GB of system memory in two sticks, real airflow and a power supply with headroom.

How much graphics memory does Twinmotion need?

Epic's minimum is 6GB, its high-end tier is 12GB, and the Path tracer needs 8GB. We specify 8GB as the floor for small scenes, stills and 1080p video, 12GB for professional work with Lumen and 4K video, and 16GB for VR, the Path tracer on large scenes and city-scale projects.

How much RAM does Twinmotion need?

Epic lists 16GB minimum and 64GB for its high-end tier. We specify 32GB as the floor so that Revit, Archicad or SketchUp can stay open alongside, 64GB for Lumen, large scenes and a large host model, and 96GB for city-scale scenes and point clouds.

Does Twinmotion use the processor?

Yes, for the editor, importing models, Datasmith synchronisation and placing objects, all of which depend on sustained single-core speed; Epic specifies a single-thread benchmark score for this reason. Rendering, Lumen, the Path tracer and video export run on the graphics card, so more processor cores do not make them faster.

What do I need for Lumen and the Path tracer?

Epic lists Lumen as unsuitable for the minimum tier because of its memory demands, so plan on 12GB of graphics memory and 64GB of RAM. The Path tracer needs a ray-tracing-capable graphics card from a current generation with at least 8GB of graphics memory, DirectX 12 and current drivers; for large scenes, 12GB to 16GB keeps it practical.

What do I need for VR in Twinmotion?

VR renders the scene twice at high frame rates, so it sits in Epic's high-end tier: 12GB or more of graphics memory, a fast card and 64GB of RAM. We specify 16GB of graphics memory for VR on anything larger than a small scene.

Should I buy a laptop or a desktop for Twinmotion?

A desktop, unless you present on site. Laptop graphics chips carry less memory and run at lower sustained speeds in a thinner thermal envelope, which is exactly what Twinmotion punishes, and the same budget buys a desktop card with double the memory. A laptop can run presentations of a scene built on a desktop.

Can I upgrade a Modena Computers workstation later?

Yes. The graphics card is the component Twinmotion users most often upgrade, and it can be replaced; memory can be increased to 192GB and storage can be added. The four-year warranty and lifetime hardware support continue.

Next step

Browse the Modena Computers workstations to see the current configurations and prices, or contact us with the kind of visuals you produce, whether you use Lumen, the Path tracer or VR, and which design application you run alongside Twinmotion, and we will tell you which configuration fits, or build one that does.