Minimum 8GB RAM (16GB+ recommended), 64-bit OS, and an NVIDIA Maxwell generation or later GPU.
: Switch to CPU or GPU depending on your hardware. GPU rendering is generally faster with modern graphics cards. Quality : Set the slider to "Low" or "Medium".
If you are upgrading from older versions of V-Ray, the integration with SketchUp 2023 brings several sophisticated tools designed to automate tedious workflows.
In 2023, the Asset Editor is now non-modal. You can keep it open on a second monitor and interact with SketchUp simultaneously. vray for sketchup 2023
SketchUp users have long relied on third-party plugins (like Skatter) for grass and forests. V-Ray 2023 includes natively.
To leverage V-Ray 2023 to its full potential—especially when using GPU rendering—your computer should meet or exceed these specifications:
Turn off all interior lights and start with the environment. Use V-Ray Interactive Render mode to see changes in real-time. Adjust your Sun intensity and camera Exposure Value (EV) in the settings until the ambient daylight looks natural. Step 3: Apply Materials Minimum 8GB RAM (16GB+ recommended), 64-bit OS, and
With V-Ray Vision, you can visualize your design changes in real-time as you build in SketchUp. This acts as a live digital viewport, allowing you to iterate on forms, lighting, and materials without waiting for traditional render processing times. CPU, GPU, or Hybrid Rendering
: Add subtle surface textures like wood grain or brick mortar without adding extra geometry. Lighting Techniques for Photorealism
For drafts, set your engine to and turn on Interactive Rendering with the NVIDIA AI Denoiser active. This gives you instant feedback. For your final high-resolution presentation image: Switch to Bucket rendering mode. Turn off interactive rendering. Set the quality slider to High or High+ . Quality : Set the slider to "Low" or "Medium"
The installation process itself is straightforward. First, close SketchUp entirely. Then, download the correct installer from the official Chaos website. Run the installation wizard and follow the on-screen prompts. You’ll be asked to agree to the End User License Agreement and choose a destination folder. It is highly recommended that you ensure the "Install V-Ray toolbar" and "Install V-Ray Asset Editor" options are checked. Once the process is complete, you may be prompted to restart your computer. Upon relaunching SketchUp, you should see the V-Ray toolbar. If you’re new to the software, Chaos offers a , giving you a risk-free opportunity to explore its potential.
Enhanced performance for both NVIDIA RTX and CUDA GPUs, allowing for faster iterations during design. 2. What Made 2023-Era V-Ray (V-Ray 6) Stand Out?
V-Ray offers multiple ways to visualize your model depending on your project stage:
Clean up your SketchUp model before opening V-Ray. Purge unused geometry, orient your faces correctly (front faces should point outward, never white/blue back faces), and set up your camera views using SketchUp Scenes. Step 2: Set the Lighting Base

