Blender 5.1 System Requirements
Official system requirements for Blender 5.1 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Blender is cross-platform and runs out of the box — no installation needed for the portable version.
💡 Truly Portable — Blender runs from a USB stick or any folder, with no installation and no internet connection required. The installer (.exe/.dmg) is optional.
Windows Requirements — Blender 5.1
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 8.1 (64-bit) | Windows 11 |
| CPU | 4 cores with SSE4.2 support | 8 cores |
| RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB |
| GPU | 2 GB VRAM, OpenGL 4.3 / Vulkan 1.3 | 8 GB VRAM |
| Storage | 500 MB | SSD recommended |
| Display | 1280 × 768 | Full HD or higher |
Supported Windows GPU Drivers
- NVIDIA: GeForce 900 series and newer, Quadro Tesla GPU architecture and newer (including all RTX cards). Use latest NVIDIA drivers.
- AMD: GCN 4th generation and newer. Use latest AMD drivers.
- Intel: Kaby Lake architecture and newer.
- OpenGL: Version 4.3 or newer required, with GL_ARB_shader_draw_parameters and GL_ARB_clip_control extensions.
- Vulkan: Version 1.3 or newer (for Vulkan-based features).
macOS Requirements — Blender 5.1
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | macOS 13 (Ventura) | macOS 26 (Tahoe) |
| CPU | Apple Silicon | Apple Silicon |
| RAM | 8 GB unified memory | 32 GB |
| GPU | Apple GPU (Metal) | M3 Pro / M4 or better |
⚠️ Note: Blender 4.5 LTS is the last release to support Intel-based Macs. Blender 5.x requires Apple Silicon (M1 or newer).
Linux Requirements — Blender 5.1
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | glibc 2.28 or newer (64-bit) | Latest LTS distro |
| CPU | 4 cores with SSE4.2 support | 8 cores |
| RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB |
| GPU | 2 GB VRAM, OpenGL 4.3 / Vulkan 1.3 | 8 GB VRAM |
GPU Rendering — Cycles Backend Support
| GPU | Backend | Min GPU | OS |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | CUDA / OptiX | GTX 900 / RTX (OptiX) | Windows, Linux |
| AMD | HIP | GCN 4th gen+ | Windows, Linux |
| Intel | oneAPI | Arc A-series | Windows, Linux |
| Apple | Metal | All Apple Silicon | macOS only |
Other Requirements
- Mouse: A 3-button mouse with scroll wheel is strongly recommended. Blender can be used with a trackpad but the workflow is significantly limited.
- Keyboard: A full keyboard with numpad is recommended. Blender uses numpad keys extensively for viewport navigation. A numpad emulation mode is available in Preferences for laptops.
- Stylus/Tablet: Wacom tablets are supported for sculpting and texture painting. Most Wacom models work out of the box.
Requirements for Older Blender Versions
If you need to run Blender on older hardware or operating systems, use an older version:
- Blender 4.5 LTS — last version to support Intel Macs (macOS 11+)
- Blender 4.x — supports Windows 8.1+, macOS 11+, older Intel hardware
- Blender 3.x — supports Windows 7 (64-bit), macOS 10.13 (High Sierra)
- Blender 2.93 LTS — for very old hardware (OpenGL 3.3+)
Your System Meets Requirements?
Download Blender 5.1 for free — available for Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), and Linux.