What Is Real-Time Rendering?

How it differs from traditional rendering

Real-time rendering generates an image fast enough to respond instantly to input, typically dozens of times per second, which is what makes interactive walkthroughs and VR possible; traditional offline rendering instead spends minutes or hours per frame to achieve higher photorealism.

The tradeoff is usually visual fidelity for interactivity: real-time engines have closed much of that gap in recent years, but a single high-end offline render still tends to outperform a real-time frame on fine detail like reflections and global illumination.

Where it is typically used

Real-time rendering is the technology behind interactive walkthroughs, VR presentations, and configurators that let a client change finishes or layouts and see the result immediately, rather than waiting for a new render to be produced.

Projects that need both a polished still image and an interactive experience often use offline rendering for marketing stills and real-time rendering for the walkthrough or VR component.

• Generates images fast enough for interactive use
• Powers walkthroughs, VR, and live configurators
• Trades some fine visual detail for responsiveness
• Often paired with offline rendering for marketing stills

Rendimension helps teams plan this kind of work. See 3D Rendering Services for scope and pricing.

To see how this applies in practice, take a look at our architectural rendering services.