V-Ray 7 vs Corona 12: What to choose in 2025?

In this video, I'll compare Chaos VRay 7 and Chaos Corona 12. What is the best option to choose this year?

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⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 V-Ray 7 or Corona 12?
0:09 Interactive Rendering
0:44 High-Resolution Rendering
1:40 Virtual Frame Buffer (VBF)
3:46 Sun & Sky Model
4:16 Render Settings Optimization
5:17 CPU/GPU Rendering
5:44 Other Options
6:38 Pricing
6:56 What to choose?

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[FictionCautious]

In the long run, it's always better to have options. More options, more solutions to problems.

[maximilianozepeda]

Both V-Ray and Corona are outstanding render engines when used with the right workflow. While they may have different names for similar features, their core functionality is essentially the same. For example, V-Ray uses Dirt maps, while Corona uses Distance maps. V-Ray's Blend Material is equivalent to Corona's Layered Material, and V-Ray's Aerial Perspective can be achieved in Corona through Volumetrics.

Both engines allow HDR image compression and support color management with ACES or RGB workflows. As unbiased renderers, both provide highly realistic results. Additionally, both engines support decals, offering increased flexibility in texturing. Tools like the Corona Slicer Material outperform the V-Ray version, while the V-Ray Material ID Channel offers greater accuracy compared to Corona’s anti-aliasing.

That said, I personally prefer the VFB (Virtual Frame Buffer)from Vray due to its superior mask handling, which I find more intuitive compared to Corona’s approach.

[purankumawat-pr]

Finally Arch Viz Artist launched vray-9 😂😂 interesting, i am really very happy 😁😁😁😁😁 #archvizartist 😅, chaos group are no more 😅😅

[tribeofenoch]

With the likes of AI I think it’s time for chaos group to reduce the price of their render engines. You can get any results these days with a prompt within a matter of seconds!

Vray 9 looks great, no wonder why it hasn't been released. :p
Jokes aside, Corona had great potential to even surpass Vray and stay up on the list for archiviz community.
But that was before it was acquired by Chaos Group.
Unfortunately for us, Vlado saw that coming and decided to buy it to gradually kill it in preference of his own baby, vray.

[ImpacDezyn]

Fstorm is the greatest render which is way faster than corona and vray both. Results are very photo realistic

[georgeneverland]

Corona on gpu could be the goat. I'm testing Vray GPU right now, after years using mentalray > vray CPU > fstorm > corona. It's strange but Vray GPU eats same amount of ram as corona. Also waiting 30/60 seconds for IPR is too long. Pause Interactive rendering and isolate objects also freezes 3DS Max for the same amount of time. So IMHO Fstorm is a vastly more tight and optimized renderer for the sake of rendering speed unless of using a competent rig (I'm using a Legion 7 pro with 13900HX/64GB/4080). At the same time for exterior shots with forests and stuff like that Corona can take bigger scenes without any fear of going out of vram, supports OSL and has QoL node like a proper CC node, color picker ecc.

[Pad]

As an architect that designs in sketchup and isn’t very proficient in 3ds max, I would love a tutorial on how to export from sketchup, manage layers and properly convert geometry so that I could then refine in 3ds max eg curve the edges (commands that aren’t possible in sketchup). I’m not even sure if that is possible without rebuilding from scratch. Another useful tutorial might be how to rebuild parts of the geometry by tracing the old sketchup model within 3ds max ie is there a quick way to push and pull blocks around and snap to the imported sketchup blocks?

Edit: I would definitely pay for that tutorial. I have a few of your tutorials already but struggle to find the time to fully commit to 3ds max. I desperately want the results but all my design always starts in sketchup.

[chd]

Just in the first 30 seconds, I knew that this video seemed to be taken out of context. Except for caustic IR, Corona would be slower than Vray at any time. The two comparisons were not at the same parameter level. Originally, I thought there could be some high-end So I clicked in to take a look, but I was disappointed.

[StudioTM]

Scanline Render - best render forever!!! 🥰🥰🥰

[interioPixel]

I belive v-ray is for all industry but corona is better for arviz and furniture.

[information]

Your courses have helped me a lot, I want to thank you

[qinaan]

I have been using 3ds max since 2001. I loved to work in caustics, rendering jewelry, diamonds and crystals with dispersion using built-in plugin like Mental ray or 3rd party plugins like VRay. The last version I had was 3ds Max 2018. Everything was fine. And now you know what I tried 3ds Max 2025 and latest VRay Next and to my surprise they removed Mental Ray Renderer from version 2018 onwards. Thye messed up with VRay options as well, Instead of unlimited number of photons and more caustics feature, they limited the features and instead of dispersion they added Abbe number. It is so complicated that one cannot even generate dispersion of white light into seven colors from a prism object realistically the way once I used to do. If you kindly make a tutorial for dispersion of light using VRay and Corona plugins in 3ds Max 2025, I shall be highly obliged.

[abdelkarimkeraressi]

cORONA BEtter then vray you should also make interior comparison... that poste process... corona was first to do that corova swich vray when they bought corona they copy past many things.... and still corona fast then vray.

[Blaze_Orange]

Hard decision 🤔 I thin I will choose Arnold

[MelbourneArchviz]

ok I am at the beginnning of the video, I will bet that she will say they are both great and you choose what you prefer. I will skip to the end and edit this to add that I was right.
edit ""it all depends on what you need and what you prefer". "prefer" is the word I used.

[mrmerchant]

Hi i have a very specific question on the comparison between both. Which do you think allows us to create customised textures better? Thanks

[belousovarchitect]

In V-ray, I can't do it like in crona, the corona is more realistic. I've spent a lot of time on this, and corona is better.

[tomtom]

I would choose render engines WITHOUT RIDICULOUS SUBSCRIPTION POLICY BUT WITH OPTION TO BUY PERPETUAL LICENCE meanwhile moving to blender + cycles et cetera

[krzysztofbogdanowicz]

I use Corona 9 (box licence) and 12 on render farm. There is no difference between images made in 9 and 12. In my opinion should be, on behalf of newest Corona 12. Version 12 has many added features, but renders as old Corona 9.