Vray All Versions List Exclusive Fix
The Exclusive, Complete List of V-Ray Versions (From 1.0 to V-Ray 7)
If you are a 3D artist who has been in the industry for a while, you know that Chaos Group (now Chaos) doesn't just release software; they release milestones in rendering history.
Tracking down every single build number can be a nightmare. Most sites list only the major releases. This is your exclusive, deep-dive list of V-Ray versions—from the very first beta to the latest hybrid renderer.
Note: This list focuses on the 3ds Max version lineage (the original), as it is the gold standard for version numbering. Other platforms (SketchUp, Rhino, Maya) generally follow this core logic with slight delays.
V-Ray 5 (2020–2022) – The Lighting Toolset
V-Ray 5 divorced rendering from post-production.
- Exclusive Features:
- Light Mix: Change light colors/intensity after rendering in the VFB.
- Material Library: 500+ photorealistic, drag-and-drop materials.
- V-Ray Decal: Project textures (logos, stickers) without UV mapping.
- Versions within 5.x:
- 5.0 (Initial release)
- 5.1 (Cosmos assets integration)
- 5.2 (Improved GPU memory handling)
V-Ray 5.2 (2022)
- VRayEnmesh (repetitive geometry without instancing).
- VRayDirt (bent normals).
- VRayUVWRandomizer (randomized texture mapping).
- VRayScannedMtl (for scanned materials).
End-of-Life & Legacy Versions
| Version | EOL Date | Notes | |---------|----------|-------| | 1.0 – 1.46 | 2008 | No support, 32-bit only | | 1.5 – 1.5 SP4 | 2014 | Last version for 3ds Max 2008 | | 2.0 – 2.4 | 2018 | Last version for 3ds Max 2012 | | 3.0 – 3.2 | 2020 | Last version for 3ds Max 2016 | | 3.4 – 3.6 | 2022 | Last version for 3ds Max 2018 | | 4.0 – 4.3 | 2024 | Last version for 3ds Max 2020 | | 5.0 – 5.4 | Active | 3ds Max 2021–2023 | | 6.0+ | Active | 3ds Max 2024+ | vray all versions list exclusive
V-Ray 7.0 (Expected Late 2025 / Early 2026)
Not yet released as of this guide, but based on Chaos roadmap:
- Full Neural Rendering (AI denoising + upscaling + relighting).
- Real-time path tracing in viewport (unified RTX + CPU).
- VRayVolume for clouds, smoke, fire natively (no Phoenix required).
- Chaos Scans direct integration.
- USD native support (no plugin).
- VRaySubsurface with spectral SSS.
For SketchUp (Most requested)
- V-Ray 1.48.66 (2010): SketchUp 7
- V-Ray 2.0: SketchUp 2013-2015
- V-Ray 3.4: SketchUp 2016-2017
- V-Ray 4 (Next): SketchUp 2018-2020
- V-Ray 5: SketchUp 2021-2022
- V-Ray 6 & 7: SketchUp 2023-2025
V-Ray 3.5 (2019)
- VRayAdaptive Dome Light (AI-optimized sampling).
- VRayScene improvements.
- VRayInstancer (point cloud instancing).
- VRayProxy with Alembic support.
The Next Generation: The "Next" Branch (2018–2020)
Summary Table (Major Only)
| Version | Nickname / Code | Year | Killer Feature | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1.0 | Classic | 2002 | First GI | | 1.5 | The Workhorse | 2006 | VRayProxy | | 2.0 | RT Era | 2010 | Real-time GPU | | 3.0 | Progressive | 2014 | Denoiser | | Next (4.0) | Scene Intelligence | 2018 | Auto Lights | | 5.0 | Light Mix | 2020 | Post-render lighting | | 6.0 | Enmesh | 2022 | Procedural tiling | | 7.0 | AI Sampling | 2024 | ACEScg native |
V-Ray All Versions List: The Exclusive Guide to Rendering Evolution
Since its inception, Chaos (formerly Chaos Group) has transformed V-Ray from a humble plugin into the world’s most widely used photorealistic rendering engine. This exclusive guide provides a comprehensive list of all major V-Ray versions, highlighting the technological breakthroughs that have defined each era of 3D visualization. The Modern Era: V-Ray 7 (Current Generation) The Exclusive, Complete List of V-Ray Versions (From 1
Released in late 2024, V-Ray 7 marks a shift toward AI-integrated workflows and next-gen data support.
V-Ray 7 Update 3 (April 2026): Introduced real-time rendering directly in the SketchUp and Rhino viewports, along with AI Mood Match to align scene lighting with reference photos. V-Ray 7 Core Features:
3D Gaussian Splatting Support: Enables rendering of high-fidelity volumetric scans natively.
AI Enhancer: Significantly improves the clarity of complex materials and low-resolution renders. V-Ray 5 (2020–2022) – The Lighting Toolset V-Ray
Luminaires: A new light type designed for streamlined architectural lighting.
Night Sky Feature: Specialized procedural sky model for realistic evening environments. The Workflow Revolution: V-Ray 6
Launched in July 2022, V-Ray 6 focused on collaborative tools and procedural environment generation.
Chaos Scatter: An integrated tool for distributing millions of objects like trees or grass without memory lag.
Procedural Clouds: Part of the V-Ray Sky system, allowing for animated, realistic weather.
Enscape Compatibility: Seamlessly transfer Enscape scenes directly into V-Ray. The Smart Renderer: V-Ray 5 Chaos: Industry-leading design and visualization software