3ds Max 2027.1 New Features: Powerful Updates to Smart Bevel and Data Channel
Autodesk has released the latest update to its popular 3D modeling and animation software, 3ds Max 2027.1. This update delivers significant quality improvements focused particularly on modeling workflows for architectural visualization, motion graphics, and VFX artists. Here are the key new features in 3ds Max 2027.1.
📌 Smart Bevel Improvements
Smart Bevel, the new chamfering system introduced in 3ds Max 2027.0, becomes even more powerful with the 2027.1 update. Rather than adding new features, this update focuses on enhancing the output quality of the existing system.
- Reduced Artifacts: Visual errors (artifacts) that occur when chamfering complex geometries have been significantly reduced. This results in much cleaner outcomes, especially on organic and highly detailed models.
📌 New Operators for Data Channel Modifier
The Data Channel Modifier, used for procedural modeling and complex data manipulation, gains three new operators with this update.
These new operators facilitate data conversion between different formats, allowing artists to process vertex colors, map coordinates, or custom surface attributes more flexibly and quickly.
🎬 Arnold Render Integration: MAXtoA 5.9.2.0
The update also brings the latest version (5.9.2.0) of the MAXtoA plugin, which provides integration with the Arnold render engine. This version supports the Arnold 7.5.1.1 core.
Key Arnold New Features:
- Flow Render (Experimental): Support for Autodesk’s new cloud-based render system, Flow Render, has been added experimentally. This feature enables rendering scenes in the cloud.
- tyFlow Integration: Smoke and fire simulations created with the popular particle and physics plugin tyFlow (sparse fluid engine) can now be rendered directly with Arnold.
- Improved Normal Mapping: Standardization in texture quality is achieved with MikkTSpace normal map support.
- Volume Shader AOVs: Dedicated AOV (image channel) support has been introduced for volume shaders.
🎯 System Requirements and Pricing
This update is provided free of charge to existing 3ds Max 2027 users.
- Compatibility: Fully compatible with Windows 11.
- Licensing: Subscription-based (rental-only). Pricing is set at $255/month or $2,010/year.
- Indie Option: Artists with an annual gross revenue of less than $100,000 and project value not exceeding $100,000 can benefit from the much more affordable Indie subscription at $330/year.
Summary: While not a revolutionary release, 3ds Max 2027.1 is a solid update, particularly enhancing modeling quality with Smart Bevel and speeding up procedural workflows with Data Channel. Furthermore, the tyFlow and Arnold integration significantly improves workflow for effects artists.
