Blender

Website: Blender.org

Blender is a free, open source software 32-bit 3D modelling, animation, rendering, post-production, and gaming program. Initially developed by Ton Roosendaal's company NaN in the Netherlands, its popularity, and capabilities, have grown over the years. There is a large and active user base with ongoing development by dedicated hackers, making Blender a powerful and viable 3D software solution.

It can be used for modelling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, skinning, animating, rendering, particle and other simulating, non-linear editing, compositing, and creating interactive 3D applications.

Blender has a robust feature set similar in scope and depth to other high-end 3D software such as Softimage|XSI, Cinema 4D, 3ds Max and Maya. These features include advanced simulation tools such as rigid body, fluid, and soft body dynamics, modifier based modelling tools, powerful character animation tools, a node based material and compositing system and Python for embedded scripting.



Unfortunately the Black Edition is the slowest thing we've tested in Blender - even both the Athlon X2s perform faster than it but it's only a shade off the Phenom 9600 ES's time.