3ds Max 2025.3 by Autodesk

In addition to one key new feature, the changes in the main application of 3ds Max 2025.3 mainly focus on performance and workflow improvements. Performance upgrades include updates to the Boolean modifier, which is now "20-50% faster" than in 3ds Max 2025.1, and the Array modifier, which has become "50-210% faster." Additionally, bugs in the cat and biped animation toolsets have been fixed, addressing long-standing issues and customer suggestions.

The biggest change in 3ds Max 2025.3 is the support for OpenPBR, a new open material standard developed by Autodesk and Adobe. Serving as a universal successor to Autodesk's Standard Surface and Adobe's Standard Material, OpenPBR is designed to improve material interoperability between different CG applications. According to Autodesk, it also offers a better model for glossiness/roughness and more accurate metal reflectivity parameterization compared to Standard Surface. In 3ds Max, the OpenPBR material can be accessed through both the Slate and Compact Material Editors, along with presets for a range of real-world materials.

The OpenPBR material is also supported in Arnold for 3ds Max 5.7.5.0 (MAXtoA 5.7.5.0), the latest version of the 3ds Max integration plugin for Autodesk Arnold renderer. This release also updates Arnold's Ramp shaders, adding new 3D ramp modes and the ability to add procedural noise to the generated ramps. The Tonemap imaging tool now features a heatmap mode, which generates heatmap-style effects during rendering.
Additionally, the volumetric effects rendering workflow has been improved, with volumetric effects now visible in the viewport. Two new parameters for controlling light scattering have been introduced. For noise reduction in rendering, the OIDN (OpenImageDenoise) feature is now supported by AMD GPUs, as well as NVIDIA on Windows. GPU rendering performance has also been improved, especially in scenes with a large number of light sources or instances.
Workflow improvements include a new toolbar that provides direct access to Arnold RenderView and IPR rendering, along with quick access to key Arnold features. Several smaller updates have also been made.

USD for 3ds Max, which implements workflows based on the universal scene description format, has also received an update. New features in USD for 3ds Max 0.9 include the ability to edit the properties of the used fonts in the "Modify" panel and the binding of USD grid fonts in the viewport. Additionally, USD curves can now be imported as 3ds Max shapes.

3ds Max 2025.3 is compatible with Windows 10 and higher. It is available by subscription only. The subscription costs $235 per month or $1875 per year. In many countries, artists earning less than $100,000 per year and working on projects valued at less than $100,000 per year are eligible for an indie subscription, priced at $305 per year.