2021 Sapphire Update Introduces Metal GPU Acceleration and Essential Visual Effects for Lighting
**Boris FX Sapphire 2021: A Boost in Performance and Creativity for Mac Users**
Boris FX has unveiled its latest offering, Sapphire 2021, a significant update to its post-production visual effects plugin suite. The new version introduces Metal GPU-acceleration, a feature that significantly improves performance on Mac systems.
The extensive effects library in Sapphire 2021 now boasts over 270 resolution-independent and non-destructive effects, integrated into a nodal-based compositor. One of the standout additions is S_ColorFuse, a LUT-based cinematic color grading effect that allows users to combine up to three LUTs with customizable opacity. This feature is GPU-accelerated with both CUDA and Metal, ensuring smooth and efficient operation.
Moreover, Sapphire 2021 includes 300+ new modern presets designed for contemporary artists to streamline workflows. Mocha Planar Tracking Integration enables effects like S_UltraZap to leverage built-in Mocha planar tracking and spline tools, providing detailed and precise animation control.
The Metal GPU-acceleration in Sapphire 2021 delivers faster rendering, smoother playback, and enhanced color grading workflows on Mac systems. It optimizes performance, making Sapphire fully utilize Apple's modern GPU architecture, improving rendering speeds and responsiveness on Mac OS. The Metal backend ensures Sapphire runs natively on Apple M1 processors, increasing efficiency and reducing CPU load.
For optimal performance, Macs with Metal-enabled GPUs are supported for GPU acceleration. High GPU VRAM (6GB minimum, 8GB+ preferred) and SSD storage are recommended. The update is compatible with host products like Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Avid Media Composer.
In addition to the Mac-specific benefits, Metal ensures that users on Mac have high-speed GPU rendering, reducing project turnaround times and enabling smoother previewing and playback. This cross-platform GPU benefit complements the already powerful effects suite and Mocha tracking tools, resulting in a more efficient, creative, and responsive experience for visual effects artists working across multiple platforms.
For more information about Sapphire 2021, including pricing and subscription options, visit the Boris FX website or contact Jessie Electa Petrov, Director of Marketing, at jessiep@pur socials.com or 617-451-9900.
The data-and-cloud-computing technology integration in Sapphire 2021 allows for seamless operation with host products like Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Avid Media Composer, enhancing the overall user experience. The technology optimizes the performance of Sapphire on Mac systems, ensuring faster rendering, smoother playback, and enhanced color grading workflows.
