UE5 vs V-Ray: Can Real Time Results Match V-Ray Realistic Lighting and Reflections?

Check out my latest video, where I explore the results that are possible with UE5 and real time global illumination.

Let me know what you think of the results in the YouTube comment section.

Here is the full description of the video:

As promised, and in a continuing effort to experiment with UE5, I have been working on an arch viz project in the software. Of course, I didn't start completely from scratch (yet), but instead I converted an old project that some of you may have seen before -- the UE4 project from my Advanced UE4 for Arch Viz course (see link above to get this course). This older project used light baking, so I wanted to update it to use dynamic lighting with the new Lumen system, and test the results of the real time global illumination. I very much liked the results of the updated project. The simplicity of the lighting setup, and the accuracy in the shadows and light bounce are a HUUUUUUGE improvement over the process in UE4.

Once the project was updated a little bit with some new materials (from the great Megascans Library) and new lighting, I wanted to test against some V-Ray renderings I have recently generated from the same project. You can also grab this same project (free) with all the architecture, furniture models, etc. by following the links above. It is a great project to experiment with. Not only that, but it comes from my Advanced V-Ray Interiors course, which you can also get with the links above if you are interested in learning that from the beginning.

Because I had a V-Ray model and now a UE5 model that were the same, it was a perfect opportunity to put the two programs head to head. I wanted to test a few main things: Global Illumination Quality Lighting / Shadows Reflections

I find the results very intriguing. Watch the video until the end to see how they looked, and how I got there. Then, please let me know what you think of the results. What could I have done better? Do you like the results? Are the good enough for you professional rendering workflow?