Blender es una aplicación gratuita de nivel profesional, donde las matemáticas no son particularmente necesarias, pero se pueden usar con buenos resultados, y sus requisitos mínimos no son tan excesivos (mi copia de Blender se ejecuta en un Dell 380 de 20 años de antigüedad):
Hardware mínimo (uso básico)
CPU de doble núcleo de 32 bits a 2 GHz con soporte SSE2.
2 GB de RAM
Pantalla de 24 bits 1280 × 768
Mouse o trackpad
Gráficos compatibles con OpenGL 2.1 con 512 MB de RAM
Hardware recomendado
CPU de cuatro núcleos de 64 bits
8 GB de RAM
Pantalla Full HD con color de 24 bits.
Ratón de tres botones
Gráficos compatibles con OpenGL 3.2 con 2 GB de RAM
Hardware óptimo (grado de producción)
CPU de ocho núcleos de 64 bits
16 GB de RAM
Dos pantallas Full HD con color de 24 bits.
Ratón de tres botones y tableta gráfica
Tarjetas gráficas compatibles con OpenGL 3.2 dual con 4 GB de RAM
Si le gusta la codificación, las bibliotecas Python y C también están disponibles.
Además, hay un sitio StackExchange dedicado a Blender , que es útil.
A modo de comparación, de Best 3D Design / 3D Modeling Software 2019 (15 de 30 son gratuitos) , esta lista comparativa podría ser útil
Name Level OS Price Formats
3D Slash Beginner Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry Pi or Browser Free, 24$/year Premium 3dslash, obj, stl
LibreCAD Beginner Windows, macOS and Linux Free dxf, dwg
Photoshop CC Beginner Windows and Mac 142€/year 3ds, dae, kmz, obj, psd, stl, u3d
SculptGL Beginner Browser Free obj, ply, sgl, stl
SelfCAD Beginner Browser Free 30-day trial, 9.99$/month stl, mtl, ply, dae, svg
TinkerCAD Beginner Browser Free 123dx, 3ds, c4d, mb, obj, svg, stl
Clara.io Intermediate Browser Free, Premium from 100$/year 3dm, 3ds, cd, dae, dgn, dwg, emf, fbx, gf, gdf, gts, igs, kmz, lwo, rws, obj, off, ply, pm, sat, scn, skp, slc, sldprt, stp, stl, x3dv, xaml, vda, vrml, x_t, x, xgl, zpr
DesignSpark Intermediate Windows Freemium, 835$ (All Addons) rsdoc, dxf, ecad, idf, idb, emn, obj, skp, STL, iges, step
FreeCAD Intermediate Windows, Mac and Linux Free step, iges, obj, stl, dxf, svg, dae, ifc, off, nastran, Fcstd
MakeHuman Intermediate Windows, Mac, Linux Free dae, fbx, obj, STL
Meshmixer Intermediate Windows, Mac and Linux Free amf, mix, obj, off, stl
MoI Intermediate Windows and Mac 266€ 3ds, 3dm, dxf, fbx, igs, lwo, obj, skp, stl, stp and sat
nanoCAD Intermediate Windows Freemium, 180$/year sat, step, igs, iges, sldprt, STL, 3dm, dae, dfx, dwg, dwt, pdf, x_t, x_b, xxm_txt, ssm_bin
OpenSCAD Intermediate Windows, Mac and Linux Free dxf, off, stl
Sculptris Intermediate Windows and Mac Free obj, goz
SketchUp Intermediate Windows and Mac Free, 240$ Pro dwg, dxf, 3ds, dae, dem, def, ifc, kmz, stl
3ds Max Professional Windows 1505$/year, Edu. licenses av. stl, 3ds, ai, abc, ase, asm, catproduct, catpart, dem, dwg, dxf, dwf, flt, iges, ipt, jt, nx, obj, prj, prt, rvt, sat, skp, sldprt, sldasm, stp, vrml, w3d xml
AutoCAD Professional Windows and Mac 1575$/year dwg, dxf, pdf
Blender Professional Windows, Mac and Linux Free 3ds, dae, fbx, dxf, obj, x, lwo, svg, ply, stl, vrml, vrml97, x3d
Cinema 4D Professional Windows, macOS 3695$ 3ds, dae, dem, dxf, dwg, x, fbx, iges, lwf, rib, skp, stl, wrl, obj
modo Professional Windows, macOS, Linux 1799$ lwo, abc, obj, pdb, 3dm, dae, fbx, dxf, x3d, geo, stl
Mudbox Professional Windows and Mac 85€/year fbx, mud, obj
Onshape Professional Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android 2400€/year, free and price reduced business version available sat, step, igs, iges, sldprt, stl, 3dm, dae, dfx, dwg, dwt, pdf, x_t, x_b, xxm_txt, ssm_bin
Poser Professional Windows, Mac Standard 129.99$, Pro 349.99$ cr2, obj, pz2
Rhino3D Professional Windows and Mac 495€ Educational, 995€ Commercial 3dm, 3ds, cd, dae, dgn, dwg, emf, fbx, gf, gdf, gts, igs, kmz, lwo, rws, obj, off, ply, pm, sat, scn, skp, slc, sldprt, stp, stl, x3dv, xaml, vda, vrml, x_t, x, xgl, zpr
ZBrush Professional Windows and Mac 400€ Educational, 720€ Single User dxf, goz, ma, obj, stl, vrml, x3d
CATIA Industrial Windows 7180€; Edu. licenses av. 3dxml, catpart, igs, pdf, stp, stl, vrml
Fusion 360 Industrial Windows and Mac 499.80€/year, Edu. licenses av. catpart, dwg, dxf, f3d, igs, obj, pdf, sat, sldprt, stp
Inventor Industrial Windows and Mac 1935$/year 3dm, igs, ipt, nx, obj, prt, rvt, sldprt, stl, stp, x_b, xgl
Solidworks Industrial Windows 9950€, Edu. licenses available 3dxml, 3dm, 3ds, 3mf, amf, dwg, dxf, idf, ifc, obj, pdf, sldprt, stp, stl, vrml