Screensavers are no longer technically required in the age of low-energy LCD, OLED, and IPS panels. Screensavers were traditionally used to prevent burn-in on heat-emitting CRT monitors, but this is no longer an issue with modern monitors. If you truly want to preserve your screen, simply turn it off!
Still, screensavers can be very attractive, and whether you want one for nostalgic reasons or to show off the vibrant colors of your IPS monitor is entirely up to you. Screensavers can still be used in Windows 10 and Windows 11, so we have compiled a list of the 10 best 3D Screensavers for you.
Windrift (macOS Drift Screensaver)
Little things like wallpapers without color banding and those gorgeous crispy screensavers have always helped macOS feel a little more premium than Windows.
The Drift screensaver, which was introduced to macOS in 2020, will be familiar to Mac users. It is a real eye-catcher, and you can now get it for Windows thanks to an independent developer.
There are a few steps to take, but you should be fine if you just follow the instructions on the screensaver’s GitHub page. Then sit back and feel smug as you impress your Mac-owning friends with Windows’ gleaming features!
FlipIt/Fliqlo
Fliqlo was one of the most popular screensavers until the deprecation of Flash caused it to stop working earlier in 2021. Fortunately, the developer revised Fliqlo so that it no longer requires Flash to function (you will, however, must uninstall the old Flash-based version).
Fliqlo Flip Clock for Windows is a clock screensaver that transforms your desktop or laptop device screen into a flip clock. It shows the time in large white numerals against a black background, with a flip animation.
Fliqlo Flip Clock is a desktop screensaver that displays the time against a black background in either a 12-hour or 24-hour format. Along with the format, the size of the vintage flip clock can be adjusted from 25% to 125% of its original size.
Wallpaper Engine
The fact that screensavers are animated adds to their allure. The problem is that Microsoft is gradually deprecating screensaver support, so if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you should start looking for alternatives that do the same thing.
Wallpaper Engine is a low-cost but feature-rich tool available on Steam that allows you to create animated wallpapers for Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can also use one of the thousands of animated wallpapers created by other Steam users via the Steam Workshop.
You can also set the wallpapers to animate after a certain amount of inactivity, like a screensaver.
Hyperspace
Hyperspace is a screen saver that takes users on a virtual journey through a wormhole. To add realism to the warp speed effect, the sci-fi-themed screensaver includes nebulas, flying stars, and other space elements. With Hyperspace, you can change the speed, geometry resolution, number of stars, and field of view, among other things. The overall effect is unique, but it sometimes appears to be a slew of colors swirling around a screen rather than falling into a black hole.
The nebula and wormhole can now be toggled on and off. Hyperspace is unquestionably one of the best screensavers in the collection of Really Slick Screensavers (you can download them all in one pack if you want).
It transports you through the cosmos at breakneck speed, flying through starfields that eventually transform into an impressive liquid landscape of neon pinks, blues, and purples. It is reminiscent of the ’90s space movie “Contact,” except you’re the one flying through a black hole.
Underwater
Thalassophobes should avoid it, but for everyone else looking for an atmospheric, moody, and subtle screensaver, this could be the one. This dynamic screensaver places you underwater, looking up from the depths at some light shimmering on the water’s surface.
It is serene, and slick, and includes a very elegantly designed watch in the center of the screen that also displays the date. A serious screensaver for serious individuals (unlike some of the crazy nonsense we have on this list).
Plane9
Plane9, a 3D graphical visualizer with over 250 beautiful and surreal scenes, is possibly the most visually impressive array of screensaver effects. You can even combine these scenes, making them flow smoothly from one to the next, resulting in a nearly limitless supply of visual effects.
Furthermore, Plane9 moves and flows in sync with whatever music is playing on your PC at the time, whether it is Spotify or iTunes. So, play some music, let the screensaver take over, and you have got yourself a great background visualizer for a party!
Pong Clock
Pong Clock is a cool screensaver that will protect your screen while also providing some light entertainment.
Everyone is probably familiar with the classic 2D game Pong. It was one of the first arcade video games, developed by Atari in 1972. The game was a simplified version of table tennis in which the goal was to get the ball to fly past your opponent’s paddle.
Pong Clock converts the game into a screensaver. You can’t play yourself because it will end the screensaver, but you can watch the two computer players battle. In the center of the screen, there is also a clock.
Living Marine Aquarium 2
A virtual fish tank on your screen has a timeless classic feel to it. It’s naturally calming and soothing, but it also looks great. A virtual fish tank is also significantly less expensive than the real thing!
The Living Marine Aquarium is home to 18 different sea creatures (including fish, seahorses, and crabs), as well as coral and plenty of bubbles.
This fantastic screensaver is also incredibly customizable. You can adjust the number of fish on-screen and choose between three different reef views.
YoWindow
YoWindow goes above and beyond a simple screensaver that displays the weather forecast. It has a “live landscape” that displays current weather, sunlight, and season.
If you are stuck staring at a wall in your office all day, this custom screensaver is a great waa y to keep up with what is going on outside.
The forecast for the next five days is displayed on the screen, and you can set your location to anywhere in the world.
3Planesoft
3Planesoft creates six 3D screensavers, each with exceptional detail. Multiple angles, inventive lighting, realistic sounds, fluid motion, and intriguing transitions will keep you glued to the screen, waiting to see what happens next.
This boat, modeled after a historic Spanish galleon, sails the high seas of your desktop, shifting perspective from a distant shot of the entire ship to first-person views of the deck. Cannon fire, creaking boards, and waves crashing against the ship create a soundscape for the day-to-night lighting transitions of a ship sailing across the water. Customize the ship by selecting your country’s flag or creating your custom flag to use instead.
The Bottom Line
Screensavers, as you may know, were first used to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT, plasma, and OLED computer monitors.
Because this is no longer an issue on modern monitors, the decision to use a screensaver is solely based on utility and aesthetics. They may even be better “eye savers” than screensavers, as the darker tones provide a break from the bright white colors on your screen. Choose a suitable 3d screensaver for your monitor.