CAD Computer

Now I know we have a few AutoCAD types on here so I’m looking for some advice if possible.
I need to spec a desktop computer to run AutoCAD 2011 and Google Sketchup. I’ll be using AutoCAD for mostly 2D and Sketchup for 3D and fly-throughs etc. I’ll maybe dabble with Revitt and AutoCAD Architecture as well.
I need to run two monitors. Not bothered about sound cards etc and it doesn’t need a massive hard drive either, 500gb will be fine. it will need a DVD writer though.
The main thing is that it’ll have to earn its keep so it doesn’t need to be ultra Gucci, it just needs to be able to do the job.

Pretty much anything out there now will run Autocad you can pick up a Dell precisions on eBay for 99 quid these days a couple of years old but a good CAD box nonetheless

Make sure it’s 64-bit Windows so that you can expand the memory as you need to (32-bit Windows can only take up to 4GB) and a get a fast hard drive, or two running a RAID1 mirror if you’re storing everything on the one computer.

You may also wnat to consider one of these: OCZ Synapse Cache. I’m planning on getting one for my work computer, to make it faster. Anyone got any experience with them?

MUST HAVE GRAPHICS CARD!!!!!

I use Cad all day long (n a laptop with ‘onboard graphics’) and my life would be a million miles easier with a dedicated graphics card. Cad crashes running with a second monitor attached to the lappy. Also mega slow on hatching etc.

I tired the 30day trial of Revitt and it basically made my machine fall over. It is very graphics hungry.

If I could spec my own, it would have as much RAM as I could afford, a semi-decent processor, a very good graphics card, and possibly a solid state hard drive (in addition to a standard drive) so speed up autosaves etc.

Check out this link from Autodesk for recommended hardware

AutoCAD has always struggled with hatching. Solid works better than very small boxes etc, plus the further away from the origin of the UCS the bigger the problems you tend to have!

I used to be up to speed with PC components but that was ten years ago. What exactly is a very good graphics card, semi-decent processor etc?

I don’t anticipate working on huge files so an SSD drive isn’t a priority.

For example this work PC is an Intel Xeon E5410 2.33ghz with 3,25Gb ram and an NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700 graphics card. I have no idea what all that means but its more than fine with large 2d cad drawings (in AutoCAD2008 – it struggles with 2011) but I’ve not tried it with Sketch up etc.

For example this work PC is an Intel Xeon E5410 2.33ghz with 3,25Gb ram and an NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700 graphics card. I have no idea what all that means but its more than fine with large 2d cad drawings (in AutoCAD2008 – it struggles with 2011) but I’ve not tried it with Sketch up etc.

Thats an ok CAD box like I said 100 quid ish will get you that on ebay refurbished and you can bodge about 16gb of RAM in em so a 64bit O/S is handy. There are plenty of firms that change their CAD stations every 3 years ,A quadro card in its simplest is a certified card and is (supposedly) more accurate and the lowest end card is 150 quid I believe if your lucky sometimes you drop on boxes with dual quadro fx cards in them. Having a Xeon as opposed to raw processor speed won’t help you for Autocad as Cad be it 2D or 3D is a linear process there are next to zero CAD programs that support multi threading ,When you move up to FEA then a multi core chip is a great benefit.When i started many moons ago it was 3-4k for a workstation that can’t do a 10th of what a low end machine can do now.

One point on SSD for 3D cad is they go under quite quick if your constantly writing reading to them but for loading massive datasets they have a big bandwidth for load times

Cheers, thats the kind of info i was after 🙂

I have a Dell Precision 6600. Runs AutoCad / Inventor 2011 perfectly. But then again it was the thick end of £3k. 😯

Just running AutoCad doesnt need such a high spec though. Used to run a dodgy copy of 2008 on an old Dell Inspirion now & again. Worked fine. As above though, pick up an older Dell Precision with a Xeon chip & Quadro card.

I’ve had kit from THIS PLACE[/url] in the past, & they are ok. Comes with a basic warranty. Its mostly old Dell stuff, but I’m sure I’ve seen Precision kit on there before now. (Online shop looks like its down this evening though.)

CAD is pretty lame generally 😛 but for GIS use I used to use a Dell Precision laptop (can’t remember the model) which was pretty grunty, but be aware if buying second hand that the first Precision lappies had some graphics driver issues that Dell were aware of but never got solved, though I think were gone on the subsequent models because of different hardware. They are a bit pricey though.

We’re running a n intel quad core with 12 gb Ram to do revit 2012, cost about 1500 for the tower through work, hp something out other, can find out on tuesday. It eats revit alive. 🙂