The software is extremely graphics intensive, so it makes sense to support it with a CAD workstation with a high-end graphics card for the best performance. Especially if you're handling 3D models or using more than one monitor or a 4k monitor. Whilst AutoCAD has an option to turn on software graphics acceleration eg calculating the displayed graphics using the CPU only, the performance on that would be rather poor and slow. However this doesn't include any specialised toolsets, large datasets, point clouds and 3D models that may be accumulated over time, or the installation of other software like 3ds Max etc. As a result, it’s important to allow for extra disk space than what you think you need.
For instance the latest version of AutoCAD (AutoCAD 2021) takes up 7GB of disk space on a Windows operating system. Whilst this might seem like an obvious point, it is something that is quite often not looked at in detail. Even if the model you are importing into 3ds Max isn't that large, the specifications to simply run the software alone are much higher than what is required for a modest workload of AutoCAD. If AutoCAD is the software you will use on a daily basis for draughting, but you occasionally need to render your model in 3ds Max, it's important to look for a CAD workstation that can run this program just as efficiently. Think about other software/programs you may need to use For instance if you will be using AutoCAD for draughting with 2D drawings or small 3D models, you will not need a machine as highly specified as someone who will be using AutoCAD for large 3D models. The first step to choosing the right CAD computer for you is to consider what you will be using the software for.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing a CAD workstation for AutoCAD: 1. It was designed to help designers and drafters create their designs quicker, so what use would it be to run the software on a CAD computer that would slow the program down? But how do you know which hardware to choose when there are so many options out there?
Whether you are just starting your career as a designer or drafter, starting a new project that requires the use of Autodesk AutoCAD, or your hardware simply needs updating, it's important to consider a few key things before purchasing a CAD workstation for AutoCAD.Īs AutoCAD is used for creating any 2D drawing, 3D model or construction digitally as opposed to by hand, it takes up a lot of power on hardware.