CAD Computer Requirements

CAD software requirements and selection of PC kit components

As a CAD software distributor, I often get the question: "I create PC sets that will run CAD software. What hardware/desktop/laptop should I buy?"

A simple answer to this question is extremely difficult due to the variety of hardware and the multitude of configurations that exist on the computer market; especially for PCs.
Also, prices depend largely on the industry or sector of the economy you are associated with; for science and education, paid work and commercial use, use in local government and government offices and agencies, and finally for hobbies and personal use.
Because of so many uses, I never recommend a particular setup.

However, I do inform customers about the system requirements of CAD products and how different hardware components fit into ActCAD software and what the recommended minimum specifications are. In this post, we'll discuss the basic hardware of computers and how they interact with CAD software (ActCAD) and what you need to know before purchasing a computer system.

Processors are actually the most important part of a computer. They play a key role in the work of CAD software. Basically, a computer uses a processor for everything. All operations and calculations performed by the computer are handled by the processor. As such, the faster the processor, the faster everything runs.

Of course, the question arises; "What processor should I get?" When buying a processor (CPU) for a new PC kit, think about what you MUST do with your machine. If you are an architect who simply uses a CAD program such as ActCAD , ZwCAD, AutoCAD or Draftsight for 2D design, combined with the creation of descriptive documentation and dimensioning of design elements, you do not need a powerful processor. CAD programs work a little differently, but it's usually recommended to buy a quad-core processor for 2D design software. It is slightly different in the case of 3D design.

The reason for this is to render 3D models. When you send a command to render a 3D model in ActCAD Professional, Revit, 3DS Max, Artisan Renderer or Maya, the computer starts to use all its potential to perform this task. The more cores you have on your CPU, the more processing power the 3D software has available to use in the rendering process.

For example, if you go to render a model in Artisan Renderer, and you have dual-core CPU, the program will fully utilize both cores until rendering is complete. If you have a quad-core processor, you will perform the same render much faster. This is because the renderer uses all 4 cores for the rendering process. Basically, this speeds up the rendering process twice, because instead of 2 cores to render, we now have 4 cores available for the software.

It's important to remember that cores aren't the only thing to consider when choosing a processor. To have a decent CPU speed, it is recommended to have at least 2 GHz on your CPU so that you can run up-to-date CAD software. Based on personal experience and customer reviews, I recommend at least a processor with 2.6 GHz or higher. Most modern processors usually have clock speeds of around 2.2 GHz or higher. Select models also feature a turbo mode that allows you to increase the CPU frequency when the system detects more demanding actions.

Of course, the higher the clock speed, the faster and shorter the task will be completed.

Also, keep in mind that clock speed determines the speed of individual cores. If you have a quad-core processor clocked at 3.5 GHz and a quad-core processor clocked at 2.5 GHz and both render the same thing, 3.5 GHz will finish it faster because it has 1 GHz faster processing speed on each of its 4 cores. Therefore, such a computer can process the rendered design faster.

To use only 2D functions in CAD, such as 2D drafting, annotation, dimensioning or printing in a program such as IntelliCAD, DraftSight or AutoCAD, you may not need more than 2 cores and a processor with 3 GHz. However, it should be remembered that the processor is always used by the processes of the operating system itself, even when it is "idle". The processor is the center of any computer. Having a CPU with a low number of cores or their low clock speed simply means a slower work environment.  

CAD software is only a part of what the processor is dealing with at any given time. The processor will probably be the first or one of the first components you want to replace.

Currently, there are processors available for sale that have up to 6 cores, with two logical threads for each core.   However, due to the limitations of CAD software, it is not recommended to use sets with more than 12 hyper-threads.

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