Best laptop for CAd

[jhammond15]

Hello,
I'm trying to select a laptop that runs CaD/BIM? Can a MAC be good bet?

 

[WR2]

Hello jhammond15;

What programs will you be using? Tiger? Bently?

 

[jhammond15]

I will be using AutoCad 2011, Acrobat, Photoshop etc.

 

[b-dub92]

I dont know a whole lot about CAD but one of the guys that I work with is currently in school for achitech and he uses cad every day. He told me he buys and builds his own pc's. Basically he stated that the best would be to get a computer a gamer would want, something with good gfx card and cpu, along with a good OS and RAM. If I were you I would go with a gaming laptop without all the flashy lights and with good power amed towards gamers. I know sager makes laptops like those, check out xoticpc.com hopes that helps cause I dont know much about CAD sorry

 

[jhammond15]

Thanks!!!

 

[AntiZig]

typically for CAD you want a decent processor (doesn't have to be top of the line) and a lot of RAM, so less HDD access is needed, graphics isn't really needed all that much unless you know for sure the CAD you'll be using can utilize GPU for computation, if not all of it will be going through your CPU, so getting gaming GPU is absolutely a waste.

 

[jhammond15]

Best answer selected by jhammond15.

 

[BenThinking]

typically for CAD you want a decent processor (doesn't have to be top of the line) and a lot of RAM, so less HDD access is needed, graphics isn't really needed all that much unless you know for sure the CAD you'll be using can utilize GPU for computation, if not all of it will be going through your CPU, so getting gaming GPU is absolutely a waste.

Unless you are rendering and/or using 3d. A lot of CAD programs today have a lot of graphic intensive uses even if not specifically for that. I know when designing a subdivision, it does not take much of a GPU, but the client sure loves to 'drive' in his future project in 3d mode. ;0

 

[AntiZig]

I'm sorry so what you said is basically, CAD uses GPU, especially when using 3d renderings...

 

[JordoR]

A bit late, but including a SSD into your laptop is almost a must for CAD. When you are involved with large drawings that may include 100's or even 1000's of blocks/models/etc... your load up times for drawings may be in the area of 5mins and as well for your save times. If you are anything like me, you are going to be saving often. Having all of your working CAD files on a SSD can dramatically increase your performance and change that 5 mins down to 10-15seconds.

I'll agree with most of the posts also with the idea that you want a computer with maybe 8GB of ram (4gb x 2) and a good video card. Now that difference in selection for graphics cards depends on whether you will be doing a lot of rendering or not. The big difference between workstation graphics cards, and the typical gaming video cards is mostly due to rendering. Workstation cards perform significantly better when it comes to rendering. However, since you are not using Maya or programs such as that, I would suggest a gaming video card will be fine for you.

I would tend to stay away from a mac just for compatibility reasons.