What does AutoCAD need?

[Szech]

I'm building a computer for my friend, and being an engineering major, he needs it to be able to run AutoCAD. Does AutoCAD use OpenGL? What would be sufficient for it?

Thanks! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[muno]

http://www3.autodesk.com/adsk/index/0,,298557-123112,00.html
<- system requirements for autocad.

[linux_guru]

1. Plenty on memory (256Mb +)
2. A fast CPU ( 800Mhz + )
3. A big screen (19" or better)

[medo]

Hello,

It will run with 64 RAM but it will be very, very slow. Good graphic card might help.
Some of the students run its on PIIMMX300 with 64 and 4Mb video card, but difference between 64 and 128 Mb Ram on the same type of the PC is more than visible.
If you can build the system with faster processor, better video card and more than 128MB RAM you will do a big favour to your friend.

Medo

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[HfdWolfPack]

Our Autocad machines used to run on PII 350's with 128MB ram using mostly 4 MB cards.
We've since upgraded them last year, and they all seem to be happy with their PIII 700 (some 733mhz, some 600mhz) Mosy have 256mb ram ( if not , at least 128) and the video cards are mostly older, i.e. 3D Blaster Banshee.

Since Prices are lower now, Id suggest a
PIII 700 - 800
256MB ram
32MB Vid
Seeing that, that is what most of the Cad people are using here and are happy with

[Sabbath]

When I started my job as a CAD technician we were running autocad 14 and Anvil 5000 on a pentium 133mhz 64mb Ram and a 8Meg Video card. It was painfully slow but as long as you didn't do alot of zooming in and out it was ok.
Now we are using Unigraphics which is a 3D modler which is similiar to Autocad but a little more advanced and we run on Pentium 3 500mhz 256 Meg Ram and a 32meg AGP Diamond Fire GL1 Video card.
The thing to think about is what type of drawing is he going to be doing 2D or 3D. If you are just going to be doing 2D you can get away with a 350-400mhz 128M ram and a 8meg video but if you are doing 3D I wouldn't go with anything less than 500mhz (if you have extra money bump up the mhz it won't hurt any) 256Meg Ram (minimum) and a top of the line video card.
That's just my suggestion. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[araaraara]

My dad has a p133mmx w/64mb EDO at work with autocad release 14. He spends most of his time working with complex autocad drawing. I had a good laugh on career day when he told it to redraw a 2mb drawing-it took like 1.5 minutes! lol! I have used autocad at home on my winchip here. his 133 is almost as fast. My k6-3+ takes like 10-15 seconds for the same file. At school we have it on some PII 300mhz machines w/64mb of ram and 2mb video cards.

[Szech]

Oh... okay. I thought it would require something like a Geforce 5 for openGL. Okay, I have a much clearer view of things now. Thanks again!