
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk. AutoCAD is used across a wide range of industries, by architects, project managers, engineers, graphic designers, and many other professionals.
Component Recommendations
Processor
Design, Modeling
Selecting the number of processing cores in your AutoCAD workstation is critical. 2D design and 3D modeling within the software relies primarily on a single processor core. Since the clockspeed of that core determines performance more than any other variable, a workstation with less cores (but higher clockspeed) is ideal. Therefore we recommend a 4- to 8-core processor with a clockspeed of 3.0GHz and above.
Memory
In general, 3-6GB of RAM per CPU core is recommended. For example, if you select a single 12-core processor, 32GB will suffice for basic tasks or 64GB for more demanding workloads.
Storage
We recommend a solid-state drive (SSD) for the operating system, software and project files.
Graphics
Autodesk recommends the professional series NVIDIA Quadro. According to the benchmark results, these are the ideal graphics cards.
1st (best): Quadro RTX 4000 8GB
2nd: Quadro P4000 8GB
3rd: Quadro P2000 5GB
4th: Quadro P1000 4GB
Chassis
The HP Z8 G4 Workstation is recommended if you would like dual processors and/or multiple high performance graphics cards.
The HP Z6 G4 Workstation is recommended if you would like to start with a single high-end processor and single high-performance graphics card with the potential of upgrading in the future. With the Z6 G4, you can add a second matching processor and double the memory using the optional second processor riser. The power supply will also support two mid-range graphics cards.
The HP Z4 G4 Workstation is recommended for majority of workflows. Since Intel now produces single Core i9 and Xeon processors with up to 18-cores and high clock speed, there is no need for dual processors unless you will have heavy CPU rendering or intensive tasks demanding more than 18-cores. Also, the HP Z4 G4 has an optional 1000W power supply that will support the most powerful graphics cards inluding the GeForce RTX 2080Ti and Quadro RTX 6000.
Recommended Hardware References
- Dec 15, 2020 by
Autodesk
System requirements for AutoCAD 2021 including Specialized Toolsets - by
Autodesk
Certified Graphics Hardware - Oct 15, 2020 by
CG Director
Best Workstation PC / Laptop for CAD, Autocad, Solidworks, Revit, Inventor