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Good laptop for CAD?

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  • 21-06-2011 12:47pm
    #1
    robbiefat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭


    Im looking to buy a good laptop for AutoCad civil 3d. Its a resource heavy program but of course i cant pay a fortune. Any recommendations?
    Did any one recently buy one for cad use?


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    #2
    kirving
    Registered Users Posts: 5,983 ✭✭✭kirving


    I'd advise against a laptop for CAD, particularly if you're doing large £D drawings in Civil.

    A laptop which could run this smoothly with a large model and graphics at a decent level will cost you a fortune. Of course, you could turn the settings down but that defeats the purpose if you're buying it especially for CAD.

    Laptops also have small screens which are horrible with CAD. 17" 4:3 in college is OK, as is 19" wide at home, but anything smaller than that is painful I think. My dad has a 24" 4:3 in work as far as I know for CAD, and thats not even for 3D work.

    Would it be practical to build a computer with a graphics card more suited to CAD?


    What is your budget? Do you really need it to be portable? Are you going to college? 3 years of college done and I've yet to require a laptop for anything.


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    #3
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    Good advice, CAD laptops can cost a fortune. If you really do need to use it on a laptop I'd get the minimum spec recommended by the software and do any heavy processing on a desktop.

    Haven't used AutoCAD in years but some programs are very particular on the graphics cards they require (certified drivers etc.). These are much easier/cheaper to get for a laptop.


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    #4
    robbiefat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭robbiefat


    Ya i taught as much thanks for the advice. I
    currently do a lot of work from my laptop and im in need of of an upgrade i think ill just leave work for the office ;)


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    #5
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    Turbulent Bill wrote: »
    Good advice, CAD laptops can cost a fortune. If you really do need to use it on a laptop I'd get the minimum spec recommended by the software and do any heavy processing on a desktop.

    Haven't used AutoCAD in years but some programs are very particular on the graphics cards they require (certified drivers etc.). These are much easier/cheaper to get for a desktop.

    Corrected post, couldn't edit original.


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