Experiances from CAD Users on the Intel Platform and Mobile Devices

[Evoss]

Hello all,

I would like to gain your views and opinions on how the Intel platform has changed you experience regarding CAD for better or for worse.


Example questions:

** These apply to any applications or packages you have used **

Have you stayed with one package, upgraded your Intel CPU and noticed a considerable change. From what CPU to what CPU?

Has upgrading the CPU made the biggest difference or have other hardware components made a difference?

Can you give examples of how the upgraded Intel CPU has made a difference to your CAD experience?

Is there anything you can only carry out well on the Intel platform?

Do you use CAD on other devices, e.g. tablets, mobile devices?


If you could give me as much insight into how the Intel platform helps aid CAD, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Evoss

 

[Evoss]

Spoiler

Dont use CAD on mobile platforms, its only use is for allowing none technical types spin it around with there fingers. Even then it requires the model to be stripped down into a 3Dxml format (or simmilar).

As for the intel platform, its has reduced the cost on a hardware front significantly in late 80s i was spending £20k + for a Sunstation to be able to run CAD. Now i can spend 2.5k on laptop and it will do 99% of our required designs, but may take a little longer in massive assembly's due to the RAM restrictions. The IT department like it as well as it allows them to integrate it with the rest of the company (everywhere i have been its window servers, exchange, Office etc.

So in a nutshell in order of importance.

Cost - Much cheaper
Flexibility
Ease of use

Excellent response thank you.

If people have feedback relating to upgrades over a smaller time frame, that would be excellent.

 

[Evoss]

Thanks for your replies guys, appreciated.

What are you using the data for?

R&D consumer data to 3D printing.

 

[Evoss]

As others said it's usually RAM and GFX that slow things down. My last 2 workstations were around 3k each and I get 2-3 years out of them. Both were mid-range Xeons with lower end NVIDIA Quadro GFX when ordered. My home PC is AMD based (see sig) and I don't notice any difference in performance when I'm working from home.

It depends a lot on what you're going to be doing. If it's just 2d line work than a decent desktop PC will be fine but for 3d modelling you'll want either Nvidia Quadro or ATI FirePro GFX.

Please could you list the specs of your current workstation (not home PC (in Sig))

Thanks