Enough power for CAD?

Hi,

I own an HP Pavilion dv5000z, 2.0GHz Turion and 1GB RAM at the moment. I'm an engineering student who'll be using programs like SolidWorks and AutoCAD. I plan on upgrading to 2GB of RAM by the time I use these programs, but my question is: Will my computer be able to efficiently run CAD programs fine?

 

What is your video card?

 

I think your system is powerful enough. Ive seen AutoCAD run on integrated graphics - not very well - but it will run. You should be fine.

 

My video card is the 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon Xpress 200M. It's integrated, but the best integrated card out there.

 

Unless you are planning on getting rid of it, it is what it is.

 

I don't; I just want to know what to expect from it when it comes time for serious CAD work. But you've all reassured me it'll be fine.

 

It should be alright.

 

my brother has run with AutoCAD on a PC with a 700Mhz, and a GeForce GPU, with only 256MB of RAM..

It will run perfectly on your laptop.

 

Your laptop will own Solidworks, I use a M5310 for my job as a CAD operator.
Im finally getting a new laptop though. Autocad is not at all intensive.
-Ham

 

I've used Solidworks on a AMD Duron with some insanely low clock (can't remember exactly) and 256 mb of ram and it ran fine, a few hang ups but mostly fine.

 

Im glad i came across this thread. I am in the process of getting a T60 or T60p.
I wasn't sure if the X1400 with 128mb would be able to run extensive CAD and Solidworks. So it was either the X1400 or FireGL V5200 with 256mb.

 

It should work for the time being at least. I'd HIGHLY recommend using an NVidia card for CAD work and for other programs that use OpenGL if you're getting a new laptop though. ATI has notoriously bad standard OpenGL support (I'm a developer... I know this intimately.) Great, fast gaming cards, but you can run into issues that are entirely driver related, and ATI is reluctant to fix them. Their OGL support with the FireGL series is better, but you won't be able to game nearly as well. NVidia splits the difference much better from my experience.

 

Good informtation. I not a gamer at all so maybe this will be an issue. Im just very reluctant to pay that much for for a T60p. Maybe I'll stick with a X1400 and get a nice desktop and use the notebook for minor changes and classroom work.

Sorry if I have hijacked this thread, I just didn't want to make a new thread on the same subject.

 

No problem at all.

 

Well, if you've settled on the T60, try it out for a while before you commit to getting a desktop. ATI's newer drivers have supposedly fixed a lot of OpenGL bugs, and you can get an external monitor, keyboard and mouse much cheaper than a full desktop (that's actually what I'd recommend). It'll keep your wallet much happier, and should still work. Just get the desktop to go with the monitor/keyboard/mouse later if you find the laptop's just not cutting it.

 

Good plan indeed, Thanks for the advice. It is greatly appreciated.

 

My IBM A22m runs AutoCad 2005 pretty smoothly with 384 mb ram.