Computer Spec for 2025

[peterb10]

Hi All,

I am looking to replace my existing Dell Optiplex 9020 SFF with something a bit more powerful. And it cannot run Windows 11 anyway.

I have a budget of £2 to £2.5k and I only do 2D work although some of the file sizes are fairly large with some being >200MB. 

Looking at the Dell UK website everything seems to be Intel Core Ultras now. Are these preferable over I9's for 2d CAD?

I was generally looking at I9, 64GB RAM, RTX 4070 and two 1 or 2 TB SSDs. Would this spec be ok or should I go for a Ultra 9 285K? Is the choice of graphics card ok for what I am doing?

Thanks for any advice

[Brock_Olly]

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@peterb10 wrote:

I9, 64GB RAM, RTX 4070 and two 1 or 2 TB SSDs.

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This is more than enough.

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

FYI:

This is link to checkout Autodesk certified graphics cards:

https://www.autodesk.com/support/system-requirements/certified-graphics-hardware/autocad

This is link for system requirements for AutoCAD 2026:

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/System-requirement...

[pendean]

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@peterb10 wrote:

....looking at I9, 64GB RAM, RTX 4070 and two 1 or 2 TB SSDs. Would this spec be ok or should I go for a Ultra 9 285K? Is the choice of graphics card ok for what I am doing?

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That's serious overkill for 2D AutoCAD drafting: what problems are you trying to fix with all that configuration? And are you sure the issue is not elsewhere (like where you store files and how you access them, or just maybe how you use the program)?

[peterb10]

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@pendean wrote:

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That's serious overkill for 2D AutoCAD drafting: what problems are you trying to fix with all that configuration?

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Opening a large background map contaning service utilities 43 secs

searching for a text entity within it 30 secs

saving 23 secs

closing 32 secs

I also have to insert custom road signs which are generated by lisp routines with each instance taking 10 secs while the routine runs.

Having said all that my Dell 9020 has no discreet graphics card 🙂

[peterb10]

Thanks for the links @paullimapa 

[paullimapa]

You are welcome..cheers!!!