Multi-Core/Multi-Thead Support

[Anonymous]

I am an I/T technician and I am helping a client upgrade his AutoCAD workstation. He is a full service Architect and makes use of several rendering programs, including AutoCAD Architect. I have a solid GPU setup for him and am just curious about CPUs. I am wondering what would be the best upgrade solution for him and I have a few questions I hope someone can answer.

1. Does AutoCAD 2016 support multi-core/multi-thread CPU usage?
2. If not, is there any version that does?
3. If not are there plans to add full multi-core/multi-thread support in a future release?
4. Has AutoCAD been tested on the new AMD R7 series CPUs?
5. What is currently the absolute best CPU on the market for AutoCAD usage?

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

[dbroad · Accepted solution]

As far as I know, the first two questions.  Others are speculative.

1. No
2. No

[pendean]

3. Autodesk does not preannounce features, but it's not in the 2018 current shipping version.
4. Internet search result http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-7-1800x-cpu,4951-9.html
5. Kind of like asking what's the best engine for riding in a car: CPU is only one component of an entire system, it alone cannot be the only thing to concentrate on.

[Anonymous]

>5. Kind of like asking what's the best engine for riding in a car: CPU is only one component of an entire system, it alone cannot be the only thing to concentrate on.

I have the rest of the system already specced out, this is an upgrade solution not a pre-build. I asked specific questions and wanted specific answers. Thanks for trying to help but you come off a bit condescending.

[Anonymous]

Thank you dbroad! I will stick with a higher clock speed CPU vs a multi-threaded one.

[dbroad]

That is the right strategy IMO.  Overclock if possible.  Have a good box with quiet high capacity fans or water cooled.  Load up on RAM and use SSD drives for your OS and programs.  I prefer the GTX series of cards because AutoCAD doesn't really seem to take advantage of the Quadro cards. With GTX, you get a much higher computing power at much lower cost.  (GTX 1080 I hear is pretty amazing). Large screens or dual or triple monitors reduce the time wasted in zooming.

[ntellery]

1/  Yes it does but only with certain actions.
Rendering will use all threads. You can see this in the Windows Task Manager
Some items like screen redraws, regeneration will use multi=threads.  Most general operations will not.
It's been this way for some time (versions).  Since rendering has changed a number of times I'm not sure when multi thread support began but possibly around v2012 when the rendering engine was upgraded to the Mental Ray renderer but it's changed again.  I render often.

2. No different versions.
3. Not that I am aware except for what is already.  Adesk don't tell their future plans.
4. Doubt you will find official info on that because they are very poor at offering such info.
5. Fastest.  I did switch to AMD when they jumped ahead of Intel for their Pentium 4 debarcle because it was slow but back for the Core2Duo and now with an i7 for about 6 years (and it's still fast !.
Fastest single core since much is not MT but if rendering then the MT of an i7 comes into play but Intel or AMD latest monster would be good I think.

You might be tempted to go for the specialist NVidea Quadro cards for cad but I think they are a waste, not bang for buck, not worth the extra cost.  Get a highest end gaming card and it will perform well.  Beware of the low end specialist cad cards because they are crap. Generally for 2D work.

IMHO. 🙂

[ntellery]

I just upgraded my system from 16gb RAM to 32 because I kept running out when rendering.
My SSD is only 108gb and I constantly have trouble because it's full even though all my docs are on 2nd drive.
GTX 1080 would be very nice.  Get as much RAM.
Dual big screens a must.

IMHO. 🙂

[mo]

i3 8750K@5GHz overclocked, be sure to apply motherboard with a proper chipset for overclocking, not every chipset is designed for that...and of course you need also a decent cooling system 

32GB RAM

Saphire Nitro RX580 4GB with passive cooling

other periphelials of your choice

best config for acad I have ever had by now. I mainly work in Advance Steel