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From Windows to Mac?

jeanette
Contributor

From Windows to Mac?

jeanette
Contributor
Contributor

Hi all,

 

I'm looking into if I should switch from Windows to Mac. Any advice, pros and cons etc please share. 

- How difficult is the switch? 

- Functionalities: which ones doesn't work optimally? Ie I'm using a lot of dynamic blocks, dataextraction, automatic pdf generation on save etc. 

 

An alternative is to install windows on Mac and run AutoCAD through there, but I'm uncertain if it'll be slow and sluggish. 

 

Also, which Mac is recommended if I do the switch? 

 

Thank you :cara_con_una_leve_sonrisa: 

 

Thank you!  

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rkmcswain
Mentor
Mentor

Interested in the replies. Years ago, the Mac version, despite having the same cost, was missing many commands and features that the Windows version included.

R.K. McSwain     | CADpanacea | on twitter
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rdkrapf
Contributor
Contributor
Difference has lessened, but Mac version still lacks robot Windows version.
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jeanette
Contributor
Contributor

I found a post on the support page (below). my main concern is that (if I can't run AutoCAD through windows on the Mac due to slowness), functions like design centre is redundant, the ribbon and tool palette is gone, and dynamic blocks are limited, and dataextraction isn't a feature on Mac...? If I understand the link below correctly.     

 

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Compare-Features-A...

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maxim_k
Consultant
Consultant
Solución aceptada

Hi @jeanette ,

 

>>>>> How difficult is the switch? 

If you've been using AutoCAD for Windows for a long time and, for example, are used to using ribbon, then I have to disappoint you - switching to the user interface on Mac can be quite difficult for you.

On the other hand, if you are used to using command aliases and don't use much Ribbon and Tool palettes, the transition will be easier. All commands that exist on both PC and Mac have the same options and functionality.

Some commands on Mac are not so user friendly because they only exist in the command line variant.

 

>>>>>> Functionalities: which ones doesn't work optimally? Ie I'm using a lot of dynamic blocks, dataextraction, automatic pdf generation on save etc. 

There are quite a few features that are not available on Mac. For more details, please look here:

Compare Features: AutoCAD for Windows against AutoCAD for Mac

For example:

- you can author and use Dynamic blocks, but there is no Lookup tables functionality on Mac,

- Data Extraction wizard is not available in AutoCAD for Mac. On Mac you can use -ATTEXT command to extract attributes,

- I think you can create AutoLISP routine to automate PDF generation on save,

- Keep in mind that most of Visual Lisp functions are not available on Mac,

- There is no offline Rendering in AutoCAD for Mac,

At the same time - some missing functionality can be replaced with workarounds.

 

>>>>>An alternative is to install windows on Mac and run AutoCAD through there, but I'm uncertain if it'll be slow and sluggish.

 

If you use a fairly powerful modern Mac, then you will practically not feel any slowness and sluggishness.

On Intel Mac you can use two methods to run Windows (and AutoCAD for Windows in it): virtualization software, such as Parallels Desktop, and Bootcamp.

On M-series Mac you are limited only by the virtualization program - Parallels Desktop can create and run an ARM version of Windows 11 and AutoCAD for Windows runs smooth in such virtual machine.

 

>>>>>Also, which Mac is recommended if I do the switch? 

 

If you will be using a virtualization program, then you need the most powerful Mac you can afford - at least 16Gb RAM + 500Gb SSD

If you plan to buy new Silicon Mac, I'd recommend you MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip, basic model of Mac mini with M2 Pro chip, even MacBook Air (model with 512Gb SSD + 16Gb RAM)

The best solution would be basic Mac Studio with M2 Max chip.

 


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Maxim Kanaev
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rbarce02919
Contributor
Contributor

Having used the Windows version of AutoCAD in the past at work and learned CAD on a PC, while the Mac version looks a bit different (tools on the side of the drawing pane) it's essentially the same.

 

On the pro side from what I've found and I've been using the Mac version since 2016, it's very stable, very few crashes in the program. In the event AutoCAD does freeze or lock up, drawing recovery works well. 

 

& the Mac OS never crashes. I honestly can't recall ever having to hit command-option-escape, the Mac equivalent of control-alt-delete.

 

In the event some other application does freeze, be it Word or Excel, quitting and restarting the application works with no need for a reboot. 

 

The Mac operating system (OS X) is quite stable in my experience & I've been using Macs since OS 8. Pre OS X was a different story, nowhere near as stable.

 

The biggest cons for me are no Design Center in the Mac version, and no DWF option for plotting.

 

I'm just starting to tinker with LISP and can't really speak to that on features Windows has that Mac lacks.

 

I have submitted mechanical drawings to machine shops for fabrication of parts and they've had no issues loading Mac created files on PCs and loading these programs into CNC machines. 

 

I've never run virtual PC on my Macs and would say that performance would be slower than just running the windows version on a PC.

 

I'm running the latest version of AutoCAD LT for Mac on a 14 inch MacBook Pro (2023), M2 processor, 2 TB solid state drive with 32 GB of RAM.

 

 

 

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jeanette
Contributor
Contributor

I ended up getting a mac book pro and bought Parallels to run AutoCAD. Parallels works almost as a windows machine. There's a few things I need to get used to (the lack of the delete button!!!!) but overall there's very little difference once I'm within Parallels. It's bliss that the Mac never crash or randomly decide to update itself; unlike my old Windows laptop. That I shall not miss. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to get used to the Mac interface :cara_con_una_leve_sonrisa:   

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maxim_k
Consultant
Consultant

Hi Jeanette,

 

>>>>>There's a few things I need to get used to (the lack of the delete button!!!!)

 

You can try to use Fn+Delete (On the Mac, the backspace key is labeled Delete, although it's in exactly the same place as the Windows Backspace key) inside Parallels Desktop virtual machine - this combination should work as Delete on Windows computer.

 

 


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Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
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