Advise please: swapping from Microsoft Surface to 2020 27" iMac - AutoCAD

jeanette · ‎05-19-2021

Hi All,

I need to upgrade my Microsoft Surface (Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz 2.81GHz, RAM 16.0 GB).

I'm considering buying a 2020 27" iMac https://www.apple.com/uk/imac-27/ and I'm wondering how the iMac will cope with AutoCAD. Are there any features that's better / worse than my current laptop? I've read the ins and outs of this post: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Compare-... but would benefit from someone giving me advise :based on their experience

Thank you

pendean · ‎05-19-2021

What challenges are you facing exactly? The MSSurface is not a desktop PC, so blazing performance was not a concept they went after on their portable tablet.
Plus DWG file sizes and where you store them/how you connect to them come into play for slow performance too.

You are also comparing an old 2.6GHz processor with a much faster 3.8ghz processor and way more room, of course you will see a difference.

Are you intending to run the MAC version of AutoCAD on that imac27?
Or are you wishing to run WindowsOS on it then AutoCAD for Windows?

For that kind of money, why not purchase a true WindowsOS Desktop Workstation instead?

jeanette · ‎05-20-2021

Thanks for your reply

The challenges I'm currently facing is that AutoCAD is slow and laggy, and it often crashes completely. I've linked up a second screen to my laptop, and sometimes I can't use it because of the lag. I often have to shut down everything else I'm working on. Ie I work in Photoshop simultaneously.

"Are you intending to run the MAC version of AutoCAD on that imac27?
Or are you wishing to run WindowsOS on it then AutoCAD for Windows?"

This is the sort of thing I would need advise on

I think I would prefer an iMac instead of WindowsOS Desktop as I've heard that they're better for designers. As mentioned, I use Photoshop a lot. Seeing that I've always been a Windows user, I'm just very uncertain how much different a Mac would be.

maxim_k · ‎05-20-2021

Hi @jeanette ,

First, I would like to know what specific modification of iMac 27" do you want to purchase?

My recommendation is to start with 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor model with at least 512GB Storage and 16 gb RAM.

This modification will allow you to use both AutoCAD for Mac - as native app and AutoCAD for Windows - inside Parallels Desktop Virtual machine.

The performance of such a model is enough for fast and smooth work with large DWG files in AutoCAD (Mac and Windows versions) and with raster images in Photoshop.

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Maxim Kanaev
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