AutoCAD System Requirements

Can your workstation handle it?

Christian Wait

Christian Wait

AUTOCAD SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

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Autodesk’s AutoCAD simply saves engineers, architects and other construction professionals time and money by providing an expansive toolset designed to automate smaller design tasks. This allows users to focus on the bigger picture across multiple devices thanks to its mobile and web-based applications. It’s wealth of toolsets range from making sure window cuts are the correct width automatically to 3-step layer changes for mechanical engineers.

 

All of this and more is included in the subscription-based full-fat experience in Windows and Mac, but what system requirements are needed? Don’t worry about that, we’ve got you covered with some minimum, recommended and additional resources needed for larger datasets/toolsets:

System requirements for AutoCAD 2022 including Specialized Toolsets (Windows)

  • Operating System: 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 10
  • Processor: Basic: 2.5–2.9 GHz processor / Recommended: 3+ GHz processor
  • Memory: Basic: 8 GB / Recommended: 16 GB
  • Display Resolution: Conventional Displays: 1920 x 1080 with True Color / High Resolution & 4K Displays: Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 supported on Windows 10
  • Display Card: Basic: 1 GB GPU with 29 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 11 compliant / Recommended: 4 GB GPU with 106 GB/s Bandwidth and DirectX 12 compliant
  • Disk Space: 10 GB
  • .NET Framework: Version 4.8 or later

System requirements for AutoCAD 2022 for Mac

  • Operating System: Big Sur V11, Catalina V10.15 and Mojave v10.14
  • Basic Models: Apple Mac Pro® 4.1, MacBook Pro 5.1, iMac® 8.1, Mac mini® 3.1, MacBook Air®, MacBook® 5.1
  • Recommended Models: Models supporting Metal Graphics Engine and Apple Mac models with M series chip are supported under Rosetta 2 mode.
  • CPU Type: Basic: 64-bit Intel CPU / Recommended Intel Core i7 Or Higher
  • Memory: Basic: 4GB / Recommended: 8GB or Higher
  • Display Resolution: Basic: 1280 x 800 / High: 2880 x 1800 w/ Retina Display
  • Disk Space: 4Gb For Download and Installation
  • Display Card: All Native Mac-Installed Cards

Additional Requirements For Large Datasets, Point Clouds, and 3D Modelling

  • Memory: 8GB Ram or more
  • Disk Space: 6GB Free space available (Not including installation)
  • Display Card: 3840 x 2160 (4K) or greater True Color video display adapter; 4G VRAM or greater; Pixel Shader 3.0 or greater; DirectX-capable workstation class graphics card.

Specialized Toolsets (Windows Only)

  • AutoCAD Map 3D: Disk Space: 20GB, Memory: 16GB
  • AutoCAD Electrical: Disk Space: 20GB
  • AutoCAD Architecture: Disk Space: 20GB, Memory: 16GB
  • AutoCAD MEP: Disk Space: 21GB, Memory: 16GB
  • AutoCAD Plant 3D: Disk Space: 12GB
  • AutoCAD Mechanical: Disk Space: 12GB
  • AutoCAD Raster Design: Disk Space: 1GB