What is a "CAD Card"?

[imported_Com80787]

I am taking an architecture class and on the papers that were handed out it says that a "CAD Card" would be recommended for our computers at home.

Is a CAD Card an Nvidia Quadro or ATI FireGL card, or is there something else that is actually called a CAD Card?

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: Com80787
Is a CAD Card an Nvidia Quadro or ATI FireGL card.

Generally. However for most (if not all) home cad programs, a 3D card with OpenGL support should be just fine. What is the name of the program? AutoCAD? or something else?

 

[imported_Com80787]

I believe it is AutoCAD.

 

[Kromis]

Computer Aid Design

Basically some sort of workstation card.

 

[BassBomb]

u wont need a workstation card to get good results... 2d performance is important so you could overclock a card's 2D clocks to their 3D to get the full potential of the mainstrema video card

i use a 6600GT and it works fine with AutoCAD, have previously used a FX5200 which worked but its a piece of crap

 

[ElFenix]

the drivers of CAD cards have been certified by the CAD software maker to work properly with their program. the normal gaming cards have not. normal gaming cards it might be ok to be aggressive on some things that don't noticeably decrease image quality in games, whereas that might be unacceptable for CAD, for instance.

 

[i3igpete]

my old x800xl handled pro/e about the same as the insane sun workstations at school. you don't need a lot of horsepower unless you're going to be modelling an entire car or something with a lot of internal parts and complex geometries. i'd say anything around 50 bucks should probably do it. maybe even cheaper.

 

[gxsaurav]

check out quadro NVS graphics card, they are made for AutoCAD

else, a low end Quadro FX will do