Graphics Card

[donovat]

I am considering a new pc for LT2005 and am in the process of ugrading to LT2008. The new pc is a Dell Inspiron 530 with an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 on-board card. Will this be suitable for AutoCAD?

[Ritch7]

hi donovat,
the majority of the newer range of g/cs run autocad fine as intel is a good make check "the system preferd requirements"(im sure there must be some info on suitable cards to run with) im sure that will advise you well

[donovat]

Thanks For The Advice

[eautocad]

I would stay away from dell and build a custom computer. The boards are made much better, and your computer will operate smoother under more intense conditions. You can also customize it! Mix and match it, Frankenstien was strong right?

[f700es]

I would stay away from dell and build a custom computer. The boards are made much better, and your computer will operate smoother under more intense conditions. You can also customize it! Mix and match it, Frankenstien was strong right?

What??? Dell buys Intel boards just like almost everyone else (unless it is an AMD based board). None of my Dells have never failed on me. My almost 5 year old dimension at home is still going strong and my Precision at work is a work-horse! I don't mind if someone doesn't like brand "X" but please back up this position with valid reasons instead of junk.
You can also customize a Dell. I have added a 7.1 audio card, a TV in card, upgraded graphics and newer SATA hard drive on my home unit. It will also hold 4 GB of ram. Just exactly what can't you customize on a Dell?

Oh and to donovat the 530 will be OK to start with but I would upgrade to a PCIe based video card and disable to Intel video solution. Be sure to have enough ram as well. What are the complete specs on the 530?
I would start with a core2duo @ 2 GHz
2 gb of ram
DVD-r/w
an nVidia based video card w/ 256 mb of ram(sure you said LT but you never know what tomorrow brings)
I would also stick with Windows XP Pro
250 gb sata hdd
a 22" lcd will also be a needed item

good luck

[eautocad]

Lol that's where you are wrong, you really bought into intel's spiel.. Intel makes good processors I'll give you that, but I think you're much better of concerning graphics if you use nvidia chipset and video card together. I've used both, and the nvidia is much better. Saying that dell makes better computers than custom hand built is like saying mass produced vehicles are better than hand built.. Do you know why dell has such a great warrenty? Because that way they can sell you crap and as long as they'll always fix it it doesn't matter if it fails.

All of this is of course only my humble opinion.... I'm not a scientist, I just tell it how I see it.

[f700es]

Well my Precision (at work) has an intel mb and cpu with a quadro FX3450 and it is pretty good at what I throw at it. Intel mb/cpus are good enough for the big boy systems, Apple, Dell, Alienware, Boxx and so on. Sure you can get a crappy system with a $400 box. No surprise there. I have been spec'ing Dell's for work since 1997 or so and they have never let me down. Comparing cars to computers is not a fair comparrison so let's not go that route. Now I do like nVidia based mother boards but Intel is known for stable systems. As for Dell's warranty I have only had to use it on the monitor. They replaced it 2 years ago after the 3 year warranty has expired and that is rare these days. In my experience Intel has been making mb/cpus long enough to know how to do it right. Just as nVidia is the king at graphics. AMD is good at CPUs but they lack the infrastructure to make the mother boards and them buying Ati really didn't help them that much. Shame though, competition is good for the consumers.
I still want to know how you cannot customize a Dell to your liking?
Oh you will notice that I did spec an nvidia card for the original poster above.

Cheers

Lol that's where you are wrong, you really bought into intel's spiel.. Intel makes good processors I'll give you that, but I think you're much better of concerning graphics if you use nvidia chipset and video card together. I've used both, and the nvidia is much better. Saying that dell makes better computers than custom hand built is like saying mass produced vehicles are better than hand built.. Do you know why dell has such a great warrenty? Because that way they can sell you crap and as long as they'll always fix it it doesn't matter if it fails.

All of this is of course only my humble opinion.... I'm not a scientist, I just tell it how I see it.

[97catintenn]

There are better mother boards out there than what dell or anyone else is going to use in their systems. They don't offer the warranty that dell does though. I was surprised since it was suppose to be better product. And I was told, if you buy this product, you won't need a warranty.

I'm not knocking dell, they are great pcs. I could post response time between communications from the CPU to the RAM to the video card, going through the North and South bridges, and show which is better and why, but who wants to read through that?

[f700es]

There are better mother boards out there than what dell or anyone else is going to use in their systems. They don't offer the warranty that dell does though. I was surprised since it was suppose to be better product. And I was told, if you buy this product, you won't need a warranty.

I'm not knocking dell, they are great pcs. I could post response time between communications from the CPU to the RAM to the video card, going through the North and South bridges, and show which is better and why, but who wants to read through that?

You can find crap products in every line, no surprise there. Different mother boards in different models, let's remember that. The mother board in the quad core precisions will be WAY better than say a 530 Inspiron. The dual quad core board in the new Apples are different still. These will also differ from the new line of AMD based solutions.

[eautocad]

Now that I've actually heard something good about Dell I might have to check them out again. I got burned by them back in the day because I was always fixing everyone's Dell computer when it ran like $hikaka because they filled it up with more programs than it could handle.
I always looked at customizing a dell with upgraded extras like video cards, sound, ram, hd's ,etc as a waste of time. Sort of like putting $6,000 rims on a $1500 pile of ****ake. LOL But it sounds like they may have changed their game a little bit.


What laptop would you recommend I use for doing 3D CAD work using 2005/2008 autocad? The 3D i do is architectural design, custom for clients.


Does dell have one? I'd like to know because they do offer some decent payment plans....


See you got me, are you a dell salesman? LOL