Computer-aided design, or CAD as it is commonly referred to, refers to the process of using computers to help in the modification, optimization, creation, or analysis of a design. From 3D to 2D designs, several disciplines including product lifecycle management (PLM), engineering analysis, product styling, and design visualization are encompassed in the application of CAD, therefore, placing more demand on computers today.
Because of this, computers, therefore, need to meet a specific system requirement in order for applications and technologies girdled under the brevity of the term CAD can function at their optimum ability.
Your computer’s resourcefulness and performance are a function of the device’s configuration among them the random-access memory or RAM as it is commonly referred to. When considering the system requirements, people often pay little attention to the RAM, whose speed and size surprisingly plays a crucial role in the performance of CAD.
For a quick look at laptops suitable for CAD applications, see our top picks for the Best Laptops for CAD.
Tailoring your RAM for CAD
Often individuals who work with CAD programs rarely use just a single program when they are working. However, there is always that one CAD program that dominates their work schedule, and this should be the starting point when determining how much RAM you need for CAD. From AutoCAD to Solidworks and even Inventor, each CAD program has a recommended minimum RAM requirement, but this doesn’t imply that you should settle for the stated RAM size as the bar is usually quite low.
Depending on the version AutoCAD for example characteristically recommends 4GB of RAM as the bare minimum, but it doesn’t hurt to opt for say 8GB or higher. , is because the CAD program is not the only application relying on the RAM. Since not two CAD programs are the same, tailoring your RAM is the most recommended solution for determining how much you need.
Customizing your computer’s components means that you can focus on value-add components such as CAD while shelling out, that you may not need or do not add value to the performance of CAD. Some of the RAM’s that you can consider include the Corsair Vengeance 8GB if you are on a budget, the Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB Kit if your budget is in the mid-range and the Kingston Technology 32GB RAM Kit if you are looking for a high-end RAM.
Final Thoughts
While there is plenty of advice about CAD programs and applications, the advice and information on the RAM specifications are few and far between. For CAD it is almost impossible to give an exact number of how much RAM one would need, however, depending on the software that one uses, the importance of the Random-Access Memory supersedes that of other computer components. Your computer’s performance and productivity are only as good as the components installed on the computer. This means that in addition to the other components such as the processor, your RAM must be muscular enough to sustain all of CAD’s computational horsepower. As such, having a lot of random-access memory may not necessarily be a bad thing.