Appendix B: Hardware and Software Tips

Because some of the items that make up an AutoCAD system are not found on the typical desktop system, I have provided this appendix to help you understand some of the less common items you might need. This appendix also discusses ways you can improve AutoCAD's performance through software and hardware.

The Graphics Display

There are two issues to consider concerning the graphics display: resolution and performance. Fortunately, nearly all computers sold today have display systems that are more than adequate for Auto- CAD, thanks to the popularity of 3D games . You do need to make sure that your resolution is set to at least 1024 768, preferably higher. The higher your resolution, the more detail you'll be able to see in your drawings.

If you have an older system that needs a graphics display upgrade, you will want to consider the following factors in choosing a new display:

AGP bus     Contemporary motherboards use high-speed AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) expansion slots that offer the fastest video throughput available. Check that yours is a system of this type. Windows XP also provides options for using multiple monitors, an approach that has been popular among AutoCAD users. Multiple monitors enable AutoCAD users to view multiple or large documents more easily.

Video RAM     If you are shopping for a display system, you should also make sure that it has at least 32MB of video RAM. Greater amounts of up to 64MB will give you better performance with AutoCAD, and you'll be able to take advantage of larger color palettes and higher resolution for other programs such as 3D studio max or VIZ.