What exactly is CAD?

CAD or Computer Aided Design is a technology that allows users to create detailed 3D models on a computer. These models can be edited, analyzed and even converted into physical objects by sending them to a 3D printer or lathe.
We differentiate between beginners and professionals here, as the hardware and software requirements are very different. Beginners who print 3D models at home and occasionally pursue their hobby need a different CAD PC with different tools than professionals who work with the CAD PC for hours every day.
Are you looking for a good CAD PC on which you can run professional applications such as Solidworks, AutoCAD or CATIA? We have workstations that are tailored precisely to these areas of application and perfectly match the requirements profile. Whether it's the processor, RAM, graphics card or mass storage equipment - we have thought about what makes a good CAD PC and implemented these findings in our CAD workstations.
Generally speaking, CAD PCs are professional workstations that should be selected and dimensioned in such a way that they deliver maximum performance with the application used on them. Minimum requirements are useful to get an overview. However, you should never be satisfied with this and should invest a little more so that you can work without any problems and avoid problems with RAM, CPU speed or the hard disk.

System requirements of common CAD applications as a reference point

The operating system required for CAD PCs is either Windows 10 or Windows 11. The minimum CPU requirement lies at around 3 GHz. We offer many different models here, from the Intel Core i7-6700 with 4 x 3.4 GHz to the Intel Core i7-12700K with 12 x 3.6 GHz. We recommend at least 16 GB of RAM for smooth working; our CAD PCs are all equipped with at least 16 GB of brand-name RAM. The manufacturer's minimum requirement for mass storage is 6GB, but we say: a lot helps a lot. The more mass storage, the better. We recommend at least a 500GB SSD. Suitable, certified graphics cards such as NVIDIA QUADRO cards with at least 2GB DDR5 memory are required. This allows you to control up to four screens in 4K resolution or a lower resolution. These cards are certified for specialized CAD applications and require special drivers.

What do beginners need CAD for?

Many interested users come from 3D printing to CAD PCs.

• The market leader Autodesk not only offers professional software, but also a free cloud-based online tool called TinkerCAD for beginners, which impresses with its ease of use and its large and active community
• Microsoft offers a tool focused entirely on 3D printing, which is also free. 3D Builder has a simple structure, but can do a lot and is not just aimed at beginners. The program is included as standard in Windows 10 and can be downloaded free of charge from the Windows Store for Windows 11. 3D Builder can also forward the finished 3D model to commercial print providers, who will print it for a fee.
• For higher demands and with tutorials included, SelfCAD also comes in a free version. The special feature here are the tutorials by professionals who interactively demonstrate the tool and its possibilities

These tools do not require an extremely powerful PC, but a decent entry-level device. Our low-cost offers for CAD PCs are always worth a look and are completely sufficient for the tools mentioned.

What do professionals need CAD for?

Mechanical engineers, architects or artists need CAD applications to create individual parts for machines, 3D drawings of buildings or 3D animations. A powerful processor, sufficient RAM and a high-performance graphics card are important for these applications. Professional CAD PCs take on a variety of tasks in professional life: From the creation of 3D objects to simulations and complex calculations, these workstations are needed

• Autodesk not only offers the free tool TinkerCAD, but also the paid professional product Autocad. Highlights of this software are automated processes, data accuracy and compatibility with DWG files as well as additional work with mobile apps. Autocad 2022 requires Windows 10 or 11 and a CPU with at least 2.5 GHz as well as at least 8GB RAM and 10GB space on the hard disk/SSD.
• SolidWorks 2023 includes Sustainability Express, which can be used to assess the environmental impact of objects over their entire life cycle. It also includes extensive simulation and testing functions for simulating wind and weather, temperature, water and much more. The tool can be connected to an ERP system to automate processes and automatically generate parts lists in SAP. SolidWorks 2023 requires Windows Server, Windows 10 or Windows 11 and there are no minimum CPU requirements, at least 16 GB RAM is required. SSD drives are required for optimal performance.
• Catia 5 / CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE is best suited for group-oriented work and is used by many large customers in the aviation and automotive industries. Catia 5 requires Windows XP or a newer Windows in the 64bit version. The minimum CPU required is an Intel Xeon EM64T or AMD Opteron. The RAM and mass storage requirements are very low: at least 4 GB RAM and 2.5 GB hard disk space/SSD are required.

Our CAD Workstations

We offer a large selection of CAD computers, ranging from inexpensive computers for small budgets to mid-priced offers up to professional systems. This large selection makes it possible to find exactly the right system for the respective area of application.
It is important for us to offer both beginners and professionals the right choice. This ranges from an Intel Core i7-6700 with an Nvidia Quadro 600 1GB and 32GB RAM as well as a 1TB SSD as the absolute entry-level model to the professional model with an Intel Core i7-12700K, 32GB RAM and an RTX A2000 12GB.

These are your advantages when you buy your PC system from Ankermann

• We help with the purchase decision with our free hotline
• Our solution offers everything you need from a single source - the finished system arrives ready to use, the operating system and all drivers are installed and you can get started straight away. We don't install any annoying trial versions or bloatware, the system is clean.
• We give you a 24-month commercial guarantee on the components and service

Our „special offers“ that you cannot refuse

• In the Daily Express section you will find pre-configured systems which will be dispatched on the same day if payment is received by 14:00 so that the PC system arrives at your location as soon as possible.
• The Megadeals offer heavily discounted PCs at unbeatable prices, selected for you by our technicians!
• In addition, we have our Hot sellers of the week with PC systems at the best price, each of which is only available for a short time