PC

PC Minimum*

  • Windows 7 / Vista / XP
  • 2.4 GHz processor
  • 2 GB of Memory
  • 5 GB of available hard disk space
  • 256 MB video card
  • OpenGL: 2.0
  • Internet: High speed for Registration, Video access, and Catalog / Library downloads

Recommended

Tips on Buying a New Computer
  • Windows 7 64 bit
  • Quad-Core CPU (e.g., Intel i7)
  • 6 GB of Memory
  • 50 GB of available hard disk space
  • 1 GB high performance video card (e.g., NVIDIA or ATI)
Mac

Mac Minimum*

  • Requires Boot Camp
  • Mac Book Pro or Mac Pro running Leopard OS or newer with Windows 7/Vista/XP Service Pack 2 running on Boot Camp
  • Video Graphics: NVIDIA Graphics with 256 MB dedicated Video RAM
  • 2.4 GHz processor
  • 2 GB of Memory
  • Mouse, 2 Button
  • Internet: High speed for Registration, Video access, and Catalog / Library downloads

Recommended

  • An Intel Mac meeting or exceeding the PC requirements above running Leopard OS or newer with Windows 7 64 under Boot Camp
Chief Architect

* Keep in mind that your needs may vary. A system that doesn’t meet these requirements may be more than sufficient depending on the complexity of models you produce, or it may not be sufficient if you produce complex models – the Artistic Rendering techniques can be demanding on the video card.

Tips on Buying a New Computer.

If you are considering a new computer system to run Chief Architect, here are some tips to consider:

  • Rendering is performed through your video card. A higher end video card from NVIDIA or ATI with more on board memory can improve your 3D rendering and response times.
  • Raytrace rendering is performed with your system CPU not your video card. The memory and CPU speed are the most important aspects to improving the speed of raytracing.
  • Some of the non-artistic rendering techniques use the CPU as well. In some cases they will take advantage of more cores to significantly improve performance.
  • With newer computers the speed of memory is often the gating factor in how fast the CPU can process information. Get the fastest memory that you can afford. Sacrificing CPU speed to afford faster memory is usually a good choice.
  • More memory up to a point is better. Typical systems today have at least 2GB and usually 4GB of RAM. Under a 32 bit operating system only 3GB of it will be available to applications. Chief Architect is a 32 bit application so it can access up to 2GB of memory regardless of the operating system. A 64 bit operating system will allow more applications to be running at the same time as Chief Architect. Somewhere around 4GB is probably a good minimum size for a 64 bit operating system. More may help if you are running a lot of other applications at the same time as Chief Architect.
  • Multiple and/or larger displays can improve productivity. Think about adding a larger display to expand your desktop and work space.
  • For more information on hardware you can access benchmark sites like Tom’s Hardware.
  • There are also frequent discussions of hardware on Chief Talk that can be helpful.