Appendix G PC Hardware, Printers/Plotters and Networks This is another collection of topics that can easily span volumes, and indeed much has been written about all of the above. We will try to focus on hardware from an AutoCAD user's point of view exclusively, which may be a less covered topic (if only slightly). Hardware, in the author's opinion, goes hand in hand with the software. And while computers, like cars, have become so reliable that a "hands off" approach works fine, remember that CAD in general and AutoCAD specifically, isn't ordinary software. It's a high-end, powerful application that places heavy demands on the associated hardware, and will not run at its peak on a clunky PC. Much like the owner of a Porsche is more likely to be interested in (and look under the hood of) their car versus the owner of a Toyota, so should an AutoCAD designer express interest in what's "under the hood" of their computer. After all, they are manipulating and creating multi-megabyte sophisticated drawings or 3D models, not merely typing up a memo on Word, and it's in their best interest to use a PC that meets or exceeds AutoCAD's demands. PC Hardware By its nature, AutoCAD is not as fussy as some other CAD software out there (3D solid modeling applications come to mind), but it does need a high-end PC to operate optimally. Here's a rundown of a recommended set-up with comments. Processor ­ The "brain" of the computer, also referred to as a chip, its where all the calculations and operations are performed. Intel and AMD are the major players in the PC market. Which is better is a moot point; while Intel was once the only game in town, these days they constantly one-up each other with performance benchmarks. At this point both manufacturers produce quality products, and the Intel versus AMD comparison is essentially meaningless to the average user. The latest Intel chipset (as of this writing) is the Intel Core 2 Extreme with a 3.33