{"id":22748,"date":"2023-06-13T09:26:36","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T07:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=22748"},"modified":"2023-06-13T09:29:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T07:29:52","slug":"professional-gpu-for-cad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you need a Professional GPU for CAD Workloads? [AMD PRO, Nvidia Quadro, Intel ARC Pro]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6681cad025b96\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6681cad025b96\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6681cad025b96\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#What_are_CAD_Applications\" title=\"What are CAD Applications?\">What are CAD Applications?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Professional_GPUs_for_CAD_-_Are_They_Worth_It\" title=\"Professional GPUs for CAD \u2014 Are They Worth It?\">Professional GPUs for CAD \u2014 Are They Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#What_Are_the_Benefits_of_Buying_a_Workstation_PRO_GPU_NVIDIA_Quadro_AMD_PRO\" title=\"What Are the Benefits of Buying a Workstation (PRO) GPU? [NVIDIA Quadro, AMD PRO]\">What Are the Benefits of Buying a Workstation (PRO) GPU? [NVIDIA Quadro, AMD PRO]<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#The_Performance_Gap_Has_In_Some_Cases_Narrowed\" title=\"The Performance Gap Has, In Some Cases, Narrowed\">The Performance Gap Has, In Some Cases, Narrowed<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Should_I_Buy_a_Quadro_GPU_for_CAD_Work\" title=\"Should I Buy a Quadro GPU for CAD Work?\">Should I Buy a Quadro GPU for CAD Work?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Are_Quadro_GPUs_Better_Than_GeForce_RTX_for_CAD_Workloads\" title=\"Are Quadro GPUs Better Than GeForce RTX for CAD Workloads?\">Are Quadro GPUs Better Than GeForce RTX for CAD Workloads?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Are_Quadro_GPUs_Worth_It\" title=\"Are Quadro GPUs Worth It?\">Are Quadro GPUs Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Whats_Better_NVIDIA_Quadro_or_AMD_PRO\" title=\"What\u2019s Better: NVIDIA Quadro or AMD PRO?\">What\u2019s Better: NVIDIA Quadro or AMD PRO?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Does_Intel_Have_Workstation_GPUs\" title=\"Does Intel Have Workstation GPUs?\">Does Intel Have Workstation GPUs?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/professional-gpu-for-cad\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Building a PC for CAD (computer-aided design) workloads might <em>seem <\/em>like an overly daunting endeavor, but it's actually not all that complicated so long as you\u2019re aware of how powerful a machine you really need.<\/p>\n<p>That, obviously, is tied to your software suite of choice and, well, the demands your work imposes.<\/p>\n<p>Buying a powerful CPU, fast storage, and ample amounts of RAM are obviously a must.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But what about the graphics card?<\/strong> Can you make due with a budget\/mainstream model or do you, conversely, need a spec\u2019d out, VRAM overflowing behemoth with all the latest bells and whistles?<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22764 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image.jpg\" alt=\"Cad engineer working with manufacturing software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-1024x620.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-768x465.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-1536x930.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22764 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201240%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Cad engineer working with manufacturing software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201240%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-1024x620.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-768x465.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image-1536x930.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-intro-image.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the existence of \u201cprofessional GPUs\u201d \u2014 ones designed for workstations and <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/workstation-vs-gaming-pc\/\">industry professionals<\/a> \u2014 only further complicates things. <strong>Do you really need one? Which benefits do they provide and are they worth the asking price?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover down below.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_CAD_Applications\"><\/span>What are CAD Applications?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>But first, let\u2019s make sure we\u2019re all talking about the same thing when it comes to CAD.<\/p>\n<p>CAD stands for Computer Aided Design, and that term is so vague that it could technically include pretty much anything that is designed by aid of a computer.<\/p>\n<p>The consensus, though, is that CAD covers applications &amp; plugins that use mathematically computed curves \/ NURBs as the basis of their 3D modeling.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22765\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software.jpg\" alt=\"CAD Software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22765 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"CAD Software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/CAD-Software.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Popular Applications for CAD include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Autodesk AutoCAD<\/li>\n<li>Autodesk Inventor<\/li>\n<li>Autodesk Revit<\/li>\n<li>Solidworks<\/li>\n<li>Enscape<\/li>\n<li>Lumion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DCC in comparison stands for Digital Content Creation and covers Applications that use vertices (Polygons, Edges, Vertexes\/Vertices\/Points) as their main basis of 3D modeling.<\/p>\n<p>They approximate a model\u2019s resolution and aren\u2019t as precise as CAD Apps.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22758\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software.jpg\" alt=\"DCC Software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-300x97.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-1024x332.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-768x249.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-1536x498.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22758 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%20664%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"DCC Software\" width=\"2048\" height=\"664\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%20664%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-300x97.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-1024x332.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-768x249.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software-1536x498.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/DCC-Software.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Popular DCC Applications include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>3ds Max<\/li>\n<li>Maya<\/li>\n<li>Cinema 4D<\/li>\n<li>Blender<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And if we were to take the Content Creation definition outside of 3D Modeling you\u2019d have to add things like Adobe\u2019s After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and the like to DCC as well.<\/p>\n<p>But for <strong><em>this article<\/em><\/strong>, we\u2019ll be looking at CAD. I will however circle back to whether CAD <em>or DCC<\/em> need a pro-level GPU in the conclusion.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Professional_GPUs_for_CAD_-_Are_They_Worth_It\"><\/span>Professional GPUs for CAD \u2014 Are They Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First of all, what\u2019s your CAD program of choice? They range in their features, hardware requirements, and overall complexity.<\/p>\n<p>Some of them are focused solely on 2D, whereas others have a tremendous number of built-in options and plugins when it comes to 3D rendering and modeling (amongst other things).<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22763\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs.jpg\" alt=\"Benefits of Professional GPUs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22763 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Benefits of Professional GPUs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Benefits-of-Professional-GPUs.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Depending on the software you use, you might not even need a powerful graphics card \u2014 let alone a \u201cworkstation\u201d one like a Quadro (now called RTX \u201cA\u201d series) from NVIDIA or a PRO \u201cW\u201d GPU one from AMD.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-pc-for-cad-autocad-solidworks\/#Best_Graphics_Card_for_CAD_Software\">Some programs<\/a>, like Fusion 360 for instance, and AutoCAD, don\u2019t really <em>need <\/em>powerful graphics cards and can run quite well on even <em>integrated<\/em> ones.<\/p>\n<p>Others, like Solidworks, CATIA, and Siemens NX, <em>need<\/em> a dedicated GPU in order to work properly \u2014 preferably a workstation model, even an \u201centry-level\u201d one.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all a bit confusing. <strong>That\u2019s why you first need to check the system requirements for the particular program you\u2019re interested in and only <em>then <\/em>make any kind of purchasing decision (if necessary).<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_Benefits_of_Buying_a_Workstation_PRO_GPU_NVIDIA_Quadro_AMD_PRO\"><\/span>What Are the Benefits of Buying a Workstation (PRO) GPU? [NVIDIA Quadro, AMD PRO]<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>These cards have plentiful benefits, especially for industry professionals. First of all, they\u2019ve been fully optimized and are officially certified to perform exceptionally well in numerous different CAD workflows.<\/p>\n<p><strong>They run without a hitch and offer a level of stability no gaming\/mainstream GPU can match.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a professional \u2014 or a freelancer who\u2019s working on high-profile CAD projects \u2014 you know that reliability and consistency is <em>key<\/em>. No downtime, no glitches, no bugs, no random crashes, no incompatibility issues \u2014 nothing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You want your graphics card to work as intended for as long as it is in your possession.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Workstation GPUs also tend to come with <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/how-much-vram-do-you-need\/\">more VRAM<\/a>, although that\u2019s mostly the case with mid-tier and top-of-the-line offerings.<\/p>\n<p>That one change can make a world of difference in certain workloads (and none in others) and is more than worth the price of admission.<\/p>\n<p>They also feature <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/open-air-vs-blower-style-gpus\/\">blower-style<\/a> coolers. They have just a single fan that\u2019s tasked with intaking fresh air from within your case; that air then goes <em>through <\/em>the graphics card and is exhausted through the I\/O grille on the back.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22759\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs.jpg\" alt=\"Features of Blower style GPUs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22759 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Features of Blower style GPUs\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Features-of-Blower-style-GPUs.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>This results in lower system temperatures (always a plus) but a bit more fan noise.<\/p>\n<p>This blower-style cooling also means they\u2019re <em>smaller<\/em> (and need fewer PCIe slots) than their gaming\/mainstream counterparts which means that a single workstation (or a rackmount server, for that matter) can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pugetsystems.com\/labs\/articles\/gpu-rendering-nvidia-rtx-a6000-multi-gpu-scaling-2111\/\" target=\"_blank\">more easily be populated with multiple GPUs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>That is no small benefit especially when adding GPUs scales your performance nearly linearly (GPU Rendering etc.).<\/p>\n<p>Even though they often have the exact same GPU die as their gaming counterparts, they nonetheless feature error-correcting (ECC) memory, have their own set of stable, pro-level drivers, and have been optimized and certified to run flawlessly in industry-leading CAD Applications.<\/p>\n<p>They also feature more display outputs, are often thinner and take up less space, have (in most cases) lower power consumption (thanks to cherry-picked dies), and that holds true for their heat output as well.<\/p>\n<p>There are many benefits to a workstation GPU, it's just that <em>most <\/em>of them aren't all that useful for the vast majority of users. To say nothing of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/design-visualization\/nvlink-bridges\/\" target=\"_blank\">NVLink<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/design-visualization\/solutions\/quadro-sync\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sync<\/a> support \u2014 features that only a select few <em>truly<\/em> need.<\/p>\n<p><strong>All of this, when combined with additional computational performance, results in quite an alluring package, <em>especially <\/em>for industry professionals, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Well let\u2019s take a look at a few benchmarks:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22749\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22749\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-22749\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark.png\" alt=\"Siemens NX Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"680\" height=\"451\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark.png 680w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark-300x199.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22749\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-22749 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20680%20451%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Siemens NX Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"680\" height=\"451\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20680%20451%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark.png 680w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark-300x199.png 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-viewport-performance-benchmark.png\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22749\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: TechGage<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now, these results <em>are <\/em>somewhat outdated, but they do speak for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>For the biggest companies out there, investing a few thousand dollars more on a Quadro RTX GPU or, say, an AMD PRO one is a worthwhile investment as it guarantees the least amount of downtime.<\/p>\n<p>The enterprise environment needs PCs and systems that offer the lowest possible likelihood of failing and, should an issue arise, they need impeccable, timely support. Having validated hardware is of the utmost importance, in other words.<\/p>\n<p>In other words:<strong> workstation GPUs are, at their core, incredibly niche products, and are basically reserved for a handful of users and use cases out there.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For the vast majority of people, gaming-grade GPUs are the way to go. For industry professionals and businesses, workstation graphics cards are more than worth the asking price.<\/p>\n<p>The following video tells the whole tale:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jT6YwF7NUSk\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jT6YwF7NUSk\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Performance_Gap_Has_In_Some_Cases_Narrowed\"><\/span>The Performance Gap Has, In Some Cases, Narrowed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s the thing though:<\/strong> most gaming GPUs are not only sufficiently capable of running CAD software but are, in some cases, even <em>better <\/em>at it than their workstation counterparts.<\/p>\n<p>That varies from one piece of software to the next, but the point stands nonetheless.<\/p>\n<p>There <em>is<\/em>, in some cases, a solid difference in performance, but for the vast majority of users, it\u2019s simply not tangible.<\/p>\n<p>Take the following benchmark for instance (CATIA, Viewport performance):<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22750\" style=\"width: 1919px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22750\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22750\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench.jpeg\" alt=\"Dessault Systemes CATIA Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench.jpeg 1919w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-825x464.jpeg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-594x335.jpeg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-420x236.jpeg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22750\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22750 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201919%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Dessault Systemes CATIA Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201919%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench.jpeg 1919w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-825x464.jpeg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-594x335.jpeg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench-420x236.jpeg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-catia-viewport-performance-bench.jpeg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22750\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: TechGage<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Gaming graphics cards take the performance crown and, frankly, it\u2019s not even all that close, especially for the asking price.<\/p>\n<p>This doesn\u2019t make them the better choice for professional use per se, but it <em>does <\/em>serve as proof that the performance gap between them and their workstation brethren has shrunk quite a lot over the years.<\/p>\n<p>The situation is fairly similar in Solidworks as well:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22751\" style=\"width: 1919px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22751\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22751\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance.jpeg\" alt=\"Dessault Systemes SolidWorks Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance.jpeg 1919w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-825x464.jpeg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-594x335.jpeg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-420x236.jpeg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22751\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22751 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201919%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Dessault Systemes SolidWorks Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"1919\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201919%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1919px) 100vw, 1919px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance.jpeg 1919w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-825x464.jpeg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-594x335.jpeg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance-420x236.jpeg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/dessault-systemes-solidworks-viewport-performance.jpeg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22751\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: TechGage<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Moreover, NVIDIA and AMD will never allow their gaming graphics cards to be certified for any kind of CAD workflow as that would directly cannibalize their sales.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Why would you spend two times as much money (if not even more) on a workstation GPU when you can just buy a gaming equivalent and get extremely similar (if not identical) performance?<\/p>\n<p>Creating this barrier of sorts \u2014 which may or may not be \u201cartificial\u201d \u2014 serves its purpose, and that\u2019s maximizing profit.<\/p>\n<p>There is one problem, though, and that\u2019s the fact that, if you happen to stumble upon some kind of issue or bug, you won\u2019t be able to get proper support.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a big problem for enterprises and industry professionals. <strong>You don\u2019t want the <em>possibility<\/em> of something failing when your livelihood is on the line.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Additionally, certain CAD programs (like Solidworks, for instance), have features that can only be harnessed on workstation GPUs.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s most likely a software-related limitation, but it exists nonetheless. Is this an artificial way or forcing people into buying workstation graphics cards? That can definitely be argued, but that\u2019s not the point of this article.<\/p>\n<p>The point is: if you want peace of mind and want to use your CAD software to its fullest, buying a workstation GPU is definitely the way to go. That way you\u2019d circumvent any potential hurdles and limitations, be they hardware- <em>or<\/em> software-related.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U5Npt1BSF04\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U5Npt1BSF04\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In some cases \u2014 and in certain workloads \u2014 an entry-level workstation graphics card <em>can<\/em> outperform a seemingly much more powerful model designed for gaming. That much is a fact.<\/p>\n<p>Still, it\u2019s not all black and white, and, as already mentioned, that gap between them has narrowed quite a bit.<\/p>\n<p>Workstation GPUs definitely have a place in this world and a use-case, too, but they\u2019re certainly not <em>as<\/em> vital as most manufacturers and developers want you to believe. They\u2019re also devilishly expensive and, for most users, are <em>not<\/em> worth the asking price.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a professional, though \u2014 or a large business \u2014 then going with a workstation model will not only give you absolute peace of mind but will also result in the best and most consistent performance.<\/p>\n<p>So, to summarize: <strong>it all depends on your use-case and the seriousness (or complexity, rather) of your work.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22762\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads.jpg\" alt=\"Pro GPU Features for CAD Workloads\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22762 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Pro GPU Features for CAD Workloads\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Pro-GPU-Features-for-CAD-Workloads.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>If you want a graphics card that\u2019s been vetted and verified and can deliver no matter the CAD workflow, a workstation GPU is definitely a worthwhile investment.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re more of a moderate user and aren\u2019t part of a stupendously large business where each second counts, going with a gaming-grade graphics card definitely makes a <em>lot<\/em> more sense.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s make some bullet points to get an overview of when PRO GPUs are worth it and when they\u2019re a waste of your money:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Definite arguments for buying a PRO GPU for CAD Workloads:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You need more than 24GB of VRAM (which is the maximum of what you get on mainstream GPUs)<\/li>\n<li>You need VRAM sharing between GPUs: NVLINK ( Nvidia GPUs) or Infinity Fabric Link (AMD)<\/li>\n<li>You need dual-slot blower-style GPUs for multi-GPU configurations (e.g. for NVLINK linking or just to scale your performance)<\/li>\n<li>You need your GPUs to be certified for the CAD software you run<\/li>\n<li>You need PRO-level drivers for certain software features<\/li>\n<li>You need ECC VRAM, cooler GPUs and software support (which is often granted only to users running certified hardware)<\/li>\n<li>You need higher floating point precision than mainstream GPUs offer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Arguments that you may be told or advertised that don\u2019t justify buying a PRO GPU over a mainstream GPU:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Higher performance (check benchmarks to be certain this is true for your workloads\/apps)<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re a professional making money with your work, so you need a pro GPU (This is just silly, mainstream GPUs are just as reliable in most workloads)<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re running DCC Applications (see list above) and not CAD Applications (you should definitely go with mainstream GPUs for DCC Workloads)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s go over a few potential questions you might have regarding this particular topic:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_Buy_a_Quadro_GPU_for_CAD_Work\"><\/span>Should I Buy a Quadro GPU for CAD Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the CAD work you do pays the bills and you often find yourself on tight deadlines and need to have impeccable uptime, then investing in a Quadro GPU <em>does<\/em> make sense.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re officially certified and are optimized to run without a hitch \u2014 no ifs, ands, or buts.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Quadro_GPUs_Better_Than_GeForce_RTX_for_CAD_Workloads\"><\/span>Are Quadro GPUs Better Than GeForce RTX for CAD Workloads?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That heavily depends on the software and whether or not it has any workstation-specific features and optimizations.<\/p>\n<p>Quadro GPUs <em>are<\/em> better for <em>certain <\/em>CAD workloads than their gaming\/mainstream counterparts, but the difference in performance might not be all that visible (if at all) depending on the complexity of your workflow.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, most CAD software tends to be CPU-bound, which only further complicates this whole conundrum.<\/p>\n<p>Be that as it may, there <em>are<\/em> workflows and programs that benefit <em>greatly<\/em> from having a workstation graphics card.<\/p>\n<p>Case in point:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22752\" style=\"width: 680px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22752\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22752\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark.jpeg\" alt=\"Siemens NX 1080p Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"680\" height=\"370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark.jpeg 680w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark-300x163.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22752\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22752 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20680%20370%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Siemens NX 1080p Viewport Performance benchmark\" width=\"680\" height=\"370\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20680%20370%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark.jpeg 680w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark-300x163.jpeg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/siemens-nx-1080p-viewport-performance-benchmark.jpeg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22752\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: TechGage<\/p><\/div>\n<p>These (admittedly quite expensive) cards offer the best performance in a myriad of different scenarios precisely because they\u2019ve been optimized for working in CAD. That\u2019s not <em>always<\/em> the case, but the point stands nonetheless.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Quadro_GPUs_Worth_It\"><\/span>Are Quadro GPUs Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>They are, but only for a very specific kind of user and use-case.<\/strong> They\u2019re the most stable, and reliable, and have been certified to run CAD software without ever causing any issues.<\/p>\n<p>Gaming graphics cards are definitely a solid option (especially given their price-to-performance ratio), but they don\u2019t come with many of the bells and whistles an industry professional might need.<\/p>\n<p>So it all boils down to your needs and preferences. If you\u2019re working in CAD on the side or aren\u2019t a seasoned industry professional, then using a gaming graphics card will definitely get the job done (an understatement).<\/p>\n<p>If, however, you want the absolute best possible experience (not to mention peace of mind and guaranteed support), then buying a Quadro (or an equivalent workstation GPU from AMD) <em>would <\/em>be the way to go.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_Better_NVIDIA_Quadro_or_AMD_PRO\"><\/span>What\u2019s Better: NVIDIA Quadro or AMD PRO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That\u2019s a tough question to answer. In most workloads, both options will offer a very respectable level of performance.<\/p>\n<p>NVIDIA\u2019s offerings <em>do<\/em> tend to perform better, and that\u2019s pretty much been the case for ages. <strong>They <em>are<\/em> more expensive, though, so it all boils down to your needs and overall budget.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22761\" style=\"width: 1230px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22761\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22761\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs.jpg\" alt=\"Nvidia vs AMD pro GPUs\" width=\"1230\" height=\"677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs.jpg 1230w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-768x423.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22761\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22761 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201230%20677%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Nvidia vs AMD pro GPUs\" width=\"1230\" height=\"677\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201230%20677%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1230w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs.jpg 1230w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-1024x564.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs-768x423.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Nvidia-vs-AMD-pro-GPUs.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22761\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image-Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amd.com\/en\/graphics\/workstations\" target=\"_blank\">AMD<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/design-visualization\/desktop-graphics\/\" target=\"_blank\">Nvidia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you want the <em>best<\/em> possible option, going with an RTX Quadro would probably be your best bet.<\/p>\n<p>AMD has lagged behind in this segment of the market for a while, but that also varies from one GPU generation to the next. So, once you\u2019ve established your budget, make sure to watch and read as many reviews as you possibly can before making any kind of purchasing decision.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Lor_O8EPOG8\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Lor_O8EPOG8\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>One thing to keep in mind:<\/strong> AMD\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amd.com\/en\/graphics\/workstations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latest and greatest<\/a> (RDNA 2 and RDNA 3) workstation graphics cards <em>do<\/em> have a lot going for them. They\u2019re a lot more competitive and are leaps and bounds better than what AMD had to offer in the past.<\/p>\n<p>The most interesting thing about this whole set-up is the fact that AMD\u2019s gaming-grade GPUs perform about as well if not even <em>better<\/em> than its workstation ones.<\/p>\n<p>They offer a <em>tremendous<\/em> level of performance in most CAD workflows which isn\u2019t always the case on the side of NVIDIA where older Quadro cards can still keep up and, in some cases, <em>outclass <\/em>newer RTX gaming GPUs.<\/p>\n<p>It all depends on the workload, though, so just keep that in mind.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For most folks, Quadro\/Quadro RTX graphics cards \u2014 now renamed to RTX \u201cA\u201d series \u2014 offer a more stable experience and, in most cases, better performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Intel_Have_Workstation_GPUs\"><\/span>Does Intel Have Workstation GPUs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It does, actually! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/docs\/arc-discrete-graphics\/a-series\/workstation\/overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intel\u2019s ARC PRO<\/a> series of graphics cards are targeted towards the same customers who would buy an RTX Quadro or an AMD PRO.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22760\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22760\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22760\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs.jpg\" alt=\"Intel ARC Pro GPUs\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-420x236.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22760\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22760 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Intel ARC Pro GPUs\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201920%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-825x464.jpg 825w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-594x335.jpg 594w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs-420x236.jpg 420w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/Intel-ARC-Pro-GPUs.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-22760\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image-Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/products\/docs\/discrete-gpus\/arc\/workstations\/a-series\/overview.html\" target=\"_blank\">Intel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>That being said, they still aren\u2019t readily available and, well, they still haven\u2019t been certified for the most popular workloads \u2014 unlike NVIDIA and AMD\u2019s offerings.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in learning more about them, make sure to watch the following video:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RlPesrNpPNQ\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/noscript><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"860\" height=\"515\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RlPesrNpPNQ\" class=\" lazyload\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>They <em>do<\/em> seem mighty impressive from a price-to-performance standpoint, but until we can actually test them out \u2014 and until they\u2019re <em>fully<\/em> certified \u2014 you\u2019d be better off going with any RTX Quadro or AMD PRO workstation graphics card that suits your needs and budget.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>Have you ever owned a workstation graphics card and, if so, what was that experience like? Let us know in the <a href=\"#comments\">comment<\/a> section down below and, in case you need any help, head over to <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">our forum<\/a> and ask away!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building a PC for CAD (computer-aided design) workloads might seem like an overly daunting endeavor, but it's actually not all that complicated so long as you\u2019re aware of how powerful a machine you really need. That, obviously, is tied to your software suite of choice and, well, the demands your work imposes. Buying a powerful...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2346,"featured_media":22766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[177,74],"tags":[310,313],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22748"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2346"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22748"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22768,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22748\/revisions\/22768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}