Computer Requirements for Pro and is Pro CAD compatible?

I am looking into purchasing SketchUp Pro. I have never used SketchUp for 3D modeling and primarily used CAD for all ID drawings.
Is it possible to import 2D CAD drawings (which are standard for each project) into SketchUp and use them as my “base” plan to draw in 3D?
Also, what are the basic computer requirements for SketchUp Pro?
And lastly, what is the difference between Pro and Make?

Thank you!

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000165

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/36208

The most important difference is that the Make license prohibits using it commercially, that is, in any way that is for profit.

https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000280

Feature differences:

  • Pro includes LayOut (the companion app for generating documents from a SketchUp model) and Style Builder (the companion app for creating custom styles for use in SketchUp)
  • Pro includes a variety of import and export capabilities that are not in Make. Among these are the CAD ones (dwg, dxf) that you will probably want. In some cases there are extensions from other sources that can also import or export to/from Make.
  • Pro includes several “solids tools” that facilitate doing boolean operations on “solids”: union, subtract, trim, intersect, split. The actions of these tools can be duplicated manually using other built-in tools (notably intersect faces with), but usually with considerably more effort.
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A point of note is that SketchUp is a CAD application :wink:

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Depends what you mean by the acronym, especially by the “D”. SketchUp is NOT “Computer-Aided Drafting” as the original meaning went. It is not quite “Computer-Aided Design” either, as it doesn’t design anything by itself.

Anssi

Hi @Anssi,
By that logic, no traditional CAD programs can be classified as CAD because these also do not design anything by themselves. Human interaction is still an important necessity in the design process.:wink:

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So, then CAD would be something a human does with the help of CAD Software… Or something like that.

Shouldn’t the acronym be DAC ?
As in 'DESIGNED with AID of COMPUTER;)

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Sketchup is CAD, not a traditional form of it in my opinion. It breaks the norm of what CAD is thought of in a much more user friendly way.

When you use SU you are using your computer to aid designing something.

Computer Aided Design- In other words a human uses a computer to help them figure out/illustrate an idea that can be brought to life if need be.

I’m not sure how a program would design by itself, it needs parameters/measurements, human input in the first place? Even if the computer could read your mind and create something without touching a key, it still has your input?

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So basically it is a tool for humans and if you consider yourself as a human professional , act like one and get the best dollars worth by getting SketchUp Pro!

I generally react to this because people wrongly assume that AutoCAD is CAD. Like Photoshop is image manipulation.

Sketch up is as legitimate a CAD solution as AutoCAD has ever been.

I spent a decade using AutoCAD and another with Vectorworks with various others sprinkled in. CATIA SolidWorks, Rhino, and a whole load of proprietary automotive industry ones too.

SketchUp is my preferred CAD hammer for all nails.

Computer Aided Design

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