Hi i am currently using a 2012 MacBook Pro with the 2021 version of sketchup. I have an Apple Thunderbolt Display. I am considering upgrading to a newer mac and want to continue using the Thunderbolt Display with whatever device I choose. I have been trialing Lightup and am of the opinion that I require more computing power to run sketchup with Lightup. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
HI @twillm, thanks for the post. Computer advice is not something I can officially offer aside from listing our official system requirements as I am a member of the SketchUp team.
I can however offer some generic advice for building a computer for 3D design or what to look for in a laptop or prebuilt.
First up, don’t overdo it on CPU cores. Some apps can use a lot of cores some can’t. Currently, no modeling program can use more than one core for modeling. Some apps can load some UI elements to a secondary process but no such thing as a multi core modeling exists yet. That means that CPU speed is far more important than core count for 3D modeling.
Naturally, cooling comes into play for more powerful CPUs, but unless you are really going to be pushing it to the absolute limit or overclocking it (and I don’t recommend doing that unless you really know what you are doing) you don’t need to overdo it with a super high end cooler either.
If you can, get a decent GPU too as that can help some programs run better but no need to go with top of the line on that either. High end models can cost a lot.
Storage is important too. I would recommend getting a fair amount of storage if your budget permits it. Booting up from a M.2 drive or SSD is noticeably faster than a traditional hard drive but that can also add to the cost of a computer. If money is a factor in your build, I recommend getting a small SSD or M.2 to boot from and a traditional drive to store everything else as that can save some money. If cost is unimportant, M.2 is the way to go.
At the end of the day, you are almost building a midrange gaming computer I suppose.
As for a laptop, if you need the portability you will end up paying more for the same specs as a desktop as the form factor of a laptop adds to the cost and battery life will not last a long time if you are doing any intense activity but then again, a portable computer can be taken to job sites so that might make up for it.
As for MacOS or Windows, that is more a matter of personal preference. I have used SketchUp on both environments and find that they both work quite well. Some extensions are exclusive to an OS though so keep that in mind if you are switching from one to the other.
Thank you Casey for the advice. I will most likely choose an Apple product as i have mainly used their devices since i purchased a IIsi with a 40 MB drive back in the 90’s.
Ah, fair enough. Sticking with a familiar brand is totally valid as far as reasons go. It is a pain to switch no matter what direction you go.
Now the real question is if you are going to go with a laptop or not. I have heard good things about newer MacBook Pros but as I am a member of the SketchUp team and have yet to try one, I can’t comment on that directly.
Maybe one of our sages or other users can offer more direct advice. Hopefully one of them will reply to this thread with some suggestions.