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AutoCAD for Mac 2024 Gains Native Apple Silicon Support

Now do Revit natively, and we’ll have something serious to talk about. How and why autodesk has deliberately avoided porting that over is beyond me. I also use fusion in my workflow, and it works very well on my M1. The only reason I have a PC production machine is for revit and the near monopoly it has in the architectural field (commercial/corporate work).
 
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In the summer of 2014, I took a week-long crash course at a local Vo-Tech school. One thing I did not learn is how to deciper AutoDesk's AutoCAD product and pricing matrix. Still cannot understand which version would work for me at a price I could afford. Also, I was bummed when I tried downloading a trial version of AutoCAD onto my iMac and then tried making basic mechanical drawings on it and bring it with me on a thumb drive to school, but the PC at school couldn't open the files.

I would like to be able to occasionally use 2D and 3D CAD software to design various projects...

  • Being able to do visioning and design for room layout renovations for interior renovations, like new cabinets and adding a bathroom, etc.
  • Being able to design cabinetwork, carts with built-in cabinets, workbenches, etc.
  • Being able to take a design on an iPad Mini 6th gen. and plug it into a Maslow CNC Router to precision-cut high-quality plywood for making projects (and avoid material waste) like cabinets, power tool storage caddys, workbenches, shop carts, etc.

Plus, I need to find software that it inter-operable between MacOS, Windows, and iPad so that I can work cross-platform and exchange drawings with other contractors and organizations without compatibility issues.

Currently, I have an old, late-2013 iMac running 10.14.16 Mojave, and an M1 Mac Mini (loaded) running MacOS Ventura. I also have a 2022 iPhone SE and an iPad Mini 2, and would like to get an iPad Mini 6.
 
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il_teo77 said:
ArchiCAD 26 has had an applesilicon written version for months. And the difference, considering that the software uses BIM, has been MASSIVE. I imagine auto desk users a will experience something similar. It is exactly software like this being written natively that pushes sales of high end macs. I hope Apple is more aware of this and works better with developers.
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I agree with this! My experience has been the same although it took a little too long for Twinmotion (unreal engine) to update it's direct link, datasmith, with Archicad 26 apple silicon. They are extremely fast now though!! That's why I bought the Mac Studio, to run heavy-duty architectural rendering. On my old 2015 27" iMac a project would take 3-5 minutes to load, now they take about 10-15 seconds!
 
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TSE said:
Solidworks, Keyshot, and more professional programs, get it together and give up on X86! She's past her prime, a little bloated, the wrinkles cannot be hidden anymore, and she is not nearly as attractive as she once was. Come to the slender, new, fun, and young paradise of Apple Silicon! As long as you pay up, she does what you say and so much more.
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Apple's marketing copy if Steve Ballmer worked at Apple.
 
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TSE said:
Solidworks, Keyshot, and more professional programs, get it together and give up on X86! She's past her prime, a little bloated, the wrinkles cannot be hidden anymore, and she is not nearly as attractive as she once was. Come to the slender, new, fun, and young paradise of Apple Silicon! As long as you pay up, she does what you say and so much more.
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PC police incoming in 3, 2, 1…
 
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il_teo77 said:
ArchiCAD 26 has had an applesilicon written version for months. And the difference, considering that the software uses BIM, has been MASSIVE. I imagine auto desk users a will experience something similar. It is exactly software like this being written natively that pushes sales of high end macs. I hope Apple is more aware of this and works better with developers.
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The difference is massive? In what way? I use both the AS and Intel/Rosetta of v26 and I don’t notice a difference except AS has broken plugins. Comprehensive test reviews also show the only real advantage is opening files, and rendering is actually slower.
 
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Navisworks is what I need. I can count on my fingers people I know that actually use Autocad - navisworks would be hundreds.
 
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icanhazmac said:
I also never viewed the touchbar as a "halfway house" but as a good idea that just never took off. We may be too habitual to make use of buttons that change function like that.
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I agree on that. There are some good use cases for the touch bar, for example when scrubbing through a video or moving around the project in Logic etc., but I think one o the problems are accidental touch which I think is one of the things that made Apple replace the touch ”esc” key with a physical one on later Macs with the touch bar.
 
averagenerd81 said:
My understanding is this took so long because of the many third party libraries they use. I know the mentioned fusion 360 utilizes over 1000 third party libraries and they had to work to get them all to apple silicon.
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Development in these big companies is like wading through treacle. If they didn't have their moats they would be eaten alive by more nimble competitors.
 
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The last time I used AutoCAD I think they had just cancelled the Mac version. I think it was about 1997. I didn’t know they brought it back years later.

For those looking for a 3D solid modeling software, Onshape is fully cloud and web browser based. It runs the same on Mac, Win, iOS, Linux, etc. They offer a completely free version for hobbyists. I have used it professionally at my dayjob the past 2 years. Before that I used proE/Creo for 25 years. It’s super good. Highly recommend.
 
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