Hardware choice

Need help? We are here.
1

Hi all. (Unrelated personal introduction…skip ahead if you want) My first post here. I am an experienced CAD monkey…have been using CAD since 1992 or so… Jesus I must be old :joy: Current favourite is Solid works…But I do love what Shapr3D is doing, I really would like to take advantage of the tablet / pen feature for a more joyful quick conceptual workflow…and hopefully later continue to tweak my masterpiece, making drawings etc.

So I started looking into the world of Ipads as I imagine myself laying in a hammock (On Margitsziget) with shapr3D. Jesus they have way too many confusing variants nowadays. Yesterday I just wanted to go and pick up an Ipad for a good Cad experience…but no…due to the thousands of options no retailers would have an iPad in stock :rofl::rofl::rofl: I have never ever had this much spec anxiety before with prices varying from 1000$ to 4000$ . Maybe it would be really useful if Shapr3D could break it down…what is actually adequate specs for an Ipad, PC, MacBook that will provide a good user experience? Otherwise… question for the community. I’m going for a 13" Ipad…what (close to 13") models would provide a bad user experience? Because obviously a new Ipad can be configured to run a space station…but I doubt it is needed… just a waste of money. If I already had an older Ipad I would have a sense of what I should go for…but I don’t. So please share your experience…and why not on all platforms MacBook, PC, Ipad, in order to frame what is a good option and perhaps why.

Secondly… could someone confirm that I will (With an Ipad) get a good “desktop experience” once back home and by USB-C connect to a modern display that would also provide keyboard, mouse and spacemouse? This is what I am hoping for.

Thanks for the feedback :smiley:

2

It mostly depends on how big your designs are. Typically how many parts do you work with?

1 Like
3

Always less than 20 parts… probably more like 1-5 parts…in some sort of assembly probably a few will be duplicates. And if I would ever have to make something more complicated I would accept it and continue in a half bad ass desktop PC environment. I might need the PC environment anyway because of slicing before 3D printing.

4

I’d definitely go with an M1+ iPad, but 20 parts is easy, most iPads will be able to handle it.

5

Thank you very much :blush: I understand that refresh rate of the display is less important…but does it matter significantly with air (60hz) vs pro (120hz) from a “nice to view” perspective?

Given that there is a possibility of cloud storage and external drives…is there any point of having more than 128GB on an Ipad (only shapr3D consideration)… I’m very pro cloud services :blush:

What colour of the Ipad is best for pleasing the eyes? :joy: Nah… don’t give a F …

All in all it seems that a new ipad air is more than enough…and PRO perhaps just because it would be a company buy…so less price sensitive.

Any preferred slicing SW for 3D print working on an Ipad?

6

It’s a personal preference.

Nope.

1 Like
7

60 Vs 120hz is not really that relevant with CAD that 60hz wouldn’t be plenty. More relevant with gaming and video. If you are planning to use another app to animate your models… ram and proc speed is the most relevant to performance with multiple models simultaneously. 120hz is usually bragging rights for gamers. You might not notice enough of a gain. If you have money to burn on you passion get the highest specs.

Years of building custom PCs taught me “the most bang for the buck”. As a COD warrior once upon a time ago where refresh rate is important, skill outmatches a high end PC.

I used to out shoot guys with $1200 shotguns with a Brazilian made $60 single shot 20ga. Ooh they get madddddd.

2 Likes
8

Thx :joy::joy::joy::joy::ok_hand: So Im leaning towards an AIR then… minimum memory… will not be used anyway. The phone company forced an extra data sim card on me… now I need a slot to put it in… therefore probably going for a cellular version.