So, you’ve decided you need to purchase a graphics card for your CAD work. At first, you may have thought that you could purchase any graphics card as long as it is powerful—only to realize that the GPU market is more complex than that!

That’s why we’ve created this post as the ultimate reference for purchasing new graphics cards for CAD. We’ll walk you through what you need to know and end with our top 5 picks on the market right now.

Discrete Desktop GPU Market Share (source)

For a long time, in recent history, the discrete graphics card market was a duopoly that pitted Nvidia against AMD. And for virtually all that time, Nvidia has led the pack with graphics card development and is still the de facto dominant player. Its strategy has for years been to focus purely on GPU technology by partnering with Intel or AMD for its CPU requirements. (The company has, however, waded into the CPU waters and is developing the Grace™ CPU for data centers).

In comparison, AMD directly competes in both the CPU and GPU markets, a strategy that Intel has since adopted. Intel launched the Arc Pro workstation GPUs in 2022, disrupting the long-running duopoly. In doing so, Intel now produces GPUs and CPUs. But it has struggled to gain a significant market share, with its hold on the GPU market dropping from a 2022 high of 1.33% to 0% in 2024.

Besides developing and selling their own graphics card versions, the three companies provide chips to many OEM graphics card manufacturers who could be classed as their competitors but, in reality, are their board partners. These partners help bring the graphics cards to market. AMD and Nvidia partner with the likes of ASUS and MSI among other companies that only produce graphics cards for either of them. Intel partners with AsRock and Acer but also sells its own versions.

Still, and despite these developments, Nvidia continues to have a stronghold in the market. Nvidia’s domination has forced companies such as AMD to focus on solutions for specific user requirements – CAD being one of them. And, in many like-for-like comparisons, AMD has previously come out on top for certain uses. This muddies the water and justifies a lengthy post on the best graphics cards for CAD. So, let’s delve in!

What Do the Model Numbers on Graphics Cards Mean?

You have probably noticed that many graphics cards have a number in their product names. Let’s look at the below table showing 4 graphics cards from 3 different manufacturers, all of which use the same number in their model name.

So, why do all these cards reference the same model number? In the above list, all products are using the same GPU produced by Nvidia: the Nvidia 5070 GPU. Therefore, they use the same model number to inform the users of what’s under the hood.

Many brands will use the GPU chips of the market leaders, packaged in their solution. This gives smaller graphics card manufacturers the option not to compete with Nvidia or AMD on-chip performance, but instead to offer their customers another option in how it is presented. Some companies may simply offer a preferable cooling system to that of Nvidia and their own PCB design. 

Do Higher Graphics Card Model Numbers Mean Better Performance?

If purchasing a motorcycle, we would know that a 700cc engine is more powerful than a 300cc engine. The cubic centimeters measurement can’t be gamed; the engine is either the stated volume or it isn’t. Previously, the numbers used in old GPU model names did not relate to any real-world measurement.

And as the Logical Increments blog explained, it wasn’t always as simple as a higher model number being faster than other lower model numbers. For example, Nvidia’s GTX 680 was faster than the GTX 760 as it had ‘“more raw performance” than the 760.’

A lot has changed since the blog post was published in 2014. Nowadays, a higher graphics card model number means better performance. This is because the higher model number correlates to better specs such as RT cores, a higher VRAM, more compute units, and more accelerators. As a result, graphics cards with higher model numbers are generally more expensive.

Still, it’s essential to read the specifications of the graphics card you’re considering carefully and at all times. Do not assume that the number indicates the same specifications as other manufacturers.

Using Gaming Graphics Cards for CAD

The popularity of gaming graphics cards is difficult to ignore. However, whilst they often come with impressive specs, there are several key factors that differentiate them from workstation graphics cards for CAD. We’ll take a quick look at why they have become so prominent, and the reasons why they may not be a great choice for CAD.

Could I Use a Gaming Graphics Card for CAD?

GPU chip makers – Nvidia, AMD, and Intel – and their partners develop and sell different GPUs for gamers and professionals. AMD, for instance, designates gaming GPUs using the RX prefix, as in the Radeon RX 9000 series. On the other hand, its GPUs for workstations and, by extension, its graphics cards for CAD are found in its Radeon Pro W lineup.

Similarly, Intel’s graphics cards for CAD and workstations are found in its Arc Pro series, with gaming GPUs lacking the Pro designation. The same goes for Nvidia with its RTX (for workstations) and GeForce RTX (for gaming) GPUs. This distinction exists for several reasons:

1. Pro GPUs have a higher memory. For instance, the highest specification of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series (the GeForce RTX 5090) has a memory of 32GB. In contrast, the highest specification of the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada has a memory of 48 GB. Similarly, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 has a maximum memory size of 24 GB, while the AMD Radeon W7900 has a maximum memory of 48 GB. Higher memory leads to better performance and faster loading times for CAD graphics.
2. Different drivers: Pro and gaming GPUs have different drivers. (Drivers are software components or files that enable hardware like a GPU to communicate with the operating system and thereby function.) Thus, a gaming driver isn’t compatible with a pro GPU. With pro drivers optimized for CAD software and design, you will likely experience better performance when you use a professional driver and graphics cards for CAD than if you use a gaming GPU and associated drivers. In fact, Nvidia has previously reported that a new driver update increased GPU rendering by an average of 40%.

These two reasons, i.e., a higher VRAM and more optimized drivers, make a good case for using professional graphics cards for CAD rather than gaming GPUs.

Will My Graphics Card be ‘Future-Proof’?

The definition of ‘future-proof’ is a piece of technology that is ‘unlikely to become obsolete’. Therefore, this question is subjective. Whether or not you consider your graphics card to be obsolete will be dependent on how you wish to use it.

For example, a 10-year-old graphics card may still be fantastic at browsing the web, but perhaps not so great if you wish to do anything graphically strenuous. 

When it comes to ensuring your CAD PC is as future-proof as it can be, the best advice is to purchase the best model you can afford. The higher the specifications, the longer the GPU is likely to serve you.

Graphics Cards Benchmarks and Why They Matter

Our guide on graphics cards wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention benchmarks. Benchmarks are automated tests run by specially designed software. This software will perform specific tasks whilst measuring the performance and workload of the GPU.

These benchmarks are important because they avert subjective discussions on the best graphics card for a particular use. Instead, you can find empirical data on a GPU’s performance. You can even run a benchmark yourself thanks to software available from Cadalyst. Benchmark tests can regularly highlight surprising results.

One popular benchmark for CAD is the SPECViewPerf 2020. SPECViewPerf is a graphics card benchmark that measures graphics performance representing professional and CAD applications like CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, NX, 3D Max, and Maya.

SPECViewPerf Benchmark Results for CATIA and SolidWorks (source)

Certified Graphics Cards for CAD

A number of the most prominent software developers have made life easier for us by publishing their list of graphics cards that have been tried and tested with popular CAD software. These are often referred to as ‘certified devices’ by the software developer.

If the graphics card you’re considering is supported by the software you intend to use, you will have much more confidence with your purchase.

We’ve collected a list of these published certified devices below.

Are we missing software that you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments.

Note: FreeCAD does not have their own list of specific model recommendations but their software is based on OpenGL. Therefore, we have linked to the OpenGL supported devices from Nvida.

Don’t Neglect the Rest of Your PC

There will be little point in investing in your ideal graphics card if the rest of your PC isn’t suitable for the required workload.

We created a popular post on how to build the ultimate CAD PC, in which you’ll find tips on what to consider when shopping for all PC components, including a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. It can take some time to research compatibility with all your PC’s components but the extra work is worthwhile.

Comparison: Our Top Graphics Cards for CAD

So, here’s our pick of the bunch. We’ve chosen to make a shortlist of graphics cards that would be suitable for both 2D and 3D CAD work. As a way of stating their suitability, we have referenced whether they are suitable for AutoCAD (2D), SolidWorks (3D), NX (3D), and other 2D design and 3D modeling software. We have sourced their statement of suitability from the official hardware recommendations of these software programs. We’ve also used the available SPECViewPerf benchmarks as the second, more advanced metric.

 We assume that you’re not too concerned about support for technology such as virtual reality. This isn’t yet a widely accepted requirement in CAD, but I’m sure we will need to update this article in a few years to account for that.

We have also tried not to go too high on the pricing scale whilst still focusing on professional-grade options. All options are below $1,000. Yes, you could purchase phenomenal graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 6000 for about $8,000, the AMD Radeon Pro W7900 for over $3,700, the AMD Radeon Pro W7800 for over $2,400, and the Nvidia RTX 4000 for over $1,300. But adding those options to our comparison wouldn’t help most readers and would be overkill for most CAD work. It’s nonetheless worth pointing out that these GPUs led the SPECViewPerf 2020 benchmark, according to this comparison (referred throughout the latter part of this article as the benchmark results). And remember, whilst we give a rough guide for the price of each option, there are various specifications within each option which can increase or decrease the price.

We have also created separate lists for the top GPU manufacturers, AMD and Nvidia. Therefore if you are loyal to a specific brand, you have direct comparisons for their best options.
To finish off, we have combined what we think are the best Nvidia and AMD options overall.

Comparison: The Top AMD Graphics Cards for CAD

Here are the best AMD graphics cards for CAD

Comparison: The Top Nvidia Graphics Cards for CAD

Here are the best Nvidia graphics cards for CAD:

Comparison: The Top 5 Graphics Cards for CAD

At this point, you’ve seen our best picks from the individual GPU manufacturers. To finish up, here are our top picks from AMD and Nvidia combined. 

Here are the best graphics cards for CAD arranged in the order of performance per benchmark results:

1. Nvidia RTX A400
2. AMD Radeon Pro W7500
3. Nvidia RTX 2000
4. AMD Radeon Pro W7600
5. AMD Radeon Pro W7700

Be sure to check the detailed descriptions for each option below the list to learn more about our selections.

Here’s a quick comparison chart in order of ascending average price:

Kicking off with a budget choice for CAD users is the Nvidia RTX A400. It sports Nvidia’s previous generation Ampere architecture and is built on Nvidia’s RTX™ professional visual computing platform. According to Nvidia, RTX accelerates 3D graphics virtualization, rendering, virtualization, simulation, reality capture, extended reality, and other design workflows.

For its part, the Ampere architecture is crafted with 54 billion transistors, making it the largest 7-nanometer chip. It has third-generation tensor cores, smarter and faster memory, second-generation RT cores, and three other ground-breaking innovations. These innovations translate to better performance, with Nvidia reporting that the A400 delivers 3x higher performance than its predecessor, the T400.

The RTX A400 isn’t the highest-spec model sporting the Ampere architecture. Still, its computing platform makes it ideal for light CAD rendering and simulation. It’s certified for SolidWorks, Ansys, AutoCAD, CATIA, and others. So, if you’re drafting DD drawings or creating and rendering 3D models, this should be a suitable choice.

AMD acquired the Radeon GPU technology from ATI Technologies in 2006. Since the acquisition, the Radeon range has played an integral part in AMD’s GPU market growth. This range includes the Pro and RX lineups, with the former designed for professional uses. Nonetheless, both categories offer performance and value, and it comes as no surprise then that AMD’s Radeon Pro W7500 is next in our list of the best graphics cards for CAD in 2025.

The Radeon Pro W7500 comes in at just over $400 and offers great performance. And though it was positioned last in the various viewsets that form part of the SPECViewPerf 2020 benchmark, the results showed that you could depend on it for both 2D drafting and 3D modeling. But this performance is expected, considering it was the cheapest of the GPUs analyzed in the benchmark.

Nvidia’s only other GPU on this list is the RTX 2000, which is built using the new Ada Lovelace Architecture. According to Nvidia, this architecture is designed to offer revolutionary performance for ray tracing. As a result, the RTX 2000 delivers up to 1.7x higher ray tracing throughput and up to 1.6x higher overall performance than the previous generation RTX A2000. This is thanks to improved specs, including a higher memory and new generation CUDA, RT, and tensor cores.

However, despite being more expensive, the Nvidia RTX 2000 posted lower benchmark results than the AMD Radeon Pro W7600. It was outpaced in most of the SPECViewPerf 2020 viewsets and fell short in the geometric mean of all tests.

Next up is another excellent option from AMD’s Radeon Pro range. The AMD Radeon Pro W7600 comes at a higher average price than the Radeon Pro W7600. But this is expected since it has more compute units, peak memory bandwidth, stream processors, and peak half precision performance. What’s more, the Radeon Pro W7600 performed better on most of the viewsets in the SPECViewPerf 2020 benchmark than the more expensive Nvidia RTX 2000.

We end our list of top 5 graphics cards for CAD with the highest-priced and best-performing Radeon Pro W7700. At $969.00, this GPU is quite expensive, but it makes up for this cost with its performance in 3D modeling. Thanks to its impressive specs, it faired quite well in the SPECViewPerf 2020 benchmark. And while it’s not the highest spec in the Radeon Pro W7000 series, it still perks a punch. In fact, it outperforms the Nvidia RTX A4000.

Bonus: List of graphics card brands

We’ve collected a list of the most popular graphics card manufacturers. You may not have heard of many of these brands, but some of these lesser-known names are producing impressive products.

Conclusion

When choosing a graphics card for CAD, first consider the specific list of applications you will use in your CAD work. From there, you can quite easily narrow-down a list of graphics cards which would be suitable for your CAD work by looking at the list of certified GPUs recommended by the software developers. 

Most importantly, as mentioned earlier, don’t assume that one good graphics cards will be suitable for all types of graphics rendering.

If you’re unsure which models to choose, I’m confident the above list will be a big help to you. Both NVIDIA and AMD have some great options for under $1,000, for example AMD’s Radeon Pro W7500 and NVIDIA’s T1000 and A400 are all under $500 and have been officially certified for use with SolidWorks and AutoCAD. If you are able to significantly increase your budget, AMD’s Radeon Pro W7700 at ~ $969.00 packs a real punch for relatively heavy CAD 3D rendering.