Now you can run AutoCAD and other Autodesk software on a Mac and be officially supported by Autodesk for both Apple Bootcamp and the Parallels virtualized machine software.
Autodesk Expands Options for Mac Users
“SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), a leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, and Parallels, a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software, announced that they have signed an agreement to make Parallels Desktop for Mac Autodesk's preferred Mac virtualization software.
Autodesk will now support use of AutoCAD software, AutoCAD LT software, Autodesk Inventor Professional software, Autodesk 3ds Max software, Autodesk 3ds Max Design software and the Autodesk Revit software platform for building information modeling (BIM) on Mac OS X via Parallels Desktop. Autodesk added official support for these products on the Mac via Boot Camp earlier this year.”
Cheers,
Shaan – both a PC and Mac user now
A native 64 Bit AutoCAD on a Snow Leopard mac would be great!
I find the choice of Parallels interesting, I’ve used VMWare Fusion on my Mac for some time and found it to work better than Parallels when I was evaluating them both.
Alois,
I don’t think you will find any disagreement with that for Mac users or those considering a Mac.
Cheers,
Shaan
Hi Chris,
I agree VMWare works best on macs, what about all three recommendations ???
I use both VMWare and Parallels and enabling hardware acceleration on both and cannot really tell a performance difference. One thing is Bootcamp will be much faster than virtualization, but the virtualization options are very nice on your OSX desktop.
I would also love to see a native 64-Bit application on Snow Leopard.
Even if it had to use an approach that is similar to this:
http://mac.sillydog.org/dev/visual_studio.php
I realize that it would probably require more work than just that, but maybe it could be a starting point for now?
Honestly, most people that I know these days are switching to Macs, it is interesting to see and I would love to not have to ever boot into Windows (really the only program that I ever use in Windows these days are from AutoDesk). I am even getting to the point where on my Mac I will use other alternatives for viewing .DWG files when I need to simply look at them, so that I don’t have to run Windows.
Are there plans for supporting it on VMWare? It’d be nice to have official support for all three major options of running Windows on a Mac.
And yes, a 64-bit version of CAD running native on Snow Leopard would rock!
Very exciting news!
My only concern is that this agreement does not delay any efforts to offer a native mac version of all Autodesk software. Support in Bootcamp and Parallels is great in the interim, and we appreciate the effort. But we all know that using either is not ideal, workflow and performance wise – even the Mac Genius at the Apple Store recommending me to get a PC when I told him I use Revit, AutoCAD and 3Ds Max! Not really the advice you would want to hear, but perhaps true.
That said, I’m still holding out for mac versions of these programs. Hopefully Parallels can up their video memory allocation and speed in the meantime.
When I’ll be switching to mac (I will for sure), I’ll probably be running Bootcamp for Autocad and Max design. Native speed just beats everything hands down.
That’s why I totally agree with Shaun SC: virtualization is a nice interim, as is Bootcamp, but native Mac versions would be simply awesome, keeping ALL programs into one OS (and WHAT OS!!!), making everyting run as it should: natively… 🙂
I hope one day…I won’t need any virtualization or Windows to run Acad and 3D Max Design.
Cheers,
Jo D., architect
Belgium
NativeAcad!Virtualization is not enough. Amen!
hi,
I am a Autocad/Revit user and new to Mac and i am in the middle of researching to get iMac. Having read all the surveys and feedbacks from this Blog, seem to me there is no problem on Autocad/Revit to run on Mac.
One thing i am still doubt about is that which platform i should go about VM, Parellel or Bootcamp?
PING:
TITLE: AutoCAD 2010 on my MacBook Pro
BLOG NAME: Between the Lines
OK so it is not native Mac but pretty close. The new version of Parallels Desktop 5 for the Mac OSX has a new crystal view mode.
PING:
TITLE: Autodesk Lösungen auf Apple Mac Systemen
BLOG NAME: The Geospatial Navigator
Immer mehr Autodesk Lösungen werden auch auf Apple Mac Systemen voll unterstĂĽtzt und zwar entweder direkt auf den Mac Betriebssystem oder ĂĽber die Virtualisierungsumgebung Parallels Desktop. Direkt auf dem Mac OS laufen vor allem Lösungen aus dem Media…
Good Morning Gentlemen,
My boss just asked me to find out about the Autocad Autodesk Professional Software for Apple Computer and I have no idea where to start, he also wanted to know if the Autodesk is better than the Solid Works Software. Any help please ?? Thanks
Al
I have tried AutoCAD LT 2009 in both Parallels 5 and Bootcamp. I found in Parallels that the right mouse click function does not work correctly (both with the trackpad and an external USB mouse) and as this is fundamental to speedy drafting in AutoCAD I would not recommend Parallels for running AutoCAD at the moment. In the Mac settings and Bootcamp settings there are options for assigning the bottom right of the trackpad as a right click. Also agree with previous comments that running in a virtual machine (Parallels) is definitely slower than running in Bootcamp. The reboot between the Mac OS and Bootcamp is fairly quick (quicker than windows) so no real issues unless you want to multi task between operating systems. Rumoured that a Mac version of AutoCAD may be released and I had a survey from Autodesk last year regarding this; I hope that they will offer a cross grade licence to exisiting users.
I have done everything you have said and cannot get ACAD 2010 LT to open. It locks up after the first screen appears and before the first template opens. I have done the security fix that support knowledge base recommends with no luck.