We regularly receive queries about choosing a machine to run
SketchUp Pro. At this point, it is worth reviewing the
SketchUp minimum requirements. However, there are some important considerations above and beyond even their standard recommendations..
RAM
Even though SketchUp advise 8GB+ RAM as a standard requirement, this is probably only sufficient on small models and on machines where the user is running almost no other applications. For a machine running a 3D modelling application like SketchUp, with a reasonable sized model open - alongside a few other apps - we'd recommend looking at 16GB+ RAM. The more the merrier.
Graphics Card
You will need a 3D capable graphics card. Many contemporary laptops don't include this and rely instead on onboard graphics. This is not suitable for SketchUp (or any 3D application worth its salt). Some machines may run SketchUp with display issues, others may not boot SketchUp. A dedicated graphics card with OpenGL and 500mb is a minimum. We recommend Nvidia cards as they have historically run with fewer issues; however, AMD professional cards should also be suitable. Specific 3D cards or good gaming cards are advised.
Processor
You can run SketchUp on an i5 processor but not less. We recommend an i7 or Xeon processor for intensive work - or just where you expect to produce dense models. Remember - the processor is usually the hardest element to upgrade, so choose wisely.
The Affect of Polygons on Hardware Requirements
SketchUp is a polygonal modeller and it is the calculating of the vertices of these polygons that put the computational demands on the processor and the graphics card. Users have been known to destroy perfectly simple SketchUp models by loading in very polygon-heavy models from the 3D Warehouse. It's also possible for models to become naturally dense - just because they're complicated. As the model becomes more dense, the demands on the processor and RAM to open and edit it increase. The density of polygons visible on the screen drive the requirements of the graphics card. One way to manage performance problems in a SketchUp model is to turn off the visibility of some geometry through the layers. This can be a workaround until the model is streamlined but if this is an issue it means the model is too much for your hardware.
What about Rendering?
If you're looking to render as well, consider whether the rendering software uses CPU (processor), GPU (graphics card) or both. These factors may also affect your hardware decisions.
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