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Fusion 360 requirements.

Chris Cramer

Chris Cramer

Super User
I've been doing a lot of research on what the cheapest laptop for fusion 360 as well as sheet cam would be. My current laptop I use is a think pad which has all the requirements, but it is very old; so it can run my plasma table just fine, but it is too slow for me to run fusion or sheet cam to edit my tool paths that come from my desktop through one drive. From what I've read it seems like the acer aspire5, or maybe even the aspire 3 would be the best choice. I'm just not sure if it would be worth buying a new laptop just so I don't have to return to my room in our basement from my shop to make all changes to my tool paths.

I've also tried wireless remote networking, but even that is a bit slow on my old laptop. Does anyone have any suggestions to what would be the cheapest option, even if that means just refurbishing my think pad?
 
Define cheap. I’ve been using the Lenovo small form factor pcs (not laptop) and am satisfied with them.

About $800 With no monitor.

Small
Quiet
Wifi/Bluetooth
SSD

Portability is not a requirement for me.

I run one for LinuxCNC and another for fusion and 3d printing etc. I have become a fan of the AMD chipsets too


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Chris Cramer said:
I've been doing a lot of research on what the cheapest laptop for fusion 360 as well as sheet cam would be. My current laptop I use is a think pad which has all the requirements, but it is very old; so it can run my plasma table just fine, but it is too slow for me to run fusion or sheet cam to edit my tool paths that come from my desktop through one drive. From what I've read it seems like the acer aspire5, or maybe even the aspire 3 would be the best choice. I'm just not sure if it would be worth buying a new laptop just so I don't have to return to my room in our basement from my shop to make all changes to my tool paths.

I've also tried wireless remote networking, but even that is a bit slow on my old laptop. Does anyone have any suggestions to what would be the cheapest option, even if that means just refurbishing my think pad?
Click to expand...

Have you considered second hand computers? I have half a dozen computers kicking around my place that I got for a song at an industrial auction. In some cases I had to open the guts and reconnect a hard drive or install Windows but personally I didn't find that difficult or expensive.
 
The old computer I’m using is my Dad’s old business laptop, I don’t have any other spare computers. my goal budget is a maximum of $500. The computer wouldn’t necessarily need to be able to carry out complex designs on fusion, my uses would be to control my plasma table, make some edits to individual parts on fusion and sheet cam, and possibly to run a 3D printer.
 
Since it sounds like its going to be dedicated to a machine does it have to be a laptop or can it be a desktop. Generally it seems to me these days desktops, especially second hand, are cheaper and have more computing power.
 
Good point, I do have a second hand desktop pc. I wouldn’t be able to use the laptop stand I have for my plasma table, but I don’t think it would be too difficult to add a custom desktop to an area next to my table.
 
Don’t rule out a raspberry pie for non fusion work. Quite capable


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My only recommendation is don't buy the cheapest computer that will run fusion-360. Auto desk is growing fusion-360 monthly with updates. If you want to save money definitely consider a desktop.
 
I already have a very high power desktop inside my house that I use to design complex models. The main reason I want the computer that operates my CNC plasma table to be able to run fusion is so I can edit my sketches and tool paths within my shop. The nesting and tool paths are generated by sheet cam from sketches that come from individual parts out of fusion; so I wouldn't really be doing complex modeling with the shop pc, just general tasks like sketches.

However I do understand that a higher powered pc would pay off in the long run, and even editing sketches often includes editing components for projections.
 
I purchased a used desktop for fusion, from an airdrie local, home based reseller, I paid next to nothing and he does also have laptops, has all inventory cataloged with its options listed. DBCS computer... I just checked he is still listing on kijiji
 
Bofobo said:
I purchased a used desktop for fusion, from an airdrie local, home based reseller, I paid next to nothing and he does also have laptops, has all inventory cataloged with its options listed. DBCS computer... I just checked he is still listing on kijiji
Click to expand...

Post a link.
 
Wow, lots to choose from there. Better than driving around the city looking at individual Kjiji sells
What is he doing on the OS ide? I noticed on maybe some older models had Win-10 & maybe from Win-7 era. But anyways is it 'installed' but you ultimately have to buy the MS license key?
 
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