Mastercam System Requirements
Below is a table that lists the recommended and minimum system configurations needed for Mastercam. We recommend that you get as much power as possible (processor, memory, and video card) for your systems.
Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
OS | Windows 10 64-bit Professional | Windows 10 (version 1903 or later) 64-bit Professional |
Processor | Intel® or AMD 64-bit processor, 2.4 GHz or faster | Intel i7 or Xeon® E3, 3.2GHz or faster |
Memory | 8 GB | 32 GB |
Video | OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 support with 1 GB memory. No onboard graphics. | NVIDIA Quadro® or AMD FirePro™ / Radeon Pro card with 4 GB (or higher) dedicated memory. |
Monitor | 1920 * 1080 resolution | 1920 * 1080 resolution, dual monitors |
Storage | Hard drive with at least 20 GB free USB and/or DVD drive (depending on installation media and licensing method) | Solid State Drive (SSD) with at least 20GB free |
3D Mouse | 3Dconnexion 3D mouse |
Detailed Requirements and Suggestions
OPERATING SYSTEM
CNC Software continues to evaluate Mastercam’s OS requirements with the goal of providing the best possible user experience.
Windows 10 version 1903 and later 64-bit Professional editions are recommended. Mastercam can run on Windows 10 version 1903 or later 64-bit Professional editions. However, it has not been tested in these environments and is not supported.
Mastercam 2021 was the final release that officially supported Windows 7, as Microsoft discontinued extended support in January 2020. Mastercam 2022 will work on Windows 7 systems, but it will not be supported. Mastercam 2022 will not be installed on Windows 7 in future versions.
PROCESSOR
How fast the software calculates and completes tasks will depend on how fast the processor is running. Mastercam is becoming more multi-core processor aware with each new release. Multi-core processors will typically run toolpath calculation and simulation faster. The latest Intel i7 and Xeon processors typically result in a 50% reduction of the time required to calculate toolpaths.
MEMORY
Mastercam switches to virtual memory space when it exhausts all RAM. This will drastically slow down the system. Minimum 8GB is recommended. We recommend 32GB RAM for large toolpath generation or simulation.
VIDEO CARD
The video card is an essential component of a Mastercam computer.
We recommend a NVIDIA Quadro®, AMD FirePro™, or Radeon Pro card that has 4 GB or more memory. You can use other graphics cards, but they must support OpenGL 3.2 or OpenCL 1.2. Mastercam must support OpenCL in order to pass certain computation tasks to the graphics cards to improve system performance.
Some PC configurations may include onboard graphics. We don’t recommend or support their use. They are not usually able to drive graphics-intensive applications like Mastercam.
You should ensure that you have the most current drivers for your card manufacturer. Many issues can be fixed by using the latest video drivers. How the card performs can be affected by how it is configured.
You can find the latest drivers for NVIDIA or AMD at these online links. To detect the video card installed, we recommend that you use the automatic detect feature. This Mastercam knowledge base article provides more information about configuring the graphics cards.
MONITOR
We find dual monitors to be more productive for most of our internal systems. Mastercam Simulator and Code Expert display on the primary screen, while Tool Manager, Mastercam Simulator and Code Expert display on the secondary screen.
For widescreen monitors, 1920×1080 is the minimum recommended resolution. Mastercam can run on lower resolution monitors, but larger panels and dialog boxes may cause problems. A second monitor with a lower resolution may be fine for a dual-screen setup.
Mastercam can be used on large format displays such as 4K monitors or high-DPI devices. However, there may be issues with these configurations.
STORAGE
A Solid State Drive (SSD) is a great way to upgrade your computer. These drives are now affordable at a price that makes them an attractive investment. Our test systems use a smaller SSD primary SSD to run the OS, and have installed applications that use a larger conventional drive for data.
3D MOUSE
A 3D mouse makes it easier to interact with 3D applications. The 3D mouse is intended to be used in conjunction with a standard mouse by your non-dominant hands for a balanced, cooperative work style. The 3D mouse’s controller cap can be gently moved to pan, zoom, and rotate 3D content. Your standard mouse can still select menu items or specific parts of the model. The 3Dconnexion website has additional technical and purchase information.
ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE
Anti-virus software is a feature that most computers have today to guard against unwanted malware. These can sometimes interfere with Mastercam applications. CNC Software doesn’t recommend any anti-virus products. However, if you notice unexpected problems, it could be due to anti-virus software. You can temporarily disable the anti-virus software and set Mastercam as an exception.
Explore the full suite of Mastercam CAD/CAM products.
MACDAC Engineering
30 Years of Trusted Partnerships
MACDAC Engineering is the largest CAD/CAM software dealer in New England and has been partnered with Mastercam since 1991. We offer training, support, and services for all Mastercam products.
We believe in developing strong relationships with our customers, which is why so many of them have relied on us for their CAD/CAM needs for years. We primarily keep our sales local to New England so that we can better create, build, and maintain customer relationships for many years to come.
