I have a Dell XPS with dual monitors and Windows 10 Home 64-bit. The Dell is equipped with a NiVidia Ge Force GT1030 graphics card and an Intel UHD Graphics 630. I am about to upgrade my Sketchup from Sketchup Make (free) to the new Sketch Pro 2020.
Do I need to upgrade either or both of my graphic card (s)?
I currently have no issues with Sketchup but I am concerned about system capabilities with the 3D Sketchup.
Requirements: SketchUp Hardware and Software Requirements | SketchUp Help
The graphics card is required to support OpenGL 3.1 or later. The 1030 supports OpenGL 4.5. GeForce GT 1030 | Specifications | GeForce
You're OK. Probably avoid using the Intel graphics. (I presume those are disabled anyway, on a desktop PC.)
I am not certain. I believe the two monitors are split between the two graphic cards, I am thinking that the Intel card has the 2nd monitor. Both show up in Device Manager. The 2nd video out on the NiVidia card is not being used.
I gotten think about this. I don't know why it is configured this way. Yes, I did it but please cut me some slack. At 82, I am still learning.
I'm surprised that the onboard graphics (Intel) are still available, but maybe I shouldn't be. My knowledge of Dell PCs is out of date. The last few Intel based system I assembled didn't have any onboard graphics.
The Intel HD 630 graphics supports OpenGL 4.4, so, in principle, your software should be happy with it. I'd expect the performance of the 1030 to be greatly superior, though.
What you have, either the GT 1030 or the Intel HD graphics 630 are more than good enough for the SketchUp application, no worries.
The requirements are quite modest.
Both would be capable of running 2 or 3 monitors, again no worries.
The simplest arrangement is for both monitors connected to the same Graphics Card.
The Nvidia Card has the very slight advantage of some GB of video RAM, the Intel Graphics shares that with main RAM, but as you have 16 GB anyway, yet again no worries.
"Intel monitor might have lower resolution or poorer colour,"
Definately not true, Intel HD graphics have improved a lot in recent years.
"I'm surprised that the onboard graphics (Intel) are still available,"
Most Intel CPUs have the iGPU as well, Very useful to have in reserve if your Graphics Card goes wrong.
I didn't word that properly.
In the past, the Dell PCs I was familar with automatically disabled the onboard graphics if a discrete graphics card was present. I believe that there was no BIOS setting that permitted both onboard and discrete graphics to be use simultaneously. My surprise was that this has changed, not that onboard graphics still exist.
I use onboard Intel graphics on an inexpensive laptop. (No discrete graphics chip.) Intel integrated graphics have advanced a lot over the past few years.
Thanks go out to all who have applied. You have helped me make a decision. I will commit (with money) for the Sketchup Pro Upgrade tomorrow with the intention of using w3hat I have for graphics support. I do see differences in the quality of the displays between the two monitors, Swapping monitors points to graphics card differences - not monitors.
After I get to running Sketchup I will know for certain.
Thanks again for the timely and helpful responses.
PS: The second port on the NiVidia card is not being used because it requires a cable connector type that was not in my inventory when I set this up. New cable will solve that,
Too many different connectors and cable types. This old man can't keep up any more.
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