QUESTION

I have to replace my computer that I run Chief Architect on. What are the system requirements for running the software?

ANSWER

While it may be possible to operate Chief Architect on a computer that does not meet these minimum system requirements, Chief Architect, Inc. will not support any configuration that is not listed below.

• Chief Architect X16
  
• Chief Architect X15
  
• Chief Architect X14
  
• Chief Architect X13
• Chief Architect X12
  
• Chief Architect X11
  
• Chief Architect X10
  
• Chief Architect X9
  
• Chief Architect X8
• Chief Architect X7
• Chief Architect X6
• Chief Architect X5
• Chief Architect X4
• Chief Architect X3
• Chief Architect X2
• Chief Architect X1
• Chief Architect Version 10
• Chief Architect Version 9.5
• Chief Architect Version 8
• Chief Architect Version 7

Chief Architect X16
Version 26 released in 2024

Minimum

• Video card:
  
  • Windows: 4 GB of dedicated RAM or Intel integrated graphics on 8th generation or newer Intel processors. DirectX 12 requires Shader Model 6.0 or newer.
    
  • Mac: Apple M1 or newer, or an Intel/AMD card with 2 GB of dedicated video memory with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
    
  • CPU ray tracing is supported on Windows and Macs. GPU real time ray tracing on a Windows computer requires an NVIDIA RTX or an AMD Radeon RX series graphics card. The Mac requires at a minimum an M1 processor.
    
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• Windows 10 / 11 64-bit or macOS Ventura / Sonoma / Sequoia
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
  
• 1 TB SSD
  
• PC
  
  • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 9
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 / AMD Radeon RX 7900
    
  • A screen of 16" or more
    
• Mac
• • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M3 or newer
    
  • Desktops: Mac Pro
  • Laptops: MacBook Pro 16"

Chief Architect X15
Version 25 released in 2023

Minimum

• Video Card:
  
  • Windows: 4 GB of dedicated RAM or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7). DirectX 12 requires Shader Model 6.0 or newer.
  • Mac: Apple M1 or newer, or an Intel/AMD card with 2 GB of RAM with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
  • For GPU real-time ray tracing, a Windows computer with an NVIDIA RTX or an AMD Radeon RX series graphics card is required.
    
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
• 8 GB of RAM
  
• Windows 10 / 11 64-bit or macOS Monterey / Ventura / Sonoma
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
  
• 1 TB SSD
  
• PC
  
  • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 9
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 / AMD Radeon RX 7900
    
  • Laptops: Minimum 16" screen
• Mac
• • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M3 or newer
    
  • Desktops: Mac Pro
  • Laptops: MacBook Pro 16"
    

Chief Architect X14
Version 24 released in 2022

For all X14 Versions

Minimum

• Video Card:
  
  • 2 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
    
  • DirectX 12 supporting Shader Model 6 for a Windows-based PC.
    
  • Metal GPUFamily: Apple 7 M1 or newer, or Intel/AMD GPU with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
  • For GPU real-time ray tracing, a Windows computer with an NVIDIA RTX or an AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card is required.
    
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Internet access required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
  
• 8 GB of RAM
  
• 64-bit Windows 10 / 11 or macOS Big Sur / Monterey / Ventura
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
  
• 512 GB SSD
  
• PC
  
  • Desktops:
    
    • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 5000
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800
      
  • Laptops:
  • • Minimum 15" screen
    • Intel i7
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800M
      
• Mac
• • Desktops:
  • • Mac Pro
      
  • Laptops:
  • • MacBook Pro 16"
    • Metal GPUFamily: Apple M1 or newer
    • 8 GB video memory

Chief Architect X13
Version 23 released in 2021

For all X13 Versions

Minimum

• Video Card:
  
  • 2 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 6th generation or newer Intel processors (i3/i5/i7).
  • DirectX 12 supporting Shader Model 6 for a Windows-based PC.
    
  • Metal GPUFamily: Apple 7 (M1) or macOS 2 (Intel) for macOS systems.
    
  • For GPU real-time ray tracing, a Windows 10 computer with an NVIDIA RTX or an AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card is required.
    
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
  
• Internet access
• • Required for installation, license authentication, deactivation and video & library catalog access. Internet access for license authentication is required once every 14 days.
    
• 8 GB of RAM
  
• 64-bit Windows 10 / 11 or macOS Catalina / Big Sur / Monteray
  

Recommended

• 32 GB of RAM
  
• 512 GB SSD
  
• PC
  
  • Desktops:
    
    • Intel i9 / AMD Ryzen 5000
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800
      
  • Laptops:
  • • Minimum 15" screen
    • Intel i7
    • 8 GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800M
      
• Mac
• • Desktops:
  • • Mac Pro
      
  • Laptops:
  • • MacBook Pro 16"
    • Intel i9
      
    • 8 GB video memory

Chief Architect X12
Version 22 released in 2020

For all X12 Versions

Chief Architect X11
Version 21 released in 2019

For all X11 Versions

Minimum

• Multi-Core Processor (CPU)
  
• Video Card:
  
  • 1 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 3rd generation or newer Intel processors
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher for a Windows-based PC
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher for a Mac
    
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Internet access
• 4 GB memory (RAM)
• 64-bit Windows 7 / 8 / 10 or macOS 10.13 / 10.14 / 10.15 (High Sierra / Mojave / Catalina)
  

Recommended

• 16 GB memory (RAM)
• 50 GB of available hard disk space
• 4 GB or 8 GB gaming video card

Chief Architect X10
Version 20 released in 2018

For all X10 versions

Minimum

• Multi-Core Processor (CPU)
  
• Video Card:
• • 1 GB of dedicated video memory or Intel integrated graphics on 3rd generation or newer Intel processors
  • OpenGL 3.3 or higher for a Windows-based PC
  • OpenGL 4.1 or higher for a Mac
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• Internet access
• 4 GB memory (RAM)
• 64-bit Windows 7 / 8 / 10 or macOS 10.12 / 10.13 / 10.14 (Sierra / High Sierra / Mojave)

Chief Architect X9
Version 19, released in 2017

For all X9 versions

Chief Architect X8
Version 18, released in 2016

For all X8 versions

For 64-bit Chief Architect X8

For 32-bit Chief Architect X8

Chief Architect X7
Version 17, released in 2015

For all X7 versions

For 64-bit Chief Architect X7

• 64-bit Windows 7 / 8 / 10 or Mac OSX 10.9 / 10.10 / 10.11 (Mavericks / Yosemite / El Capitan)  
• 4 GB of RAM
  

For 32-bit Chief Architect X7

• 32-bit Windows 7 / 8
• 2 GB of RAM
  

Chief Architect X6
Version 16, released in 2014

For all X6 versions

For 64-bit Chief Architect X6

• 64-bit Windows Vista / 7 / 8 or Mac OSX 10.8 / 10.9 (Mountain Lion / Mavericks)  
• 4 GB of RAM
  

For 32-bit Chief Architect X6

• 32-bit Windows Vista / 7 / 8
• 2 GB of RAM
  

Chief Architect X5
Version 15, released in 2012

For all X5 versions

• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 256 MB of dedicated on-board video memory supporting OpenGL 2.1 or higher
• Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768
• High speed Internet for registration, video access, content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)

For 64-bit Chief Architect Premier or Interiors X5

• 64-bit Windows Vista / 7 / 8
• Multi-core processor
• 4 GB of RAM

For 32-bit Chief Architect Premier, Lite or Interiors X5

• 32- or 64-bit Windows Vista / 7 / 8; 32-bit Windows XP
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 2 GB of RAM

Chief Architect X4
Version 14, released in 2011

For all X4 versions

• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 256 MB of dedicated on-board video memory supporting OpenGL 2.1 or higher
• High speed Internet for registration, video access, and content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)
  

For 64-bit Chief Architect Premier X4

• 64-bit Windows Vista / 7
• Multi-core processor
• 4 GB of RAM

For 32-bit Chief Architect Premier, Lite or Interiors X4

• 32- or 64-bit Windows Vista / 7; 32-bit Windows XP
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 2 GB of RAM
  

Chief Architect X3
Version 13, released in 2010

• Windows XP / Vista /7
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2.0 or higher
• High speed Internet for registration, video access, content downloads
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)

Chief Architect X2
Version 12, released in 2009

• Windows XP / Vista / 7
• 2.4 GHz processor
• 5 GB of available hard disk space
• 2 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL 2 or greater
• High speed Internet for registration and video access
• DVD drive (if software purchased on DVD)

Chief Architect X1
Version 11, released in 2007

• Windows XP / Vista
• 2 GHz processor
• 3 GB of available hard disk space
• 1 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory supporting OpenGL hardware acceleration
• DVD drive

Chief Architect version 10
Released in 2005

• Windows XP
• 2 GHz processor
• 3 GB of available hard disk space
• 1 GB of RAM
• 256 MB of dedicated video memory
• Video card that supports OpenGL hardware acceleration
• CD-ROM drive

Chief Architect version 9.5
Released in 2003

• Windows 98 SE / ME / NT / 2000 / XP
• 400 MHz processor
• 1 GB of available hard disk space for a full installation (400 MB to install without all available program content)
• 64 MB of RAM
• CD-ROM drive
• 2-button mouse supported by Windows
• Color monitor which supports 16 bit color in a screen resolution of 800x600 or greater
• Video card which supports OpenGL

Chief Architect version 8
Released in 2002

• Windows 95 / 98 / ME / NT /2000 / XP
• 266 MHz processor
• 400MB of available hard disk space
• 64 MB of RAM, or greater
• CD-ROM Drive
• 2-button mouse supported by Windows
• Color VGA, Super VGA, or higher resolution monitor supporting a minimum of 256 colors

Chief Architect version 7
Released in 2000

• Windows 95 / NT 4.0 / 98 / 2000
• 300 MB of available hard disk space
• 32 MB of RAM
• CD-ROM Drive
• 2-button mouse supported by Windows
• Color VGA, Super VGA, or higher resolution monitor. Super VGA supporting 256 colors