Hardware requirements
The computer
for StereoCAD.
We recommend a Windows 11 64-bit workstation with 64 GB of memory, an NVIDIA RTX graphics card with 8–16 GB, an internal NVMe SSD and two monitors. StereoCAD also runs on smaller computers: the profiles below help you choose by the work you do.
Three profiles
| Component | Minimum | Recommended | Heavy processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | Viewing, small blocks, drawing without stereo | Daily stereo restitution, dense cloud of normal blocks | Dense cloud from hundreds of images, images over 50 megapixels |
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit | Windows 11 Pro 64-bit |
| Processor | 8 cores | 12–16 cores | 16 cores or more |
| Memory | 16 GB | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Graphics | Discrete card, OpenGL 3.3 | NVIDIA RTX, 8–16 GB | NVIDIA RTX, 16 GB or more |
| Project disk | Internal SSD, 500 GB free | Internal NVMe SSD, 2 TB | Dedicated NVMe SSD, 4 TB |
| Monitors | One, 1920×1080 | Two: interface and 3D monitor | Two or three, 2560×1440 or more for the interface |
| Internet | Needed for the license | Stable connection | Stable connection |
- Windows 64-bit on an Intel or AMD processor. Windows 10 no longer receives security updates since October 2025: for a new computer choose Windows 11.
- Graphics: without OpenGL 3.3 the program does not start. Graphics built into the processor are not suitable for stereo.
- Two monitors: the first holds the interface and the plan, the second the stereo view.
What matters most
For StereoCAD the disk, an NVIDIA graphics card and the processor come first: the dense cloud and the DSM from the images are the heaviest work.
- NVIDIA graphics card. The dense cloud uses the NVIDIA card when there is one: a GTX 16 / RTX 20 or newer, with at least 1.5 GB free and an up-to-date driver. With other cards the processor does the work: same result, longer times. The program shows which of the two it is using.
- Disk. Images from cameras with distortion are resampled into copies that can take as much space as the originals: allow twice the size of the dataset. The dense cloud reads many images out of order: on a USB hard disk it can be tens of times slower than on an internal SSD.
- Processor and memory. Aerial triangulation and the dense cloud use all cores. The program keeps one image at a time in memory: 32 GB is enough for normal blocks, 64 GB for blocks of hundreds of images or images over 50 megapixels.
Measured times
Dense cloud, measured by MENCI Engineering in October 2026: half resolution, 32-thread processor, NVIDIA RTX 16 GB.
| Drone block | Images | Processor only | With NVIDIA card | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block A | 151 | 3 min 41 s | 1 min 04 s | 46 million |
| Block B | 119 | 4 min 03 s | 1 min 01 s | 42.7 million |
| Block C | 24 | 25 s | 13 s | 9.4 million |
At full resolution times grow about four times.
Stereo, optional
StereoCAD works on ordinary monitors; stereo adds depth perception. It is shown on the second monitor, next to the one with the interface.
| Solution | What you need | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| 3D polarised monitor with passive glasses | A 3D monitor with side-by-side or top-bottom input, connected as the second extended screen; light passive glasses; any graphics card with two video outputs | Recommended: the most widely used solution among our customers |
| Two monitors with a beam-splitter mirror | A station with two panels and a mirror, plus the interface monitor. Requires a professional graphics card with quad-buffer stereo from the monitor maker's list of supported cards (AMD Radeon PRO, or NVIDIA professional: Quadro, RTX A, RTX Ada, RTX PRO Blackwell; gaming cards are not on the list), passive stereo on two outputs enabled in the graphics driver, three video outputs | Supported: full resolution for each eye |
| Active shutter glasses | NVIDIA professional card, infrared emitter, glasses and a 120 Hz monitor | Only if you already own the equipment: no longer in production |
With a 3D polarised monitor any card that drives two monitors will do; the beam-splitter mirror needs the professional card described above. Source for the supported cards: Schneider Digital, 3D PluraView – Supported Graphics Cards (edition 03-2026); check the current edition before buying. Before buying stereo hardware, contact us: we tell you whether the model you have in mind is already in use by other customers.
Devices and installation
- Trackball beside the mouse, strongly recommended: the mouse moves the plan, the trackball ball moves the height. Kensington Expert Mouse or Expert Trackball recommended; Logitech ERGO M575 and M570 / Trackman Marble also supported. StereoCAD also supports 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse and Stealth V / Stealth Z.
- Internet. The license is verified online at activation and while you work. On request a license can be enabled for offline use; computers that never go online can use a license file.
- Company networks. If a proxy inspects encrypted traffic, the program cannot activate: exclude the MENCI Engineering license servers from inspection.
- External and network disks are fine for archive and delivery, not for work: keep images and active projects on an internal SSD.
- Graphics driver. Keep it up to date. If you still use active shutter glasses, ask us before changing the driver version.
Not sure? Write to info@menci.com with the number of images, their size and the hardware you already have: we recommend the right configuration.