Autodesk 3ds Max vs. NX CAD

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk 3ds Max
Score 8.2 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk offers 3ds Max, 3D modeling and rendering software for design visualization, games, and animation. The vendor states that users can produce professional-quality 3D animations, renders, and models with an efficient and flexible toolset to help create better 3D content in less time.
$235
per month per user
NX CAD
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
Siemens NX software is an integrated product design solution that helps deliver products faster and more efficiently. NX delivers design, simulation, and manufacturing solutions that enable companies to realize the value of the digital twin.N/A
Pricing
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$235
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1875
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5625
3 years per user
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsFlex pricing available for limited usage. Minimum plan $300 for 100 tokens. 3ds Max costs 6 tokens per day.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Features
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
Autodesk 3ds Max
-
Ratings
NX CAD
7.6
Ratings
7% above category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings8.70 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings5.90 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings8.40 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings6.50 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings7.60 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings8.30 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings7.30 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings7.10 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings7.40 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Likelihood to Recommend
9.0
(0 ratings)
8.1
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
7.3
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.4
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk 3ds MaxNX CAD
Likelihood to Recommend
Scenarios where Autodesk 3ds Max is well suited: 1. Modeling less complex geometries. 2. For beginners it is good, meshes, poly's, vertexes etc can be easily understood. 3. Easy UI and interoperability. Scenarios where it is less appropriate: 1. Inbuild Rendering (Scanline) can be made better. 2. Performance over low end/Old Pc's need refinement. 3. Bulky Size on disk. 4. Animation is the area which can be made better also.
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NX CAD is very good when it comes to three dimensional modelling and rendering and visualization. Furthermore, the export to jt function together with import into other Siemens software packages, such as Teamcenter, is a major reason why I am using NX. However, it can be a little more computationally expensive compare to other CAD packages.
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Pros
  • V-Ray 3ds Max is an awesome third-party plugin for architecture renders in 3ds Max.
  • Complicated models can be made in a simple way in 3ds Max also P-particles, M flow works better then before.
  • Interface is very easy to use. Very open, attractive, and very much ease of use for new users.
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  • Seamless interaction across multiple departments.
  • The software allows you to create a very high level of control and organization within your engineering staff. This reduces the companies mistakes and maximizes productivity.
  • The software makes it very easy to track your product through every phase of the production cycle.
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Cons
  • working in 2d is very frustrating and unreliable. It just lacks the precision
  • How scaling affects units (or doesn't) There needs to be a way for modifiers to address a change of scale in the object.
  • Booleans are not intuitive. Especially for architecture, creating an opening and putting a door or a window is an incredibly cumbersome process.
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  • Keeping the colors of surfaces if volume bodies are linked
  • Show and keep symbolic threads
  • For me, I miss more information why a surface can't be deleted or a radius is not possible. And maybe a solution, how could it look like, if NX CAD adds a new surface.
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Likelihood to Renew
It satisfies 95% of my 3d visualization need. The left over 5% is handled by a few other programs. If Max just can't perform a specific task I can do that elsewhere and then bring it back to Max to finish up. But, it's rare that this occurs in my work
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It works very well for our organization. It has made us much more productive.
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Usability
It is a very difficult program to learn to use and even harder to use well. But once you get to using it it is a great software package to know how to use. Getting to be good at using it takes lots of use.
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Siemens NX CAD has been has been simple in design & user interface. It is best among the competitors. It can develop heavy models & designs with very ease. It has Layers options for arranging multiple assemblies in the same file. It does not require heavy system investment & works fine on professional PCs
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Support Rating
I have contacted support many times and have had a good experience. They have always been helpful
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NX CAD version is going out of support after only 12 months. Changes will not be implemented after 12 months from prodcution
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Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
Need more clear training
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Alternatives Considered
I use Blender, Maya is expensive learned it once but about the same as 3ds Max, just more expensive. Blender is great, open source and hard to learn, but work it. But since I have so much experience in 3ds Max it is my go to software.
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I like NX CAD modelling features and drafting tool bars which helps in accomplishing the task in minimum steps. The available tools precisely generate the splines and complex geometries as required. There is perfect integration between NX CAD and NX CAM modules with less data loss. Better graphical interface and simplified commands makes NX CAD a better software then others.
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Return on Investment
  • Having to take comments on and re-render a set of single multi-camera shots wastes a lot of time, as there is also an error "batch render." Slows down my completion of a job, even for the most minor image updates.
  • Not being able to offer my freelance/contractor services period in-house on studios that are exclusively Mac. They don't even offer Autodesk 3ds Max as an option because they have never been able to see it in action. Huge loss of potential hires, with my 33year 3DStudio/Autodesk 3ds Max experience
  • When most current version is needed I jump onto the subscription temporarily and this eats severely into my profits. As clients want lower and lower prices with international and AI competition. Especially when I know many International houses for a fact use pirated 3D software.
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  • Through API implementation we have created some CAD Automation tool that saved us about 100h to create specific 3D geometry
  • Teamcenter integration leverage quality of 3D geometry because avoid any situation of duplicated version of same Item that can take lot of hours to verify the correct version
  • Possibility to integrate different 3D format allow to earlier detect possible impact of wrong geometry
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ScreenShots

NX CAD Screenshots

Screenshot of NX technology can generate multiple design options. (It's like having an extra employee dedicated to "trying out" different designs.) Then Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) can be used to generate the part.Screenshot of Studies show an inordinate amount of time can be spent by designers as they look for previous or similar parts. The software can search for similarly-shaped parts.Screenshot of NX has the ability to validate a part (or assembly) and its adherence to standards, collisions, and manufacturability.Screenshot of Virtual inspection and mark up full sized assemblies.Screenshot of a rendering created from the actual product design. Notice the lighting and surface realism.