Buy AutoCAD; Get Computer Free

Autodesk has been very successful in bucking the trend towards free software. Instead, it's the hardware that's free. Until the end of the year.

For the price of AutoCAD ($3,995) you can get a a free HP xw4600 Workstation (ranges in price from $599 to $1,549) equipped with an entry level NVIDIA Quadro FX 370 graphics board. Only catch I can think of is that maybe this bundle excludes the monitor?

More info from www.nvidia.com/builtforpros -- or maybe not. When I went to that page, I got redirected to www.nvidia.com/object/builtforadobepros.html -- Built for Adobe Pros. Maybe it'll be fixed by the time you read this.

Update

nVidia's pr firm tells me, "Here is the correct link: www.nvidia.com/object/builtforprofessionals.html, which will take you to information on NVIDIA's work with Autodesk."

Comments

[Adena Schutzberg]

Here are the URLs for details; the one above is an NVIDIA demo, nothing more.

Press release:
http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=586335&afterinter=true

HP description of deal: http://www.hp.com/sbso/special/computing/workstation-cad.html?jumpid=ex_r295_go/cad/kimvert/4Q08Workstation-cadbundle/default#

Buy at CDW:
http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/results.aspx?filteredsortorder=GROUP&edc=1598269&edc=1598276&edc=1598281

Finally, no, there is no monitor included.

[Richard Williams]

AutoCad cannot sit on it's laurels. There are plenty of "eye of the tiger" competitor that are not only able but hungry enough to take the lead. Autodesk's biggest advantage seems to be that it has been around longer and known better. However, with compatibility issues getting resolved more now, this could all change.

[Tony Tanzillo]

Buy a computer (discontinued configurations being replaced by Intel Core i7 based systems), and get AutoCAD at a significant discount.

It's not nearly as attractive at it may at first seem.

[Steve Johnson]

There was a very similar free-HP-with-AutoCAD offer via my local dealer here in Australia some months ago.