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Best PCB design software????

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adwnis123

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Hello, I want to start working with professional PCB designs. What is the best software for that?
 

There is no BEST PCB software. They ALL have annoying bugs/features. I've used OrCAD, DxDesigner (Mentor), and Altium. OrCad is, IMO, the easiest. DxDesigner and Altium are powerful, but sometimes all those features get in the way of ordinary tasks. For example, the most common thing you're EVER going to do is draw a trace; like 90% of what you do is drawing traces. Yet in Altium you either have to type two letters or click an icon, whereas the most logical place to put this function is a right-click. You will come to realize that these programs are written by programmers, not PCB engineers.

So that's my rant.

With that said, I would simply suggest you try the various packages-they all offer free trials. Be prepared to spend some time with it; there is a learning curve. And don't be swayed by some fancy function that they'll show you in the tutorials-consider how you are actually going to use the tool day in and day out.
 
It depends what part of the world you are from.

If you plan to do this professionally, find out what software local employers already have, and what local circuit board manufacturers prefer.
Contact a few different employment agencies and ask them what they are looking for.

No good learning on product X if all the jobs going are for people with experience with product Z.
 

Read the sticky threads regarding this software is better than that software...
https://www.edaboard.com/threads/18145/

Do your own research and make your own choice, do not rely on other peoples personal preference, do we tell you what clothes to wear, how to have your hair cut etc.

There are a multitude of these pointless threads already, if you have to do a search.
 

Good point marce, I've decided to close this thread and delete the previous post as just another useless opinion based claim of "xxx and yyy are good".

I've left all other replies as they inform the OP of how to determine for themselves what package to learn.
 

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