CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 has been released and many of you want to know if it will run on your computer. In this post I’ll list the official hardware requirements for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 as well as suggestions beyond the requirements. If you have any questions not answered in this post, please post as a comment to the blog. Do not e-mail me directly! By posting your questions as a comment, I can respond to your comment with an answer for everyone.
Let’s first look at the system requirements that Corel has listed for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019. First, the Windows requirements.
- Windows 10*, 8.1 or Windows 7, in 32-bit or 64-bit, all with latest Updates and Service Packs
- Intel Core i3/5/7 or AMD Athlon 64
- 2 GB RAM
- 2.5 GB hard disk space
- Multi-touch screen, mouse or tablet
- 1280 x 720 screen resolution at 100% (96 dpi)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 or higher
- Microsoft .Net Framework 4.7
- Internet connection required to sign in to authenticate CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, receive performance and stability updates, access online content, and use some features, such as QR Codes or the Content Exchange. You can use CorelDRAW Graphics Suite offline provided you connect to the Internet at least once a month so that we can validate your software license.
- CD drive optional (for box installation). Installation from CD requires a download of up to 800 MB
- Internet connection is required to install and authenticate CorelDRAW Graphics Suite and access some of the included software components, online features and content
As there is now a native Mac version, we’ll also list the requirements for those wanting to run CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 on their Mac.
- macOS 10.14, 10.13 or 10.12, with the latest revision
- Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support
- 4 logical cores or higher
- 2 GB RAM (8 GB RAM or more recommended)
- 4 GB hard disk space for application files (Solid-state drive recommended)
- 1280 x 800 screen resolution (1920 x 1080 recommended)
- Mouse or tablet
- Internet connection is required to install and authenticate CorelDRAW Graphics Suite and access some of the included software components, online features and content
While there is a 64-bit version of CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT, many users will find that using the 32-bit version is a better choice! Read Is the 64-Bit Version of CorelDRAW X6 Right For You? to understand why you may want to install the 32-bit version. If you are unsure how to install the 32-bit version, read Finding and Installing 32-Bit CorelDRAW X6. While both of those posts specifically address CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, the information is still valid for CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 on Windows.
If you’ve bought a new computer in the last decade or so, there is a really good chance you’re covered on the processor. For those of you with really old computers, it is time to get a newer computer as everything will work much faster.
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019 has support for multiple threads. This means a feature can take advantage of multi-core processors or even hyperthreaded processors to perform a function much faster. A perfect example is the Save feature. As soon as you start saving a file, you can immediately start doing other things as the save is performed in the background. How many times in the past have you sat there staring at the screen waiting for a file to finish saving? I know it happened way too often for me. My computer has four cores each of which can run two separate threads. When CorelDRAW saves, it can now split the load in eight ways. Multi-threading was added in CorelDRAW X5 and the number of functions that use multiple threads was expanded in CorelDRAW X6, CorelDRAW X7 and CorelDRAW 2019.
Next up, it says 2 GB of RAM is required. Sorry, that number is unrealistic. While that might technically be the minimum, I think you need a minimum of 4 GB to even consider using any graphics software these days. Personally I’d recommend any new computer to have a 64-bit operating system and as much memory as possible. For more on this subject, read my post Memory and CorelDRAW. In that post, you’ll notice I talk about the useless Memory setting in CorelDRAW X4. It was removed in CorelDRAW X5 and a few users were concerned that it wasn’t there. As I’ve said many times, it didn’t do anything! With the 64-bit version of CorelDRAW, I’d suggest 8 GB of RAM to be the absolute minimum and I’d suggest you install as much memory as your computer will allow. The 64-bit version of Windows can use as much of the memory as needed and isn’t limited to 2 GB like 32-bit software. Read Fill Up Your Screaming Fast Computer With RAM for more details. That said, very few of you will be creating CorelDRAW files anywhere near 2 GB in size! Those who are, probably need to look at ways of optimizing their files.
As we move down the list, the requirements say you need a minimum of 2.5 GB of hard drive space. So while you can skimp with such a small amount of space, I sure hope you have a lot more space available!
You have to be able to point, so you need a mouse, tablet or multi-touch screen. We highly recommend you use a Wacom tablet! Corel added touch support in CorelDRAW X5 though this is something very few users will be using as only a small percentage of computers have touch support. You must have a DVD drive to install the boxed version as the software is supplied on a DVD.
The last requirement is Internet Explorer 11 and honestly this is something Corel shouldn’t require. Many users prefer other browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome or Opera. Yet CorelDRAW relies upon Internet Explorer to load any Web content.
Upgrade Eligibility: To purchase the upgrade version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2019, you must own a previous licensed version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite or CorelDRAW® Premium Suite. Please note that upgrade eligibility excludes Academic, Home and Student, OEM and Not for Resale (NFR) versions.
Some users prefer to wait for the Education Edition as it is typically a lower price. Keep in mind that it is illegal to use it for paying work. Also, it often leaves out important features such as support for macros. It is not eligible for upgrade pricing. In saving a few bucks up front, it can cost you a lot more in the long run.
Note for Mac users: A very important feature of the Windows version is the automation available using Microsoft’s Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). This does not exist on the Mac version so very few add-ons and macros will work on a Mac. Automation on the Mac must be written in JavaScript and there will likely be some tools created to work on the Mac. But it will be a limited number compared to what is available on Windows.
WHY in the world would Corel take away the object properties and “streamline” it to the point of being useless? I am unable to use this new version until this is fixed. This is the first time since V3 that I can’t use coreldraw in my work.
The thumbnail preview is useless and can barely be seen. The fonts don’t tell me if they are filled, outlined or what color they are. The curves aren’t even visible. Are the 50 curves I selected filled? outlined? what color? rgb, cmyk?
If I need to select the 100 blue text items for instance, I have no way of knowing. The text items don’t even show in color anymore.
I need the little button that lets me see object properties in the objects docker.
I have sent several emails to corel and the latest response was “the old docker displayed so much information that it became difficult to understand what was what at a glance” Oh my…
Any thoughts?
This is something over which we have zero control. We are simply reporting the hardware and software requirements. You’ll have to continue discussing it with Corel.
There is report on the developer forums that VBA is not functioning well. Can you confirm that?
I have not installed CorelDRAW 2019 (or 2018 or 2017) so I have no personal experience to share.
Researching CorelDraw (various versions including the new 2019) there is no mention or discussion about the computers hardware graphics. Specifically if Integrated (i.e. on-board) graphics are suitable / up to the task or if dedicated graphics cards are recommended and if so with how many MB of RAM or any other specific features. Will be purchasing a new PC and want to ensure it has all the “horsepower” required right out of the box to run CorelDraw at its best for the next 2+ years. Thanks.
We regularly discuss discrete graphics cards that we feel are useful for those doing graphics on their computer. You’ll find all such posts, as well as other hardware products, at https://graphics-unleashed.com/category/hump-day-hardware/ . While it isn’t an absolute requirement for running CorelDRAW, a discrete graphics card will definitely help with running the software.
Can Corel draw 2019 work on window 10 pro, after showing .Net framework 4.7.2 error
This would be a question for CorelDRAW technical support.