1. Home
  2. PCB Design Software
  3. Altium Designer Reviews
  4. User Review of Altium Designer
Altium Designer Has been great for us
March 07, 2024

Altium Designer Has been great for us

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Altium Designer

We use the Altium Designer software to produce top quality PCBs for the aerospace industry. We find it works great for a large range of PCBs from 2 to 12 layers, from simple to complex. We rarely find issues with the software and updates are constantly coming out to provide new features as well as fix any bugs.
We've been happy with Altium Designer and look forward to the continued use of it in the years ahead.
  • Allows new designs to get started quickly
  • Great for routing complex signals
  • Accurate 3D modeling allows mechanical integration in the package
  • RF tools for signal integrity
  • Great error checking capabilities
  • Easier setting up of templates for Design rules
  • Easier setting up of workspace for new designs
  • The library system is very clumsy when using the cloud
  • The 3D models have reduced mechanical mistakes
  • The provided libraries have reduced time to develop parts internally
  • The error checking has reduced errors at least 50% over previous layout package
When you start up Altium Designer for the first time, it is intimidating to look at, but once you start with a simple PCB to learn on, you quickly get a good feel for the navigation and how the package works. The shortcuts are hard to get used to unless you are a dedicated layout engineer, so that could be improved, but overall it does quickly get someone from start to finish quickly and efficiently.
The PCB design software has made a huge improvement in the reduction of errors in our layout process. There are so many components that can be downloaded and integrated in to the software, which saves loads of time as well. I think we are able to get better results in 50-75% of the time it used to take. We are very happy with this reality.
It is certainly easier to get designs up and running with great support and constant software updates. The ability to work with or without the cloud is a great feature. The only downside to Altium Designer is that it does have a cost to it that is not cheap. Overall I think it is worth the investment.

Do you think Altium Designer delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Altium Designer's feature set?

Yes

Did Altium Designer live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Altium Designer go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Altium Designer again?

Yes

Almost all board layout situations Altium Designer is very usable and has loads of features that make the PCB layout efficient. There is a learning curve that comes with it, but I do think an engineer will quickly get the hang of the main features.
For hobby use, I would recommend a cheaper/free market alternative, but for industry use, Altium Designer is very good.