EAGLE PCB design software

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Flexible EAGLE subscription options available

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PCB design and schematic software. EAGLE Standard includes 99 schematic sheets, 4 signal layers, and 160 cm2 board area. EAGLE Premium includes 999 schematic sheets, 16 signal layers, and unlimited board areas.

EAGLE Standard and Premium

EAGLE has an interesting history behind it. The program’s first iteration in 1988 was a 16-bit DOS application for PCB design. Over the years, EAGLE has advanced in complexity and today it’s one of the most capable applications of its kind.

It comes with multiple editions including a free one for non-commercial uses and a complex one for educational purposes. Depending on what version you use, you can handle simple or complex PCB layouts. Let’s take a look at the popular EAGLE standard and the more advanced EAGLE premium editions and what they have to offer.

Who is EAGLE for?

EAGLE can be a program for everyone from hobbyists to professionals with decades of PCB design experience. However, since we’re discussing only the standard and premium editions, it’s safe to say that EAGLE is an application for professionals.

EAGLE can also be used as a learning tool. Students and educators can get a free license with the same benefits and features as the EAGLE premium edition.

Both paid EAGLE editions are capable of running simulations via LTspice and PCBSim, as is the educational edition.

What type of engineers will probably benefit the most from using EAGLE? If you’re designing PCIe, USB3.0 and 3.1, and even DDR4 circuits, this is the program for you. It’s lightning fast for these types of projects.

 

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System Requirements

Both EAGLE standard and premium versions have low system requirements. You’ll need a 64-bit operating system and a decent CPU. Multi-threading is not a necessity.
The program runs on Windows (7 or above), Linux (libc.so.6 and sub version GLIBC_2.14 or above), and Mac (10.10 or above on Intel CPUs).

In terms of control, you shouldn’t need more than a 3-button wheel mouse. Although that’s not at all mandatory as you can still have a smooth designing experience without one.

It’s recommended that you can maintain a resolution of at least 1024 x 768 for EAGLE standard. EAGLE premium could use a higher resolution, but again, it’s not necessary.

Subscription and Licensing Policies

Both paid editions of EAGLE, standard and premium, come with three subscription plans: monthly, yearly, and biennially. This lets you figure out how long you need it for or how much you can afford to pay at a time.

Do keep in mind however, that there is also a free version of EAGLE. However, the free version is quite limited and lacks plenty of features and support from Autodesk.
The standard and premium editions not only unlock a plethora of features. They also give you access to 1-on-1 online support. This can benefit both beginners and expert-level PCB designers.
The pricing is very different. While EAGLE standard is quite popular and therefore affordable, EAGLE premium is roughly five times the cost of the standard edition. Then again, you do get a lot for the extra money.

Although there was some controversy after Autodesk took over EAGLE, nothing has changed in terms of the application’s performance. Although the new subscription format is a bit more expensive than the previous model, EAGLE is still one of the best PCB design platforms available.

Besides, if you have a degree and background in engineering chances are you’re already familiar with the educational version.

EAGLE Standard Features

EAGLE standard gives you access to 99 schematic sheets. It also lets you use up to 4 plane or signal layers. The board area for your PCB designs is 24.8 square inches.

So what can you do with the standard edition?

• Designs for basic electronics
• PCB layouts with multiple layers
• Multisheet schematics
• Creating and managing library content (as an individual)

EAGLE Premium Features

EAGLE premium costs more but also delivers more. You can use up to 999 schematic sheets and up to 16 signal or plane layers. Unlike the limited board area in the standard edition, going premium gives you unlimited board area.

You shouldn’t need an unlimited board area considering how well stacked the 3D model library is. That being said, if you’re feeling very creative or if you want to work on large-scale circuitry, you just might need it.

So what can you do with the premium edition?

• Designs for basic and complex board designs
• Complex multilayer PCB layouts
• Multisheet schematics
• Hierarchal schematics
• Creating and managing library content (as a team)

Library Content

To say that the component library is rich would be an understatement. EAGLE gives you access to symbols, 3D models, footprints, and accurate parameters to make your task easier. There’s also an ever-growing online library supported by an active community.

You also have the option of searching for exact schematics from manufacturers. Last but not least, the library has quite a few complete 3D PCB models which you can learn from or edit and expand to fit your needs.

Layout Editor

The layout editor is pretty much the same for both the EAGLE standard and premium editions. With the exception of wider board size and the ability to integrate multiple layers and schematics for premium users.

Here’s a quick look at what you can do with the EAGLE PCB layout editor:

• Push and shove routing
• Obstacle avoidance routing
• Intuitive alignment

Courtesy of the new and improved routing engine, you can optimize your PCB layouts faster and better. There are plenty of tools for removing loops and creating corners without breaking the circuit.
The obstacle avoidance routing is advanced. You can work and follow the most complex PCB layouts around your design. You can trace freely or ask for assistance whenever it’s needed.

Schematic Editor

The phrase ‘trust me, I’m an engineer’ should no longer be part of your vocabulary. EAGLE allows you to properly test and validate the circuit’s performance. You can do this with the new SPICE simulator.

There’s also good cross-project compatibility. You can reuse design blocks that fit your new projects. EAGLE ensures that they synchronize with the PCB circuitry and your new schematic. This is very easy to accomplish via drag and drop.

Constantly checking designs can be a drag. You also shouldn’t have to use the simulator every time you need to validate your schematics. To make things easier, EAGLE has a simple electronic rule checking tool which can make sure you don’t make any design errors along the way.

Final Verdict

So at the end of the day, should you get the standard or premium edition of EAGLE? It depends on two things. The complexity of your work and your budget. While it’s tempting to pick EAGLE premium over anything else, if your work doesn’t cover the monthly cost, it’s not going to be worth it.

At the same time, EAGLE standard won’t allow you to handle complex circuitry due to the schematic limitations and small board size. That being said, you can always upgrade from standard to premium.

EAGLE premium clearly has an edge in terms of performance and range of applications. However, that might not settle the score in its favor since the pricing difference is very noticeable.

If you don’t need advanced PCB design, the standard edition may be all that you need. Due to its ease of use and much lower cost, EAGLE standard is the more popular of the two paid editions of Autodesk EAGLE.