Your laptop or desktop computer must meet the recommended specifications for running SOLIDWORKS 3DCAD efficiently. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration and selecting the best computer to do the job is an extremely difficult process.
This guide will explain the things to look for if you’re setting up a brand new Windows machine from scratch or buying an off-the-shelf model from a retail store such as our preferred vendor, Dell. We’ll also provide our top workstations that run SOLIDWORKS while with budget and performance in consideration. So, without more ado…
Memory/RAM
Drawings and models that are complex that are complex in SOLIDWORKS are likely to require greater RAM (Random Access Memory) in order to load them efficiently. This is especially true for the size of data sets that must be loaded by making use of the program. When a machine is running out of memory, the loading time for files could be drastically increased because of hard drive caching.
Making sure that the amount of RAM in a computer is adequate for the size of typical datasets is essential. It is essential to run regular, heavy-data Simulations for instance, will require more RAM due to the fact that large amounts of data are required to be loaded in order to run computations.
Minimum recommended amount of RAM by SOLIDWORKS 16GB is the minimum recommended RAM by SOLIDWORKS.
Our suggestion to run SOLIDWORKS smoothly 32GB
If you are running Simulations or dealing with large databases We recommend at minimum 64GB
Graphics Card/GPU
SOLIDWORKS requires professional, fully accredited graphics card that runs the OpenGL engine to function properly (e.g. Nvidia Quadro/RTX as well as AMD RadeonPro). AMD RadeonPro). SOLIDWORKS has been reported to work in conjunction with “gaming” graphic cards that utilize DirectX (such like the AMD Radeon and the Nvidia Geforce card series) However users might be prone to frequent glitches with graphics, and other features such as Realview Graphics won’t function correctly in all cases, if they even function they do not function properly.
When working with visually complicated model (such as models with huge patterns or a lot of texture) SOLIDWORKS will require a graphics card that has a significant amount of memory onboard. A quality graphics card is among the essential components for running SOLIDWORKS efficiently, but it is essential to ensure there’s a balanced equilibrium between Graphics Card and the CPU. A premium graphics card won’t be able of running efficiently when paired with a low-end CPU.
It is also important to ensure that it’s a must to ensure that the Graphics driver is functioning by SOLIDWORKS. It is possible to check this through opening SOLIDWORKS RX from the start menu and then going to the Diagnostics tab. Diagnostics results will indicate that the driver is not up to date. of current. The button will enable the downloading of a compatible driver, if it is available. SOLIDWORKS does its own tests for graphics cards without a certified driver is known to result in graphical glitches within the program.
If you’re using Visualize with SOLIDWORKS regularly, you might want to look into an Nvidia “Pascal” Series card. Or a newer model (look for models starting with the letters P/T/RTX). Then, you can make use of Visualize’s Visualize Denoiser, which can provide up to 10X more performance.
If you are working using Large Assemblies, SOLIDWORKS can make use of the graphics card to a greater extent. Thanks to Enhanced Graphics Performance, more than half of the graphics calculations are now performed on the graphics card. This means that view manipulations are more efficient. But, this is dependent on having an SOLIDWORKS approved graphics card and driver.
Processor/CPU
The modern processors are comprised of several cores inside the same chip. SOLIDWORKS however, is mostly one core program which means that the process of rebuilding models can be a straightforward procedure because of the design tree that is part of the model. This is the reason why many users will discover that it’s more efficient to invest in more powerful processors that have less cores.
Certain processes in SOLIDWORKS utilize multiple cores. For instance, creating and opening drawings using multiple views. The rendering process also uses multiple cores and can be run efficiently with either eight or twelve. Simulations also require more cores. They work best using 4 or 2 cores however, any advantages above the threshold will be diminished. If you’re using these features often, you should look into a processor that has more cores.
We usually attempt to recommend the most current Intel i7 or Xeon processors to our clients so that they can run a broad number of features that are available in SOLIDWORKS. Hyper threading can be disabled in the bios , in line to the usage of software. This will decrease the amount of processors. Turbo boost can be activated to boost the performance of one core.
Storage (HDD/SSD)
When you are deciding on what size to use for the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for SolidWorks, we suggest starting with at minimum the size of 256GB, and then working your way to the largest amount you’re able.
To maximize performance, we suggest that you choose an initial Solid State Drive (SSD) or M.2* drive for running SolidWorks (and Windows) and a second SSD which is used to store all other data. This ensures that models are loaded, assemblies, etc. and save as fast as they can.
If you’re able to only afford the one SSD or M.2 drive, ensure that you use it for installation of software since it will provide you with the most value. It is possible to purchase another mechanical HDD that spins at 7200RPM (or more than) to keep your data.
If you’ve done some investigation, you may be aware that some computers come by “M.2″ storage. This is the most recent standard for data storage. And those that are branded”NVMe” (rather as SATA) employ an entirely different method of communicating with computers. These storage devices are a step forward from SSD’s and are typically more efficient, and you’ll find that many of the most modern workstations have NVMe as common.
Operating system
With the introduction of Windows 11, you may be tempted to try the Windows 11 operating system for you SOLIDWORKS PC. At the time at the time of this writing (8th march 2022), SOLIDWORKS is not currently supported by Microsoft. SOLIDWORKS supports Windows 11 will likely be added in conjunction with SOLIDWORKS 2022’s SP2. It is expected to be released in April. If you’re thinking of installing Windows 11, we would advise waiting till after this update is released.
Get in touch with Modena Computers for the best computer for SolidWorks.
