Are you a SolidWorks user searching for the best laptop designed to handle this powerful CAD software?
Look no further – we’ve compiled the ultimate laptop guide to finding the top laptops of 2023 that are optimized specifically for optimal SolidWorks performance.
We’ll break down all the specs, components, and hardware requirements to help you determine which laptop offers the best visuals, battery life, and power draw so that you can confidently purchase your next must-have computer companion with ease!
Our Top 5 Picks For You
Laptop System requirement to run Solidworks:
- Windows® 10 (64-bit) or higher
- Minimum: Dual-core CPU. Recommendation: Quad-core.
- Minimum: 8GB RAM. Recommendation: 16GB
- NVIDIA® graphics card: NVIDIA Quadro®/NVIDIA GeForce®/Tesla™ with at least NVIDIA Maxwell™ chip; Dual-GPU setup with at least NVIDIA Maxwell™ cards for the best experience
- NVIDIA driver support for CUDA® 11.0 or newer required
- Recommendation: NVIDIA driver version 451.48 (or newer)
For AMD ProRender GPU support:
- Recommendation: Radeon™ or FirePro™ series workstation cards.
Best Laptops for SolidWorks in 2023 (An Expert’s Guide)
- ASUS TUF Dash 15 – Best Choice & Powerful Laptop for Solidworks
- Acer Swift X – Best Laptop for Solidworks Under 1000$
- MSI Creator Z16 Professional Laptop – Best Rated MSI Laptop for Soliworks
- Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-79L1: Best Gaming Acer Laptop for Solidworks Under 1500$
- Alienware M15 R6 – Best Alienware Laptop for Solidworks & Highly Rated
- Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop: Best for Overall In budget under 1000$
- Dell XPS 13 Touchscreen Laptop – Best Lightweight Workstation Laptop for Solidworks
- Microsoft Surface Laptop: Best Microsoft 2 in 1 Laptop for SolidWorks
- MSI GP66 Leopard – Best Under 1500$
- Lenovo Legion 5 – Best Lenovo laptop for Solidworks
- Acer Predator Helios – Best Performance
- GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED YD – Best Battery Life
- Dell Inspiron 15 – Best Rated Dell Laptop for Solidworks in 500$
1. ASUS TUF Dash 15 – Best Choice & Powerful Laptop for Solidworks
Key features:
- Screen: 15.6″ Full HD
- CPU: Intel i7-12650H
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060
- RAM: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen2), 2x USB 3.2 Type-A (Gen1), 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x 3.5mm Audio Jack, 1x LAN |
- Speaker: 2×2 stereo
- Weight: 4.41 pounds
The ASUS TUF Dash 15 is the perfect laptop for Solidworks users. With its 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with GDDR6, it can easily handle any task. The CPU has a 24m cache and boosts up to impressive speeds of 4.7GHz, while the GPU can reach boost clock speeds of 1452MHz – perfect for gaming or running graphic-intensive tasks like Solidworks.
Alongside all this power, the ASUS TUF Dash 15 also comes with 16GB RAM – more than enough to run any applications seamlessly. The laptop has a great display & keyboard, superior trackpad accuracy, and a wide range of I/O options that support the latest standards like HDMI 2.0b and Type-C USB ports.
In summary, the ASUS TUF Dash 15 makes Solidworks motionless efficient by delivering top-notch performance and superb visuals to improve your work experience like never before.
2. Acer Swift X – Best Laptop for Solidworks Under 1000$
Key features:
- Screen: 14″ 2.2K
- CPU: Intel i7-1260P
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3050
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 2 x USB Type-C Ports supporting USB4 (up to 40 Gbps), Thunderbolt 4 & USB Charging, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (1 Power-off Charging), 1 x HDMI 2.1 with HDCP support, 1 x 3.2mm Jack
- Speaker: Dual-side positioned
- Weight: 3.09 pounds
The Acer Swift X is the perfect laptop for Solidworks professionals, boasting a powerful 12th Gen Intel i7-1260P processor with four performance cores and eight efficient cores, allowing you to work on your projects quickly.
It also features NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Graphics, the latest in NVIDIA graphics cards that provide maximum detail for your models.
Additionally, this laptop stands out due to its remarkable lightweight design and features such as Bluetooth connectivity, dual speakers, Wi-Fi connectivity, a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and an impressive large screen size. With these features and its slim profile, it’s easy to take the Acer Swift X with you wherever you go!
3.MSI Creator Z16 Professional Laptop – Best Rated MSI Laptop for Soliworks
- Aspect Ratio:16:10.Special feature : Touchscreen display.
- Screen: 16″ QHD+
- CPU: Intel Core i9-11900H
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060
- RAM: 32GB DDR4
- Storage: 2TB SSD
- Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 support, Micro SD card reader, 1 x 3.2mm Jack
- Speaker: 2×2 dual speaker
- Weight: 5.07 pounds
The MSI Creator Z16 is an excellent laptop for Solidworks. It offers an 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processor with eight cores and a clock speed of up to 4.9 GHz, allowing you to enjoy powerful performance that can cater to all your content creation needs.
In addition, it is also equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU and a large display with great color accuracy, so you can see the detail of your creations without a problem. This powerful laptop comes at an affordable price, making it well worth the purchase.
4. Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-79L1: Best Gaming Acer Laptop for Solidworks Under 1500$
Key features:
Screen Size: 17.3 Inches
Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
CPU Model: Core I7 11800H
Ram: 16 GB
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (4GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM)
Special Feature: Backlit_keyboard
The Acer Nitro 5 AN517-54-79L1 Gaming Laptop is the most impressive performance version for me. It facilitates the seamless running of SolidWorks programs and provides a generous entertainment area for me after work.
Additionally, it offers plentiful memory storage space of 1000 GB, with which I can download my desired work documents and beautiful designs without worrying about capacity. In addition, the Intel Core i7-11800H processor also allows this laptop to increase its performance strength profoundly to tackle demanding data procedures.
5. Alienware M15 R6 – Best Alienware Laptop for Solidworks & Highly Rated
Key features:
Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
CPU Model: Intel i7
Ram: 32 GB
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
Weight: 5.93 Pounds
The Alienware M15 R6 is the perfect laptop for a Solidworks designer who wants speed, robust performance, and reliability. With its Intel i7 processor and 32GB of RAM, it has plenty of power to tackle even the most intense projects.
Its 15-inch screen with Windows 11 offers high resolution and excellent color accuracy so that you can get the job done right. And with a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card, you’ll never have to worry about lagging or stuttering while working with Solidworks or any other software. Whether you’re working on a basic design concept or 3D CAD drawings, this laptop will never disappoint you.
Wants to build your own custom Solidwork computer setup check out – Best CPU For Solidwork Users
6. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop: Best for Overall In budget under 1000$
- Boost your gaming performance with the latest generation AMD Ryzen 6000 Series processors and a 15.6″ FHD IPS screen with 120Hz refresh rate
Key features:
- Screen size: 15.6 inches
- RAM: 8GB
- Hard Drive: 256GB SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
- CPU Model: Ryzen 5
- Weight: 4.95 pounds
When choosing the right computer for my SolidWorks projects, I firmly believe prioritizing products with additional features instead of focusing on one area is the best way to go. The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop is a great example of this principle in action.
It has 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage to ensure fast, smooth data processing, and it also features a stylish design and soft keyboard system for comfortable typing.
It also has a good-sized 15.6″ FHD display and impressive components like AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processors, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 for maximum performance with every design created. So when the time came for me to decide, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15 Laptop was my top choice – it’s not only aesthetically pleasing, but it provides high-quality results every time!
7. Dell XPS 13 Touchscreen Laptop – Best Lightweight Workstation Laptop for Solidworks
Operating system: Windows 10
RAM: 16 GB
CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7
Graphics card: Intel Iris Xe
Storage capacity: 512 GB SSD
Display resolution: Full HD display, 1920 x 1200
The Dell XPS 13 Touchscreen Laptop is an incredibly lightweight device that packs a punch in terms of performance. Despite its size, it has 16 GB of RAM and an Intel i7 processor to ensure powerful performance. Furthermore, its 512GB fast SSD storage is perfect for Solidworks users who need reliable storage on the go.
With up to 11 hours of battery life and weighing only 2.8 pounds, this laptop is perfect for those who need to stay agile while working remotely or traveling with their device.
While the battery life may not be as long as some models, it compensates with its portability and overall power. If you’re looking for a laptop that caters to mobility without sacrificing performance, the Dell XPS 13 Touchscreen Laptop is worth considering.
8. Microsoft Surface Laptop: Best Microsoft 2 in 1 Laptop for SolidWorks
Key features
Screen Size:14.4 Inches
Hard Disk Size: 1 TB
CPU Model: Intel Core i7-11700
Ram: 32 GB
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
The Microsoft Surface laptop is a great option for anyone seeking a fast and powerful machine to meet their design needs. Its unique feature of easily switching between a flexible keyboard and touch technology allows me to complete my work with precision and detail.
Furthermore, the device boasts strong processing power and storage space, so I can use it to design projects quickly and effectively. With 32GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics, 1TB Storage capacity, and an Intel i7 processor, this laptop is the perfect choice for anyone looking to run Solidworks software or any other design program without limitation.
9. MSI GP66 Leopard – Best Under 1500$
- Screen: 15.6″ Full HD
- CPU: Intel i7-11800H
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3080
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 1 X USB3.2 Gen2 Type-C support DisplayPort, 3 x USB3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Mini DisplayPort, 3.2mm Combo Jack
- Weight: 4.73 pounds
The MSI GP66 Leopard is a powerful laptop ideal for Solidworks users. It sports a fast Intel Core i7-11800H processor, which can be overclocked up to 2.3GHz and max up to 4.6GHz, giving it enough power to run the latest versions of Solidworks without breaking a sweat.
The laptop also sports NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 dedicated graphics, allowing you to run Solidworks smoothly and even in VR if desired.
On top of that, the laptop has 8GB GDDR6 graphics Memory – plenty for running the program without issue. It goes beyond the specs, though; you’ll get a great display, keyboard, trackpad, I/O options, connectivity options, speakers, and upgradability, as well as 16 GB RAM – making this one of the best laptops for Solidworks available today.
10. Lenovo Legion 5 – Best Lenovo laptop for Solidworks
- Screen: 15.6″ FHD
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB SSD
- Ports: 1 x USB-C, 4 x USB, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x RJ45 Ethernet
- Speaker: 2 x 2w speakers
- Weight: 5.28 pounds
The Lenovo Legion 5 is the ideal laptop for anyone working with Solidworks. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, a base clock speed of 3.2GHz, and a boost clock speed of up to 4.4GHz, meaning it will be fast and smooth to use when working on Solidworks projects.
It also includes an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, making quick work of intensive tasks like video editing and graphic design rendering associated with Solidworks usage. Its Legion AI engine also provides improved performance while working on your projects.
Plus, its powerful processor, graphics, excellent screen, fast storage, and superb keyboard mean you get plenty of value out of the Legion at an affordable price!
11. Acer Predator Helios – Best Performance
- Aspect Ratio:16:9.Voltage:230.0 volts.Control method:touch
- Screen: 15.6″ FHD
- CPU: Intel i7-11800H
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060
- RAM: 16 GB DDR4 RAM
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Ports: 1x RJ45 port, 2x USB3.2 Gen1 port, 1x Audio Combo Jack, 1x Mini DiplayPort1.4, 1x HDMI 2.1 port, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C Gen2 (Display, Thunderbolt4)
- Speakers: 2x 2W stereo speakers
- Weight: 5.07 pounds
The Acer Predator Helios is a powerhouse laptop for all your Solidworks projects. Outfitted with the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, you’ll find that its base clock of only 2.3GHz is easily surpassed by its 4.6GHz boost frequency when needed, making multi-tasking and working on large projects a breeze.
It also offers NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics 6GB and dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, making graphic design and performance simulations excel without effort or lag. You can be sure that this laptop won’t slow you down, no matter how intense the task becomes – it has 6GB GDDR6 VRAM to help you achieve whatever you are setting out to do! This makes the Acer Predator Helios an excellent choice for the most graphically demanding and multitasking-focused users who want to stay light on their feet.
12. GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED YD – Best Battery Life
- Screen: 15.6″ UHD 4K
- CPU: Intel i9-11980HK
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3080
- RAM: 32GB Memory
- Storage: 512GB SSD+1TB SSD | Ports: 9 I/O ports including Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C) and UHS-II SD Card Reader
- Speaker: 2×2 stereo
- Weight: 4.4 pounds
The GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED YD 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11980HK is the perfect laptop for anyone needing powerful performance. With its base clock speed of 2.6GHz and a boost clock speed of 5GHz, this processor ensures that you will be able to do your work smoothly and efficiently; it has no problem when handling even the most demanding tasks.
Additionally, with the built-in NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with Max-Q Design and GDDR6 GB of memory, you won’t miss out on any gaming experience either! Furthermore, the laptop comes with tons of I/O ports and connectivity options so that transferring data between different devices is a breeze, as well as great sound quality from its speakers for an enjoyable audio experience.
The GIGABYTE AERO 15 OLED is ideal if you search for a powerful laptop for Solidworks – giving you all the latest features and great performance capabilities while not compromising on the overall design or portability.
13. Dell Inspiron 15 – Best Rated Dell Laptop for Solidworks in 500$
- Screen: 15.6″ FHD
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 32GB RAM
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1 x HDMI 1.4b, 1 x SD card reader, 1 x 3.2mm Jack
- Speaker: 2 x 2W Stereo
- Weight: 3.62 Pounds
The Dell Inspiron 15 is a laptop equipped with the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U Processor. It has an impressive six cores, making it great capability for Solidworks.
Moreover, it also has 12 threads, so you can rest assured that any complex tasks can be taken care of. Furthermore, its base clock speed of 2.1GHz and its boost clock speed of 4GHz render it suitable for quickly crunching through volumes of data.
Moreover, this machine is especially suited for graphics-intensive gaming and movie viewing with its Radeon graphics card. You can leverage this ability to view your projects and models in fine detail quickly and make changes if required.
Powerful enough to handle any kind of task with ease, you can get optimal performance out of the Dell Inspiron 15 while enjoying an immersive experience simultaneously.
FAQ’s
The best processor for SolidWorks is an Intel Core i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7. These high-performance processors offer the necessary computing power for smooth 3D modeling and rendering.
For SolidWorks, 32GB of RAM is considered ideal. It ensures smooth multitasking and handling of large assemblies, while 16GB can suffice for simpler projects.
To run SolidWorks effectively, a PC should have a minimum of 16GB of RAM. For optimal performance, especially with complex designs, 32GB or more is recommended, depending on your budget and project requirements.
A laptop suitable for SolidWorks should have a robust Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor, at least 32GB of RAM for multitasking, and a dedicated professional-grade GPU like NVIDIA Quadro or AMD Radeon Pro for graphics-intensive tasks. A fast SSD, high-quality display, and Windows OS are also essential for optimal performance.
While an Intel Core i7 processor is not strictly necessary for SolidWorks, it greatly enhances performance. It ensures smooth 3D modeling, rendering, and multitasking. For complex projects or professional use, investing in an i7 processor is advisable, but SolidWorks can run on lower-tier processors for simpler tasks.
Final thoughts:
Hope you found the best laptop for SolidWorks software in our post, don’t forget to share it with your social media to help others as well. Ty for reading!
