The usage of laptop computers is increasing at an exponential rate. Whether it's education, business, design work, or casual use, laptops find their way in almost all sectors. However, some models are meant for a particular usage. For instance, certain laptop versions feature hardware components ideal for business use. On the flip side, some models make a great fit for gaming enthusiasts. This also applies to designers and architects who intend to use high-end software such as SolidWorks. If you want to buy the best laptop for SolidWorks, here's a handy guide that will let you choose from highly-recommended models mentioned below.
How to choose a laptop for SolidWorks?
If you're planning about getting SolidWorks, you should consider the right type of laptop to use this software. SolidWorks is a highly-powerful tool when it boils down to design. The software runs best and delivers great results on high-end, updated hardware. As such, you need to plan wisely when choosing a laptop to work with SolidWorks. Here's a checklist that could help out.
RAM
In general, you need more RAM. This is even more correct if you wish to run other applications concurrently with SolidWorks. An 8 to 12 GB of RAM is highly commended.
Processor
Never choose a laptop with an old or slow processor. SolidWorks need a speedy processor that can perform complex tasks like a breeze. Processors such as Core i7-8700K and Core i7-8086K should be in your checklist.
Graphics card
You also need a stronger graphics (video) card for SolidWorks. It's advised to pick a compatible video card that has been well-tested by SolidWorks. NVIDIA Quadro P1000, AMD Radeon ProWX 3100, and NVIDIA Quadro M1000M are common examples of compatible cards.
Hard drive
If you intend to save a lot of drawings, assemblies, and models, you'll need enough space. You may either go for a hard drive with extra space or have an external drive. A reliable solid-state drive (SSD) is worth mentioning in this respect.
Recommended Laptops For SolidWorks
Lenovo ThinkPad P50 Laptop
CPU - Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 Quad-Core Processor | RAM - 16GB DDR4 (MAX 32GB) | Hard Drive - 256 GB SSD M.2 Opal2 | Graphics Card - Nvidia Quadro M2000M 4GB GDDR5 | Screen - 15.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS | OS - Pre-installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit upgradeable to Windows 10 Pro | Battery Life - Up to 13 hours | Weight - 6 lbs
Features
- Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
- HDMI
- Backlit Keys
What We Liked
- Extra security with fingerprint reader
- Super fast!
What Needs Work
- Wish it came with Win 10 instead of 7 with an upgrade.
When you want a high-end performance for graphic-intensive tasks such as 3D modeling, high-end video editing, and other complex chores, you need a portable workstation that will live up to your expectations in all respects. With the NVIDIA Quadro graphics and Intel Xeon CPU, the ThinkPad is powerful enough to run highly intensive tasks you can do with SolidWorks. Its appealing 15.6-inch display lets you present your work elegantly.
Despite being a highly-powerful machine for running cycle-sucking programs, the P50 is portable enough to be carried on the road. Although a bit heavy on your arms, this heavy-duty machine stands out against its counterparts for its best-in-class keyboard. Weighing around 5.8 pounds, this 1.16-inch thick laptop is compact to be squeezed into a laptop bag or carried around your office.
As far as the display goes, the P50 surpasses other comparable machines with eye-catchy visuals. The model's raven-black rectangular chassis with splashes of colors on the deck and lid will entice any passerby. Also, the soft-touch makes this machine more pleasing to grip. With an aluminum/magnesium base and glass-supported plastic lid, the ThinkPad P50 is meant to stand some abuse.
The P50 delivers high-end performance with a snappy keyboard for swift typing along with top-class hardware. You also get to pick hard drives and SSDs. Above all, the battery life of the machine is longer. As such, you could carry out complex tasks for a long time without any interruption.
You don't have to break your bank account to buy this cutting-edge machine. By spending a little over 2,500 dollars, you can own a machine that can perform complicated chores swiftly. While the price may sound a bit heavy on the pockets of casual users, designers and business professionals may find it affordable. Also, the swift performance and quick calculations will recoup your investment in a short while.
Asus VivoBook Laptop
CPU - 4 GHz Intel Core i7 | RAM - 8GB DDR4 RAM | Hard Drive - 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD storage combo | Graphics Card - integrated graphics | Screen - 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080) WideView color rich display | OS - Windows 10 | Battery Life - Up to 8 hours | Weight - 3.7 lbs
Features
- backlit keyboard
- fingerprint sensor
- Aluminum cover
What We Liked
- Very powerful and fast
- Excellent design
What Needs Work
- Some users reported issues with poor quality audio.
If you like innovation, you'll definitely fall in love with the Asus VivoBook. This economically-priced machine proves that innovation isn't confined to high-end laptops. You can own this powerful machine for less than 1,000 dollars. The VivoBook is one of a kind mainstream laptop, ideal for complex design chores, including the usage of the SolidWorks software.
The laptop embodies new ErgoLift hinge, which angles its keyboard for a more comfy typing experience. Also, the tactile keys facilitate quick and effortless typing while you rush to complete a pressing task. You'll find Asus VivoBook machines in various striking colors, including a blinding yellow and magnificent turquoise green. With good performance and excellent heat management, the laptop makes a great choice for heavy-duty usage. Despite a bit dull display, the VivoBook is a compelling model compared to many other machines out there.
The Asus VivoBook is a beautifully carved machine with an exclusive design and jaw-dropping colors. This compact 15-inch laptop allows you a good selection of ports. On its left, you can find two USB 2.0 ports and a microSD card slot. You also have LED indicators that inform you about charging as well as battery status. On its right side, you get a DC jack, an HDMI port, a USB 3.1 port, a USB Type-C port, and a combo jack.
While the display is sharp and bright, the machine disappoints in the color department. The laptop encompasses the Intel Core Processor (7th Generation). As far as storage is concerned, you've the 24 GB DDR4 RAM. Additionally, the speed of the machine along with a solid battery life allows you to perform and complete your tasks quickly. Put simply, the Asus VivoBook is ideal for anyone looking for a budget machine for running high-end applications.
Acer Aspire V15 Laptop
CPU - Intel Core i7-4710HQ 2.5 GHz | RAM - 8 GB| Hard Drive - 1TB HDD 5400 RPM | Graphics Card - NVIDIA Geforce GTX 860M Graphics Card | Screen - 15.6 inch | OS - Windows 8 | Battery Life - Up to 4 hours | Weight - 5.3 lbs
Features
- Widescreen LED
- Backlit display
What We Liked
- Powerful for price
- Price
What Needs Work
- Battery life is not great.
Acer's Aspire V15 can easily pass as a great business laptop due to its elegantly designed chassis along with other features. What makes this machine more popular is its affordable price. Tagged at around 1,000 dollars, the V15 is a beautiful 15.6-inch laptop, ideal for college students and designers alike. The only thing that will let you down is the 4 hours of battery life. Other than that, you won't find any major issue.
The V15 is an understated counterpoint to the aggressive Acer's Predator 17. Instead of red stripes, the system uses a black, ribbed surface on the lid with a plastic logo. The pleasantly textured lid will surely capture your attention while you hold this powerful machine in your hands. You get a cathartic feeling similar to squeezing a stress ball.
Coming to its hardware components, the model embodies the Intel Core U hardware, a lovely keyboard as well as a pleasing screen. As far as the video card is concerned, you get NVIDIA GTX (GeForce) 960M GPU. Plus, the system's i7 processor takes care of the multitasking front. While the listless audio and lackluster webcam might give you some pause, none of these things are deal-breakers for the price you shell out.
The V15 offers a healthy selection of ports, including a USB Type-C port, HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and a power jack on the right side. The display panel of the system is a beauty. Plus, the contrast and details are sharp enough to divulge into minutest chores.
The system is usually black in color with silver accents. The most striking feature of the laptop is you can bend the display in such a way that it's parallel with your deck. With a weight of 6.6 pounds, the machine seems a bit heavy. However, it checks most of the right boxes, including a decent keyboard, sturdy built, updated hardware components, and a bright display. If you're seriously looking for a heavy-duty laptop under 1,000 dollars, the Acer Aspire V15 is the way to go.
Dell Precision 15 Laptop
CPU - Intel Core i7 (8th Gen) i7-8706g | RAM - 16GB DDR4 SDRAM | Hard Drive - 16GB DDR4 SDRAM | Graphics Card - Amd Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL with 4GB HBM2 dedicated | Screen - 15.6" Lcd 3840 x 2160 | OS - Windows 10 | Battery Life - Up to 5 hours | Weight - 5.4 lbs
Features
- stunning 4K Ultra HD
- 4 x Total USB ports
What We Liked
- Powerhouse!
- Fast and efficient
What Needs Work
- Some users reported issues with the battery at times.
Dell's Precision 15 incorporates a series of splendid features to entice any designer and architect to give it a try. Priced around 2,600 dollars, this heavy-duty machine includes an award-winning design and display that yield fantastic results. Although this one of a kind machine can be used for many purposes, designers and business class folks benefit a lot with its amazing hardware components.
The bottom and lid of the system are made of dark silver aluminum. The Precision model features Dell's Infinity Display Technology with a slim, unnoticeable bezel around the 15.6-inch display. Weighing around 4.6 pounds, the laptop tapers down toward the front, which makes it look sleek and light.
You'll find the keyboard a bit shallow. However, its soft-touch deck will let you type like a breeze. Then you've a touch-pad coated with a soft material. The highlight of the system is its amazing display. With a high resolution, a nearly invisible slim bezel, and a bright back-lit, the display only looks wonderful. In fact, it happens to be one of the telling and selling features of the machine.
With a 2.8 GHz Intel Core (E3-1505M) Xeon processor, an NVIDIA Quadro M1000M GPU with 2 GB of graphics memory, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD, the laptop delivers responsive, speedy performance. You've a wide selection of ports to use. To the left, you've a USB 3.0 port, power jack, Thunderbolt 3 port, combo microphone/headphone jack, and an HDMI port. On the right side, you get a USB 3.0 port, an SD card slot, a security lock slot, and power indicator.
The machine offers a modest battery life of 5 hours 30 minutes. You can easily complete any complex task during a power outage or on the go. If you're searching for a machine to do professional 3D work or some high-end calculations, look no further than Dell's Precision 15.
HP ZBook 15 G4 Mobile Workstation Laptop
CPU - 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7-8850H Six-Core | RAM - 16GB DDR4 RAM | Hard Drive - 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD | Graphics Card - NVIDIA Quadro P1000 Graphics Card (4GB) | Screen - 15.6" 1920 x 1080 SureView IPS Display | OS - Windows 10 Pro (64-Bit) | Battery Life - Up to 8 hours | Weight - 6.4 lbs
Features
- Thunderbolt 3
- HDMI
- 720p IR Webcam
What We Liked
- Fast
- Powerful
What Needs Work
- Some users reported issues with the battery at times.
HP's ZBook is a powerful machine for anyone looking for performance and quality without breaking his bank account. Priced between 1,500 dollars and 4,000 dollars depending on the model you choose, the system is ideal for multitasking chores. While it lags behind an ultrabook in terms of longer battery life and thin dimensions, the 15-inch ZBook crams lots of power into its rugged chassis.
With an impressive 4K display and Intel Xeon as well as NVIDIA Quadro graphics, the ZBook 15 commands attention with various customizable features and top-notch performance. Weighing around 5.1 pounds, the ZBook prioritizes power over portability. Much of the weight is attributed to its hardware components that let you carry out complicated calculations and design work on SolidWorks and other software with ease.
Designed to be used in the field as much as in your office, the ZBook 15 G4 is tested and tried to withstand everything from vibration and shock to explosive atmospheres and simulated crashes. The port selection is vast and impressive. You can use three USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, VGA and HDMI ports, an SD card slot, and a Gigabit Ethernet port.
The display is vibrant and colorful. Outfitted with high-quality speakers, the ZBook matches the likes of various high-end machines out there. Another striking feature is its comfy keyboard. It's fairly accurate and comfortable, allowing you to type at a faster speed.
Plus, the keys, which are back-lit, let you type effortlessly in any lighting. Although the battery life is short, the laptop's fast-charge technology allows you to charge the battery up to 50 percent in just one hour. For the price you shell out, the model delivers a lot in terms of performance and features.
Bottom line
Choosing the best laptop for SolidWorks can be a challenging task, thanks to various models out there. Also, a lot of things need your attention when checking laptop models for SolidWorks. That can eat up plenty of time. However, you could resolve these issues by acting intelligently. Just follow the above advice on choosing a laptop for SolidWorks. Also, assess popular compatible models explained above. With useful details in your hands, selecting the best laptop system for SolidWorks becomes easy without doing much legwork.
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