SolidWorks is a very demanding program to run and can cause freezes or lagging if your hardware is not powerful enough.
That’s why workstations are recommended because they have the performance to handle SolidWorks smoothly.
For example, the system requirements of SolidWorks are quite high.
In this article, we list the best laptops for Solidworks – reviewed and rated.
The MSI WS75 is a powerful workstation with certified drivers for Solidworks. This workstation will excel in all things related to professional modelling and design.
Build like a tank and plenty of processing power. The Lenovo ThinkPad P53 is a great value workstation.
A solid affordable laptop option for SOLIDWORKS students.
The MSI WS75 is a powerful workstation with certified drivers for Solidworks. This workstation will excel in all things related to professional modelling and design.
Build like a tank and plenty of processing power. The Lenovo ThinkPad P53 is a great value workstation.
A solid affordable laptop option for SOLIDWORKS students.
Last update on 2024-04-24 at 04:58 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What Is The Best Laptop For SolidWorks?
The MSI WS75 and Lenovo ThinkPad P53 are the best laptops for SolidWorks.
Both are workstation laptops and so are packed with high-performance hardware. They will be able to handle large projects in Solidworks.
If you are on a budget or a student.
The ASUS TUF A15 is the best cheap laptop for SolidWorks. Although the graphics card is not SolidWorks certified. It’s a good alternative if you are handling small to medium projects.
Buyer’s Guide For Best Laptops For SolidWorks
Here are a few things to know when looking for a laptop for SolidWorks.
What CPU Do You Need For SolidWorks?
First of all, you should consider the clock speed. According to SolidWorks, you need a minimum of 3.3 GHz or higher for everything to go smoothly.
But to be on the safer side, you can use the system requirements provided by SolidWorks as a guide. Also, CPUs with high clock speeds and cores are preferred to multi-core CPUs with lower clock speeds.
For this reason, you should prioritize high-performance Intel (i5 and i7) and AMD (Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7) over the less powerful processors.
What’s The Best Graphics Card For SolidWorks?
NVIDIA Quadro, AMD FirePro, AMD Radeon Pro are the only certified dedicated graphics cards required to run SolidWorks and CAD software smoothly.
The information on certified graphics cards can be found here. The certified graphics cards provide superior performance and stability, especially in 3D model viewing.
Consumer graphics cards (NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon) do not provide the best stability and performance.
The reason why consumer cards are mostly recommended is that they are cheap compared to Quadro/AMD Pro cards. Only consider them if you are doing low assemblies and can’t afford the workstation laptops.
How Much RAM Do You Need For SolidWorks?
A minimum of 16 GB RAM is the required amount. Upgrading or purchasing a laptop with 16 GB RAM or more will take you a long way. 32 GB RAM is the recommended amount.
SolidWorks is a RAM-hungry program and will cause lag if you do not have a sufficient amount.
Storage
Solid State Drives are the best out of the storage devices and a large amount too. The faster your storage device, the faster everything becomes. Boot-up speeds, loading, the launching of applications.
Your assembles will load faster. The whole system benefits from having a fast solid-state drive. Also, keep at least 20 GB of free space available for installation.
Budget
Workstation laptops are expensive. So you need a substantial budget when looking for the best-performing device.
You also need to know how much you are willing to spend. This will make you get the best bang for buck workstation.
Best SolidWorks Certified Laptops Reviews
➕ Pros
- Powerful performance
- Thin and light
- Decent battery life
- Plenty of ports
- Big display
➖ Cons
- Pricey
- Chassis could be stiffer
CPU: Intel Core i9 | Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 17.3-inch UltraSharp FHD (1920×1080) | Storage: 512GB SSD
The MSI WS75 is the best workstation laptop for SolidWorks because not only does it have SolidWorks certified hardware.
It has the processing power for 3D modelling, rendering, demanding tasks and gaming.
This is a powerhouse workstation laptop. Powered by an Intel Core i9, 32GB RAM, and an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000. This won’t have any performance problems.
Furthermore, it’s one of the lightest workstation laptops out there. It weighs roughly 2.2 kg (5 lbs) making it easy to carry to work.
Also, it is a thin laptop. Build quality is so and so. Made from metal and plastic there is noticeable flex on the keyboard and display lid.
The MSI WS75 has decent battery life for a workstation laptop. You are able to use it for 6-7 hours under normal workloads. All made possible because of its 82 WHr battery.
The MSI WS75’s display is quite impressive. 17.3-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) that is sharp, bright and has high color accuracy.
Although the MSI WS75 is a pricey laptop, the value you get is a lot. Plenty of processing power, good battery life, and is one of the thinnest workstation laptops.
Something you don’t see often. This makes it the best laptop for SolidWorks.
➕ Pros
- Excellent performance
- Well-made construction
- Excellent keyboard
- Easily upgradeable
➖ Cons
- Not the most portable laptop
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro T1000 | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch UltraSharp FHD (1920×1080) | Storage: 512GB SSD
The Lenovo Thinkpad P53 is a workstation laptop with a lot of processing power. One of the best Lenvovo laptops for SolidWorks.
Powered by Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, and a Quadro T2000 graphics card. You have enough power for 3D modelling and rendering.
The 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display has decent brightness and above-average colour accuracy and reproduction. To be honest, it is a decent display.
Just like with all ThinkPads, the Lenovo ThinkPad P53 has a well-made chassis and an excellent keyboard for typing.
Lenovo still makes them the way you like it. However, at 2.6 kg (5.51lbs) it can’t be considered lightweight. But you can still carry it around though.
When it comes to battery life, you can get 7-8 hours of normal usage (web browsing, light tasks, etc.). To be honest, it’s impressive for a workstation.
Overall, it’s easily upgradeable and with a lot of processing power. One of the best SolidWorks certified laptops.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- Great performance
- Slim and lightweight
- Decent battery life
- Solid build quality
- Thin and light
➖ Cons
- Runs hot
- Pricey
- 256GB SSD
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro T1000 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6″ Full HD (1920×1080) | Storage: 256GB SSD
The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is the best SolidWorks laptop if you want something lightweight. A solid choice for professionals or users who move around a lot.
The workstation laptop also has powerful hardware making it the go-to workstation amongst professionals.
Powered by a high-performance Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, and an NVIDIA Quadro T1000, the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 has the processing power for 3D modelling, design and rendering.
The storage is also a super-fast SSD. However, it’s only 256GB and swapping it out for a large one is highly recommended.
One great thing about the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is the weight and thinness. It weighs 3.76 pounds (1.7 kg) and almost half-an-inch thick. Light and slim to easily carry around.
For the display, you have a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display. Colour accuracy and reproduction are above average. A beautiful display that has thin bezels.
Battery life is decent. Nothing stellar but still impressive for a workstation. You are looking at 6-7 hours under normal workloads.
Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is the best lightweight workstation laptop that meets the system requirements of SolidWorks. Highly recommended.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- Excellent performance
- Thin and lightweight
- Great build quality and good battery life
- Solid keyboard
➖ Cons
- Webcam placed at an awkward position
CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro P1000 | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch UltraSharp FHD (1920×1080) | Storage: 512GB SSD
If you are looking for the best Dell laptop for Solidworks, then the Dell Precision 5530 is the one. This workstation has identical looks to the Dell XPS 15 and has the hardware for stability in SolidWorks.
The Dell Precision 5530 has a similar build quality to that of the Dell XPS 15. An aluminium body with a carbon fibre keyboard deck. Plus, it is slim and lightweight (4 pounds).
When it comes to performance, it has a high-performance Intel Core i7, 32GB RAM, and an NVIDIA Quadro P1000.
Enough firepower to tear through rendering and provide the stability need for SolidWorks models.
Moreover, the 32GB RAM is more than enough for multitasking and running demanding applications. Combine that with its high-performance processor, you have a future-proof workstation.
Another great thing about the Dell Precision, it is one of the few workstations to have above-average battery life.
To be honest, this is impressive because workstations have powerful hardware which eats a lot of battery power. It can last 8-9 hours under consistent use.
Overall, the Dell Precision 5530 is highly recommended for SolidWorks.
Where To Buy
➕ Pros
- Insane performance
- Runs cool
- Great build quality
- Lightweight
- Big battery
➖ Cons
- Dim display
CPU: Intel Core i5 | Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 17.3″ Full HD IPS-Level 144Hz Anti-Glare Wideview Display (1920 x 1080) | Storage: 512GB SSD
What if you don’t have a big budget to get a laptop for SolidWorks? Then the ASUS TUF 15 is a solid option for students.
Although it’s not a SolidWorks certified laptop. It has enough performance to handle projects up to a certain extent.
Packed with an Intel Core i5 processor which is quite powerful. This laptop with a tear through demanding applications.
The NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti is also a capable card that will dish out enough performance in rendering and running games. And the best part is the fact that the ASUS TUF runs cool under heavy loads.
Battery life is decent. You can get 8 hours of power under normal usage. All made possible thanks to its 90WHr battery and power-efficient Ryzen 7.
An impressive feat because most Intel laptops last less than that.
The ASUS TUF 15’s build quality is military-grade standard and so it will last a long time. Also, it’s lightweight about 2.2 kg (4.9 lbs). However, it’s not thin.
When it comes to the display, it has a 15.6 Full HD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz. It’s a decent panel overall, but it could have been brighter.
Overall, the ASUS TUF 15 is a solid laptop for SolidWorks if you are a student. Highly-recommended laptop for SolidWorks students.
Final Thoughts
If you ever get the option to choose a workstation or a gaming laptop for SolidWorks, CAD, etc., go with the workstation because they have certified graphics cards that provide better stability over gaming laptops.
That’s it for the best laptops for SolidWorks.
