7 Best Laptops for SolidWorks in 2023

Whether you are a mechanical engineer, product designer, or architect, odds are you rely on SolidWorks. But for optimal performance, you need a solid laptop too.

Choosing the best laptop for SolidWorks is not as straightforward as it might seem. Besides the obvious performance, there are several other factors you need to consider before making the right choice for you. Budget, portability, display, and durability are just a few.

This article is a comprehensive guide for researching and buying your next laptop for SolidWorks. We’ll also explore some of the best options available and explain why each of them made our list. 

Interested? Then let’s get to it.

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements

For a smooth and efficient SolidWorks experience, it is crucial to have a laptop that meets the software’s system requirements. There are several key components to keep in mind to optimize your workflow. 

Here is a list of the minimum and recommended system requirements to ensure your computer hardware can handle SolidWorks.

Top 7 Laptops for SolidWorks

Hopefully, it’s somewhat clearer by now what kind of a laptop we’re looking for. So let’s see which laptop for SolidWorks might work best for you.

1. Best High-End Value: ASUS ROG Strix Scar

ASUS ROG Strix Scar

• CPU: 2.2 GHz Intel Core i9-13980HX
• RAM: 32GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 16-inch QHD (‎2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 12GB ‎NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
• Battery: Up to 7 hours

$2,899.00

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If you want top performance, a gorgeous display, an amazing cooling system — and the price is not an issue — ROG Strix Scar 16 is one of the best laptops for SolidWorks.

The spec sheet alone legit makes my eyes water — the latest and greatest 13th Gen. i9 and RTX 4080, coupled with 32GB of fast DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD means this is a beast for both SolidWorks, 3D modeling and AAA titles.

Putting it to the test, the SolidWorks simulations ran as I had expected — super quickly. Plus, the RAM was more than enough for putting together large assemblies.

Strix Scar’s 16” display looks gorgeous. It’s a high-quality QHD panel with HDR, so the colors are crisp and vivid. More importantly, even though Scar is a gaming laptop first and foremost, the panel is very color-accurate — which is rare among gaming machines.

The laptop does well in the portability department. While 5.7 lbs is on the heavier side, it does come with a 7-hour battery life, which is pretty solid for a gaming laptop.

I love the distinct gamer design, though I realize it may not be for everyone. However, the plastic deck does feel less premium than it should at this price.

Still, with high-end performance and an amazing display to accompany, Strix is one of those SolidWorks laptops to seriously consider.

2. Best Mobile Workstation: Lenovo ThinkPad P17 G2

Lenovo ThinkPad P17 G2

• CPU: 2.8 GHz Intel Xeon W-11855M
• RAM: 128GB DDR4
• Storage: 4TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch UHD (3840 x 2160)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA RTX A4000
• Battery: Up to 8-9 hours

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When it comes to engineering and SolidWorks laptops, few can come close to Lenovo ThinkPads. P17 G2 is the newer model, equipped with engineer-specific specs and sturdy chassis.

You don’t see Intel Xeon and RTX A4000 very often, except in laptops designed to manage very heavy and intensive workloads. Xeon has more cores than i9, so it can withstand fire and very heavy simulations in SolidWorks.

Memory-wise, saying that 128GB flies is an understatement. I had no lags even with some of the heaviest tasks in SolidWorks.

That sort of power requires a very strong chassis, and it shows in this ThinkPad. The entire machine weighs a little over 8 lbs, which is heavy if you are out and about. But, on the plus side, this laptop can withstand almost any environment, shock, and vibration.

And the battery lasts solid 8-9 hours, which is pretty good, considering the specs.

The display is bright and large, at 17.3”. One thing that bugs me are the thick bezels, simply because I got used to thinner bezels in almost all other laptops nowadays.

But that’s not a deal-breaker. If you can afford it, ThinkPad P17 will serve you a very long time, and perform really well.

3. Budget Friendly: HP Victus 15

HP Victus 15

• CPU: 2 GHz Intel Core i5-12450H
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB ‎NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

$729.99

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If you’re a student who needs an affordable laptop for SolidWorks, HP Victus might just be the thing. HP’s budget gaming laptop has the right specs, sufficient storage and a pretty sleek design.

The machine runs on a 12th Gen. i5 and a dedicated GPU. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend an i5 or GTX 1650 for heavy SolidWorks usage, but this is one of the newer CPUs, and it works reasonably well. It won’t serve the hardcore professionals, but it will do pretty well with coursework.

The RAM and 512GB of storage add to this, since they’re more than enough for SolidWorks simulations and getting to know the software. If you’re running more complex processes, I’d upgrade to 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD.

Victus has some of the best design on this list. The chassis feels sleek, sophisticated and sturdy, with a compact keyboard and spacious trackpad. While it does weigh 5 lbs, it’s a reasonable weight for a 15.6” laptop.

And I love what HP did with the display. The high-quality, fast IPS panel comes with really thin bezels, with the lower bezel clearly dividing the screen from the deck. For me, this makes it really easy to focus on the work.

While it has its limits, HP Victus is a serious SolidWorks laptop that offers strong performance, good workflow, and will serve you well during college years — at a pretty reasonable price.

4. Great Value Under $1,000: Acer Nitro 5

Acer Nitro 5

• CPU: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-12500H
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6” FHD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
• Battery: Up to 5.5 hours

$786.69

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So, maybe the HP Victus doesn’t quite cut it for you. If you’re a young professional but still want an affordable — and more capable — laptop for SolidWorks, Acer Nitro 5 could fit the bill.

Compared to Victus, Nitro 5 is slightly more expensive but comes with a stronger 12th Gen. i5 and a much more powerful GPU. RTX 3050 Ti brings considerable power to the SolidWorks simulations, and I was able to perform much more complex simulations and assemblies.

Just like HP, Nitro 5 sports 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, which you can upgrade for snappier performance — and I’d definitely do that when the workload becomes heavier.

You still get a very capable, fast, 15.6” display. Color accuracy, like in most gaming laptops, feels a little off, but luckily you can connect the machine to a more color-accurate display.

While the Nitro is slightly heavier than Victus at 5.5 lbs, its battery will outlast it. Granted, 5.5 hours of juice aren’t epic, but they do the job — just make sure to bring the charger.

One of the issues we found during testing is that Nitro 5 can get hot because of all the heavy artillery it’s pulling. It doesn’t get as hot as some other gaming laptops, but you’ll probably need a cooling pad.

Overall, however, I’d say Nitro 5 is a pretty sweet deal for SolidWorks professionals just starting out. It has the power, the keyboard, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Watch our Acer Nitro 5 Review

This YouTube review was created by the Not Just Laptops team. The specs may slightly differ from the laptop in the article.

5. Mid-Range Dynamo: ASUS VivoBook Pro

ASUS VivoBook Pro

• CPU: 3.2 GHz AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 14-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1620)
• GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
• Battery: Up to 7-8 hours

$1,049.00

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The ASUS VivoBook series is a popular choice among various professionals. VivoBook Pro is a capable laptop for SolidWorks — portable, powerful, and with a brilliant display.

VivoBook comes in an aluminum body that weighs only 3.2 lbs and feels really easy to pick up, so it’s great for taking to classes or an office.

The machine runs on Ryzen 7 and an RTX 3050, which is kinda similar to the Acer Nitro 5 above. Plus, this Ryzen is a newer CPU and a mobile one at that, which means slightly lower performance, but also less heat and more battery. Overall, I found the combo to work well with mid-tier SolidWorks applications.

And the 14” OLED display looks nothing short of amazing. Very deep blacks, high brightness and great saturation make VivoBook one of my favorite panels, especially for this price range.

I thought the battery was solid, reaching around 7-8 hours of use. Bear in mind that for heavy-duty SolidWorks simulations, this will go down — so if you’re doing these, bring a charger.

VivoBook comes with 16GB RAM, which I’d say is enough for light-to-mid 3D modeling, but if you’re into more intense sessions, you’ll need at least 32GB RAM. Sadly, RAM is not upgradable, so make sure to check your needs and pick sufficient RAM.

Overall, though, this is one of those SolidWorks and 3D modeling laptops that brings massive value for money and will surely last a long time.

6. Sleek Performance: Lenovo Legion Pro 5i

Lenovo Legion Pro 5i

• CPU: 1.5 GHz Intel Core i7-13700HX
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
• Battery: Up to 5-6 hours

$1,319.99

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The Lenovo Legion has long been one of the most trusted mid-range gaming laptops, and the latest Pro 5i is a powerful, classy and sturdy laptop — that works great with SolidWorks, too.

This laptop comes with a 13th Gen. i7 and RTX 4060, so there’s not much it can’t do. During the SolidWorks planning and simulations, it ran like clockwork — I couldn’t have hoped for the better.

Watching your ideas develop on a 16” WQXGA screen gives a new dimension since the contrast and the size allowed me to check in on details as I was working on a project.

Granted, 16GB RAM doesn’t work that well with super-complex projects, but you can easily upgrade this.

I will say that I’ve long been a fan of Legion’s classy and understated design. It feels premium, and you can easily take it to the office without causing a stir among colleagues, which is not the case with the RGB backlight fiesta we see in gaming laptops like the ASUS ROG lineup.

Portability’s not bad either. 5.5 lbs isn’t feather-light, but it’s still ok for a 16” machine. And 5-6 hours of battery life is what I expected, so don’t forget a charger.

 Still, Legion 5i Pro is probably one of my favorite 16” laptops for SolidWorks. If you want power, a great display, and a sleek design that will last, this is the one machine to check out.

7. Performance Beast from MSI: MSI Pulse

MSI Pulse

• CPU: 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7-13700H
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920×1080)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
• Battery: Up to 3-4 hours

$1,365.68

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MSI Pulse is one of those gaming laptops that work great with SolidWorks. It comes at a pretty reasonable price, with high-end specs, a chill gamer design, and enough storage.

Powered by the 13th Gen. i7 and awesome RTX 4060, the laptop oozes performance. As I suspected, running SolidWorks felt like a smooth ride down an empty highway — no lags, no stutter, and very fast.

And the laptop is sleek. I’d say it’s somewhere between HP Victus and ROG Strix — clearly a gamer, but with a hint of a refined look. At 4.63 lbs, it also feels pretty light to carry around.

You get a large, high-refresh-rate, IPS panel, typical for gaming laptops. Color accuracy is officially low, BUT MSI calibrates their displays really well, so I hardly noticed it. For color-sensitive work, I’d connect the laptop to a high-quality display.

16GB RAM will work for mid-tier SolidWorks applications, but you may need to upgrade it at some point. Just make sure to match the DDR5 RAM, for best results.

You do get a starting 1TB of SSD, which is enough for lots of projects — and can easily be upgraded, too.

I was a bit disappointed with battery life – 3-4 hours is not much to write about, but, hey, this is a powerful gaming laptop. So a charger is a must when working.

Still, for this price, MSI came up with a powerful gaming laptop for SolidWorks. It’s an awesome mid-range option for 3D modeling professionals.

Buying Guide for the Best Laptop for SolidWorks

When researching and buying a new laptop for SolidWorks, consider the following factors for optimal performance and compatibility:

1. Get a Laptop With a Powerful CPU

Having a powerful CPU is the most important thing for SolidWorks to run properly. Look for a laptop with a multi-core processor such as the Intel Core i7 or i9 CPU, or an AMD Ryzen equivalent. 

CPUs with higher clock speeds and more cores mean better performance in SolidWorks, particularly for multithreaded tasks like large assemblies, simulation analysis, and rendering.

If you’re looking for a workstation with a professional-grade processor and don’t mind the high price tag, going for the Xeon series CPUs from Intel is the best option. These processors feature more cores and higher clock speeds than regular CPUs but also advanced features like ECC memory support.

2. A Well-Performing GPU is Essential

Besides a powerful CPU, look for a laptop with a well-performing dedicated graphics card. The pro-grade NVIDIA Quadro and the AMD Radeon Pro GPUs used to be kings for professional applications like SolidWorks. Currently, NVIDIA’s RTX 40-series GPUs are the best and most powerful.

On that note, the NVIDIA RTX 4090 is currently the best graphics card money can buy.

3. Don’t Skimp on RAM and Storage

The creators of SolidWorks recommend at least a 16GB RAM laptop, and yes, this should be enough for beginners who are just starting to learn the basics of the platform. However, for professionals who work on large assemblies going for 32GB RAM or more is a must.

As for storage, more is better since large projects stack up pretty quickly. So a 1TB SSD is recommended. If that turns out to be insufficient, you can always get an external drive for storing your older projects.   

4. Look for a High-quality Display

Gaming laptops with 4K displays usually make pretty good machines for CAD applications like SolidWorks, but they can get pretty expensive.  

These days Full HD displays are the standard minimum even on entry-level laptops, and in most cases, the resolution is good enough for any type of user. 

More importantly, you need to decide your preferred size while keeping in mind that larger screens offer more workspace. On the flip side, having a larger screen means compromising on portability.  

Last but not least, consider getting a display with good color accuracy for a better visual representation of your designs.

5. Get a Properly Cooled Laptop

Working on SolidWorks can put a significant workload on the laptop’s hardware, resulting in higher temperatures. So getting a laptop with an efficient cooling system is essential to prevent overheating and performance throttling.

Before making a purchase, make sure to check the user’s comments about the laptop’s heat management.

6. Check for Certification

SolidWorks provides certification for specific laptops and hardware that have been proven to work well with the software. It’s not mandatory to get a SolidWorks-certified computer, but it provides assurance that the laptop will perform well with the software.

7. Set Your Budget

Last but not least, it is very important to set your budget before looking at the recommendations. High-end gaming laptops and workstations are not known to be cheap. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune in order to get a decent laptop for SolidWorks.

FAQs about Best Laptops for SolidWorks

Still got queries? We’ve got you covered. Let us answer some of the most asked questions about SolidWorks laptops

Verdict

Choosing the best laptop for SolidWorks is no easy task since not all users have the same needs and preferences. There are several things to keep in mind, like budget, performance, portability, and display, among other things. 

We made our list of carefully selected laptops considering all these factors. What you need to do before making a purchase is to sort your priorities keeping in mind everything we talked about, and then the choice will be much easier. 

Let’s simplify the options a bit: 

• If you want a great performing laptop powered by the latest generations of CPU and GPU while not spending all of your budget, nothing beats the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i. 
• If you are looking for a complete, future-proof device for running CAD software like AutoCAD and SolidWorks, consider getting the ASUS ROG Strix Scar, which is also a high-end gaming machine.
• In contrast, students looking for a budget-friendly solution capable of entry-level work and light gaming can opt for the HP Victus 15.

Did you like our list of best laptops for SolidWorks? Do you think there’s something we missed? Be sure to let us know by reaching out in the comments below!

If you’re into more general 3D modeling, you might also want to check out laptops for game development and design.