Recommended PC hardware for SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD

🚀 Recommended Processor (CPU) for SOLIDWORKS

The processor is one of the most important components of the computer. As the “Brain” of the system, choosing an underpowered model can be detrimental to your overall performance.

Clock Speed/Turbo Boost

The core clock speed of a processor determines how fast it will perform day to day, as you would expect the higher the speed the better the performance for the machine.

Modern processors have a feature called “Turbo boost” which allows for automatic adjusting of clock speeds for short periods of time providing certain criteria such as sufficient power limits and cooling headroom are met. This gives an extra speed boost when working with heavy workloads such as SOLIDWORKS Simulation calculations and Rendering.

Also note that you may not achieve the higher turbo speeds at all times, with systems usually settling just below the quoted speeds under sustained intensive tasks.

When identifying a suitable system be sure to check the processors core and turbo boost speeds as they are not always detailed in marketing material, i.e.

The Intel website provides additional information for further reading here

Multicore/Hyperthreading

Current processors also sport multiple cores within a single processor, and some also feature hyperthreading, which allow a single core to perform two operations at the same time.

Both technologies allow the computers operating system to assign different programs to different cores to help spread the workload and increase performance.

As we have touched on above, Intel’s newer CPU’s also now incorporate new “efficiency” cores (E-cores) that process lighter tasks while performing at slower speeds to save power. These are coupled alongside the more common “Performance” cores (P cores) that are used for intensive tasks.

For Intel’s newest 2^nd Gen Core Ultra processors, Hyperthreading has now been removed to help with power consumption but is offset with having high physical core counts.

Some software can leverage these multicore processors to offset tasks onto different cores to speed up workflow however, due to the nature of the modelling process SOLIDWORKS is predominantly a single-core application.

The rebuilding of models is a linear process due to the hierarchy of the design tree within a document. Therefore design features higher up the tree are reliant on earlier ones needing these to be rebuilt first.

When Multicores can be used

Some processes in SOLIDWORKS use multiple cores, such as opening and rebuilding drawings with multiple views. Rendering also utilises multiple cores and runs very effectively with a higher thread.

Simulations will also use more cores – most effectively with up to eight cores, but any benefits above this level begin to diminish. If you’re running these features frequently we’d recommend that you consider getting a processor with a high core count.

• Ideally be looking to balance a high processor speed with a suitable number of cores.
• A higher clock/turbo boost speed is generally more beneficial to performance in SOLIDWORKS.
• We generally try to recommend the latest Intel or Xeon processors to our customers as they have a good overall performance with high clock speeds and more mature driver support.

Processor Naming Schemes

When researching take note of the generational naming schemes as these can be confusing.

The table below provides brief overview of the processor generations with links from the manufacturer websites.

👨‍💻 System Memory (RAM)

As with many programs, the more system memory available to your computer the smoother SOLIDWORKS will run.

SOLIDWORKS loads parts and assemblies directly into RAM while working with the data. Therefore more complex models and drawings require more RAM to load effectively.

If a machine runs out of memory the load times for files can increase drastically, as when memory is low windows will begin to offload extra data (Caching) onto the Disk Drive which will be significantly slower.

Another overlooked option when choosing a memory configuration is Multi-Channel Mode.

For example: a system fitted with 2x 16gb DDR DIMM modules would perform better than the same system with a 1x 32gb module as the system can process data more quickly.

Also look at the system memory speed as ever the higher the memory speed the fester a system can access data stored in memory. This also is important when running newer processor generations such as AMD Ryzen systems where slower ram speeds can see a notable performance drop.

Currently the are two common memory generations: DDR4, which is the outgoing standard with a theoretical advised speed of 3600Mhz. This is being replaced with DDR5, which has a starting speed of 4400Mhz.

In addition we’re seeing the breakthrough of new Memory formats, the most widely used and common format is known as DIMM the speeds shown above are based upon this standard.

However a new technology currently being seen in new laptops is known as CAMM memory, which designed for higher data speeds for DDR5 memory, however upgradability of this format can be more complex and expensive, so be sure to check before buying.

Ensuring the amount of RAM in a machine is sufficient for the typical day-to-day size of datasets is important.

Running regular, data-heavy Simulations, for example, increases the need for RAM, because large amounts of data typically need to be loaded during calculations.

The minimum amount of RAM recommended is at least: 16GB with an advisory of 32GB where possible

🖥️ Graphics Card (GPU)

A good graphics card is one of the most important elements for running SOLIDWORKS efficiently, however, it’s important to make sure there is an effective balance between Graphics Card and CPU.

A high-end graphics card will not run effectively if paired with an entry-level CPU as it would be waiting around for data to be passed from the processor.

Professional Workstation Cards

To run SOLIDWORKS at its optimal and help prevent system instability, requires the use of a Professional Grade Workstation Graphics Card such as those in the links the below.

The card must be capable of running the OpenGL engine to function correctly and have the most suitable SOLIDWORKS-certified Software Drivers installed as these have undergone more stringent testing.

Historically many people would have recognised the branding of Nvidia Quadro or ATI/AMD Firepro but as new cards are released branding changes.

The manufacturer websites below show the latest Graphics Card ranges and specifications.

Nvidia RTX ADA Series Nvidia Workstation Cards

AMD Radeon Pro AMD Workstation Cards
Currently the branding of certain workstation cards can be difficult to determine, please be sure to check the most recent currently supported cards on the SOLIDWORKS hardware certification website: Solidworks.com/support/hardware-certification

Avoid Gaming GPUs!

Although it is possible to run SOLIDWORKS on mainstream “Gaming Graphics Cards”, these types of cards are not always suited to the workloads they would be undertaking in a professional environment. These cards are optimised for performance in gaming and use Software Drivers that are tested for stability in DirectX rather than OpenGL.

Users may also experience frequent graphical glitches and find that features of the software such as Realview Graphics will not function correctly, if at all. SOLIDWORKS therefore does not officially support the use of these types of graphics cards and may not be able to help if there are problems with the software. Instead SOLIDWORKS focus certification to the more stable workstation cards to help ensure that a system is achieving its best performance within the software.

Choose the latest GPU?

TX ADA Lovelace architecture NVIDIA’s latest and greatest. The cards are powerful with modern features making them ideal for the SOLIDWORKS environment.

Look for workstation card models with RTX branding. e.g. NVIDIA RTX 4000 ADA. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number the better the performance.

Graphics Card Memory (vRAM)

Due to the complexities of Graphics Hardware, the GPU has its own dedicated video Memory (vRAM). This operates at a much higher speed than normal system memory and cannot usually be upgraded, so plan ahead and choose the right amount of memory not just for now but also the future.

If working with visually complex models (such as models with large patterns, or lots of textures) SOLIDWORKS will require a graphics card with a larger amount of on-board memory.
Generally, we would recommend a minimum of 4-6GB for general use, with this scaling up if you intend to build large assemblies.

Graphics Card Drivers

It’s also very important to make sure that the Graphics Card Driver Software is supported for use with SOLIDWORKS.

Drivers allow the operating system to communicate with the hardware and Incorrect/outdated drivers can affect stability and performance.

SOLIDWORKS undertakes its own component and driver testing and provides a list of certified hardware and drivers dependent on your SOLIDWORKS version.

Not using a certified driver has been known to lead to graphical glitches within the software.

You can check your driver version by launching SOLIDWORKS RX from the start menu and going to the Diagnostics Tab. The Diagnostics results will show general system information and advisories for example if the driver is out of date.

🖥️ Operating System (OS) for SOLIDWORKS

The OS of choice for SOLIDWORKS is MICROSOFT Windows. SOLIDWORKS officially supports Microsoft Windows 11 as of SOLIDWORKS 2022 SP2.0.

All recent versions of SOLIDWORKS also still have official support for Microsoft Windows 10 however note that SOLIDWORKS 2025 is the last version to support Windows 10 as Microsoft announced end of life for this  product as of 14^th October 2025.

It is also notable that SOLIDWORKS does not run natively on Mac OS, as a result there is no official support for systems running SOLIDWORKS on an apple device. There are unofficial workarounds, but we wouldn’t recommend this route as they can be very problematic.

Current OS requirements can be found here.  solidworks.com/support/system-requirements

👩‍💻 Recommended PC Specs for SOLIDWORKS

Below we’ve detailed some common hardware specifications for varying tiers of usage.

As technology advances at an ever-quicker pace and new hardware hits the shelves these details may change, so if you need help choosing the right machine for your requirements, our experts are on-hand to assist you.