Dassault Systems SolidWorks Workstation Requirements

Design & Modelling

With 2D and 3D design primarily being driven be a single-thread within Dassault Systems SolidWorks, most users will find that opting for a processor with fewer cores and threads; but, with a higher clock speed is highly beneficial. For systems primarily used for design and modelling we recommend a 4-8 core processor with a base clock-speed of 3.00GHz or higher.

Rendering & Simulation

A handful of processes, such as rebuilding and opening drawings with multiple views and rendering, are capable of utilising multiple cores and threads. For users who find themselves using simulation and rendering features frequently a greater number of cores can be incredibly useful and significantly improve your workflow. For systems primarily used for Rendering and Simulation purposes we recommend one, or two, processors with 12-28 cores each with clock speed becoming more important the more the system is used for design and modelling purposes.

All-in-One System

Users and businesses looking for an all-in-one solution will typically find a system with a 6-12 core processor, depending on budget, with a clock speed of around 3.00GHz will produce the best results and give you the most bang for your buck.

2D Modelling

A 4-core processor and 16GB of RAM is the least we recommend for 2D modelling and design, 32GB of RAM is far more preferable and with low memory costs it is highly suggested. 

3D Modelling

For the budget conscious user a 500GB, or greater, Solid State Drive (SSD) or NVMe SSD is sufficient and is capable of storing the operating system, application and some active projects. Those working with larger projects or looking for optimal performance we recommend two individual SSDs:

Primary Drive: A NVMe or SATA SSD Drive for the operating system and all applications.
Secondary Drive: A NVMe or SATA SSD Drive for active projects.
Optional Tertiary Drive: A large standard SATA HDD for backup, completed projects and infrequently accessed files.

Applications from companies such as Dassault Systems and AutoDesk benefit greatly from nVidia Quadro cards. Benefits range from extensively tested drivers, ISV support and infrequent updates to most importantly, double precision floating point calculations (FP64) enablement. Furthermore many application vendors such as Black Magic Design, Dassault Systems and SolidWorks will only offer support if your system is a certified configuration which GeForce cards are not often included in.

2D Models

If your workflow primarily consists of 2D models mid-range cards such as the nVidia Quadro K2200 4GB, Quadro M2000 4GB or Quadro P1000 4GB are perfectly suitable options.

3D Models

Workflows mainly consisting of 3D modelling highly benefit from upgrading to high-end nVidia Quadro cards with 8GB GDDR5+ memory, or more for very complex models. As a baseline we recommend the Quadro M5000 8GB, Quadro P4000 8GB or for extremely complex models comprising of ten's of million's of parts the Quadro M6000 12GB, Quadro P6000 24GB or greater.

Entry Level Workstations

Users mostly working with 2D modelling, or with strict budgets, should look toward single socket workstations with processor options offering higher frequencies and lower core counts (such as Intel Xeon E5-16xx Series, Xeon W-2xxx Series and Intel Core i7 Series) and support for mid-range nVidia Quadro cards.

Example Systems:

HP offers the Z240 and the slightly higher-end Z440 which is more readily upgradable. Dell offers the T3620 and T5810 as like-for-like alternatives.

Mid-Range Workstations

Suitable for the vast majority of workflows from 2D to complex 3D models - highly flexible and upgradable mid-range workstations are ideal for most users. Primarily single socket, with some dual socket upgradable, systems offering higher-core counts but still high-clock speed options (such as Intel Xeon E5-26xx series, W-2xxx series and Xeon Scalable Gold & Platinum Series), high-memory capacity capability, multiple NVMe/SSD/HDD drive bays and support for high-end graphics cards.

Example Systems:

HP offers the dual socket upgradable Z640 the newer generation single-socket Z4 G4 and the newer variation of the Z640 the Z6 G4. Dell offers the T7810 the T5820 and the T7820 as like-for-like alternatives.

High-End Workstations

Housing the best possible components and offering unfathomable levels of performance, high-end workstations go far beyond 'recommended specifications' from vendors. Ideal for workflows that frequently consist of demanding rendering and simulation of the most complex designs, high-end workstations provide everything you could possibly need. Dual-socket workstations capable of providing 56-cores, terabytes of memory and compatibility with the ultra-high end nVidia Quadro cards provide more than enough compute-power to ensure your projects are delivered ahead of time.

Example Systems:

HP presents the Z840 and the Xeon Scalable compatible Z8 G4; Dell provides the T7910 and T7920 as direct competitors.

Unsure of how to configure a full system for Dassault Systems SolidWorks? You can find our pre-configured systems specifically designed for SolidWorks here.