Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
A Dell or Lenovo with an i7 processor and 16GB of RAM should be good enough. I’ve done simulations on mine, and honestly, GPUs aren’t as important unless you’re working with really big assemblies or doing heavy rendering. Plus, they drain your battery fast.
Batteries on most laptops don’t last long, so it’s always a good idea to carry your charger. If your class doesn’t have outlets, maybe ask your classmate what they do.
Payton said:
A Dell or Lenovo with an i7 processor and 16GB of RAM should be good enough. I’ve done simulations on mine, and honestly, GPUs aren’t as important unless you’re working with really big assemblies or doing heavy rendering. Plus, they drain your battery fast.
Batteries on most laptops don’t last long, so it’s always a good idea to carry your charger. If your class doesn’t have outlets, maybe ask your classmate what they do.
Thanks a lot!
Honestly, a basic Dell Inspiron should do the job. From my experience, the processor matters the most. You don’t need a GPU unless you’re working on big assemblies or rendering, which isn’t common in mechanical engineering classes. Most of my time was spent doing math, not CAD work.
Since you’re using SolidWorks a lot, if you’re working on bigger assemblies, you might want something with a bit more power for personal projects or side gigs.
Frankie said:
Honestly, a basic Dell Inspiron should do the job. From my experience, the processor matters the most. You don’t need a GPU unless you’re working on big assemblies or rendering, which isn’t common in mechanical engineering classes. Most of my time was spent doing math, not CAD work.
Since you’re using SolidWorks a lot, if you’re working on bigger assemblies, you might want something with a bit more power for personal projects or side gigs.
Actually, we’re doing motion studies and simulations, so I need something that can handle rendering. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.
This is a pretty common question on this forum. You might want to search around for similar posts.
I’ve had a good experience with the Dell XPS 15. Mine has an i7 and 32GB of RAM, and it runs SolidWorks, Inventor, and Altair Inspire really well.
Sloane said:
I’ve had a good experience with the Dell XPS 15. Mine has an i7 and 32GB of RAM, and it runs SolidWorks, Inventor, and Altair Inspire really well.
Did you get the version with Intel Iris, Intel Arc, or the Nvidia one?
Sloane said:
I’ve had a good experience with the Dell XPS 15. Mine has an i7 and 32GB of RAM, and it runs SolidWorks, Inventor, and Altair Inspire really well.
Did you get the version with Intel Iris, Intel Arc, or the Nvidia one?
I got it a while ago, but I think Nvidia was the only option back then.
Quinby said:
Sloane said:
I’ve had a good experience with the Dell XPS 15. Mine has an i7 and 32GB of RAM, and it runs SolidWorks, Inventor, and Altair Inspire really well.
Did you get the version with Intel Iris, Intel Arc, or the Nvidia one?
I got it a while ago, but I think Nvidia was the only option back then.
Got it, thanks!
Check if your school has a recommended list of laptops. Go with one of those.
Briar said:
Check if your school has a recommended list of laptops. Go with one of those.
The recommended ones are usually way more expensive than what you really need. Most of the time, you’ll just be using Excel or similar. For the more intense stuff, like FEA classes, you can always use the computer lab.
It’s nice to have a powerful laptop, but if money’s tight, a simpler one can get the job done too.
Briar said:
Check if your school has a recommended list of laptops. Go with one of those.
The recommended ones are usually way more expensive than what you really need. Most of the time, you’ll just be using Excel or similar. For the more intense stuff, like FEA classes, you can always use the computer lab.
It’s nice to have a powerful laptop, but if money’s tight, a simpler one can get the job done too.
Maybe, but you don’t want to find yourself struggling with that one class where you really need the power. The cost of a decent laptop is small compared to the time and effort you’re putting into your degree.
Rowan said:
Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
Avoid the Surface Pro. It overheats, lags, and even struggles with taking notes on OneNote.
Rowan said:
Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
Avoid the Surface Pro. It overheats, lags, and even struggles with taking notes on OneNote.
Same problem with the Lenovo Ideapad.
Rowan said:
Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
Avoid the Surface Pro. It overheats, lags, and even struggles with taking notes on OneNote.
Any thoughts on the Microsoft Surface Laptop?
Rowan said:
Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
Did you buy anything yet? I’m in the same boat and could use some advice too.
Rowan said:
Hey everyone, I’m a mechanical engineering student and need help finding a new laptop. I use SolidWorks a lot, so I need something that can handle that, but I’m also on a student budget. What brands or models would you recommend that have good performance, battery life, and a solid processor? Thanks in advance!
Did you buy anything yet? I’m in the same boat and could use some advice too.
Same here! I’m thinking about getting the HP Pavilion 14.