--- title: What Hardware is Recommended for SOLIDWORKS Users? description: Discover expert-backed hardware recommendations tailored for SOLIDWORKS CAD and Visualize users. Learn how to choose the right CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage for maximum performance in 3D modeling and rendering. --- [Skip to content](https://support.swyftsol.com/knowledge-base/what-hardware-is-recommended-for-solidworks-users#main-content) [Client Portal](https://support.swyftsol.com/tickets?hsLang=en) [![SWYFT Solutions Logo](https://support.swyftsol.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Email%20Signature%20Images/SWYFT%20Solutions%20Logo_Email%20Signature.png?width=125&height=44&name=SWYFT%20Solutions%20Logo_Email%20Signature.png)](https://www.swyftsol.com/) - [SWYFT Solutions Home](https://www.swyftsol.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [SWYFT Solutions Home](https://www.swyftsol.com/) - [Client Portal](https://support.swyftsol.com/tickets) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [SWYFT Solutions Knowledge Base](https://support.swyftsol.com/knowledge-base?hsLang=en) 2. [General](https://support.swyftsol.com/knowledge-base/general?hsLang=en) # What Hardware is Recommended for SOLIDWORKS Users? ## This guide outlines optimized hardware recommendations for users of SOLIDWORKS CAD and SOLIDWORKS Visualize. Whether you're upgrading or building a new system, this resource helps ensure your hardware is tuned for efficient 3D modeling and rendering workflows. **Recommended Hardware for SOLIDWORKS Users** When choosing or upgrading a workstation for SOLIDWORKS, it’s important to understand how the software uses hardware. Below is a clear breakdown to help you make informed decisions when going above the [minimum SOLIDWORKS requirements](https://www.solidworks.com/support/system-requirements). **General Recommendations** Here’s what matters most when building or buying a system for SolidWorks: - **Prioritize the CPU first**, then RAM, and finally the graphics card. - Most SOLIDWORKS operations—like rebuilding models or opening large assemblies—rely heavily on the processor. - **SOLIDWORKS is mostly single-threaded**, so **single-core speed matters more than core count**. - More cores will help with Simulation or Visualize workflows, but they don’t benefit daily modeling tasks. - **Choose a balanced system**—don’t overspend on a powerful GPU unless you're using it for supported GPU-accelerated tasks (like real-time rendering or large assembly graphics). - Keep in mind: the graphics card mainly helps with smooth zooming, panning, and rotating. It doesn’t affect rebuild speed or file opening times. - **Watch your VRAM** (video card memory). Graphics memory is mapped into your system RAM. - Adding a high-VRAM GPU without enough system memory can actually slow your system down. - Rule of thumb: if you're going with a higher-end graphics card, **make sure to increase system RAM accordingly**. - Make sure your graphics card is on the [Certified Hardware List](https://www.solidworks.com/support/hardware-certification/). - **Adjust your antivirus settings**: - Turn off real-time scanning *or* at least exclude \*.sld\* file types. This reduces delays when opening or saving SolidWorks files. - **Work locally for the best performance**: - Accessing files over a network can slow things down. - Solutions like **SOLIDWORKS PDM** (for on-premise file management) or **Collaborative Designer for SOLIDWORKS on 3DEXPERIENCE** (cloud-based) make this easier by handling local caching and syncing automatically. **Recommended Specs** - **CPU:** - Desktop: Intel Core i7-14700K or better - Laptop: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or better - **Memory:** At least 32 GB, 64 GB for medium-large assemblies or simulations - **Graphics:** NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada or higher - **Storage:** 1TB SSD   **Hardware Recommendations for SOLIDWORKS Visualize** While SOLIDWORKS CAD and SOLIDWORKS Visualize are part of the same product family, they rely on hardware in very different ways. Visualize is built to leverage the power of your **GPU (graphics card)** to accelerate rendering—so your graphics card becomes the most important component. Here’s what to keep in mind when configuring a system specifically for SOLIDWORKS Visualize: **Key Hardware Considerations** - **Visualize is GPU-driven** Unlike SOLIDWORKS CAD, which is CPU-focused, **Visualize uses the graphics card to handle rendering tasks**—so a higher-end GPU can dramatically reduce render times. - **GPU performance varies significantly** Based on benchmarks from NVIDIA, there’s a clear performance hierarchy among their RTX series cards when used with Visualize. Faster GPUs = faster renderings. - **Two GPUs can be better than one** In many cases, **two mid-range cards (like two RTX 2000 Ada GPUs)** can outperform a single higher-end card (like an RTX 4000 Ada)—and often at a similar or even lower cost. - This multi-GPU setup is supported in Visualize Professional, not Visualize Standard. - **NVIDIA RTX is fully supported** The RTX architecture provides real-time ray tracing and AI denoising support, which translates to better visuals and faster results in Visualize. - **AMD Radeon Pro is also supported** As of **SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2020**, **hardware acceleration for AMD Radeon Pro cards** is officially supported—though NVIDIA cards generally lead in rendering performance based on third-party benchmarks. **Visualize Hardware Tips** - **Look for GPUs with at least 8GB of VRAM**—more VRAM helps handle larger scenes and higher-resolution outputs. - **For maximum performance, go desktop over laptop**—desktop GPUs are more powerful and better cooled than their mobile equivalents. - **Dual GPU configurations** work best when paired with adequate system RAM and a robust power supply. 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