SolidWorks 2010 Hardware FAQs
Frequently Asked Technical Support Questions about Hardware
What hardware does SolidWorks operate on?
SolidWorks 2010 runs on Intel Core Duo/i5/i7 and AMD Athlon based systems. Please note that SolidWorks is not supported on Apple Mac based machines or Linux.
On what operating systems is SolidWorks supported?
SolidWorks 2010 supports the following operating systems:
- Windows Vista Business (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Windows XP Professional (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Windows 7 (Beginning with SolidWorks 2010 SP1)
Microsoft Windows 2000 and earlier versions of windows are no longer supported. Also, SolidWorks 2010 will be the last release to support the Windows XP Operating system
Does SolidWorks support Windows XP/Vista Home Edition?
SolidWorks only supports Windows XP Professional / Windows Vista Business, and as of Service pack 1 of SolidWorks 2010, SolidWorks will have support for the new Windows 7 Operating System. SolidWorks does not officially support the Home Edition of these versions of windows. However, due to the similarities between the two operating systems there should be no problems encountered if SolidWorks is used with Windows Home Edition versions. When choosing to run on Windows Home Edition platforms, you should realize that without official support, problems identified that are unique to Windows Home Edition will not be handled with any priority.
How much RAM is needed to run SolidWorks?
Based on Javelin’s benchmark testing and our experience with typical customer usage, we recommend starting with at least 4GB of RAM. Depending on the size and complexity of your assemblies increased RAM may be the best investment for performance improvement. For assemblies with more than 1000 components and parts with more than 300 features 8GB of RAM or more is recommended.
What type of video card do you recommend?
Although SolidWorks is designed to work with any generic graphics card that supports Windows (MINIMUM resolution would be 1024x768 or higher with 32K colors or more), a graphics card with hardware OpenGL acceleration will provide improved performance, especially in 3D model viewing (repaints, spins, zooms and pans). Detailed info on video card support and testing is available at:
http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html
Video cards designed for “gaming” or multi-media applications do NOT offer maximum performance for SolidWorks and other 3D CAD applications. Game/multi-media cards are optimized for a low number of polygons displayed on the screen, and a high frame rate. CAD applications have essentially the opposite requirement, polygon count is high (all the details in your design model) and the image does not change rapidly, so high frame rates are not as critical.
Does SolidWorks make use of multiple and/or dual core processors?
SolidWorks is multi-threaded. Many of the user interface activities such as redraw and dialog box interaction, etc., take advantage of this technology. However, the solving process used for parametric modeling is by nature very linear and cannot take full advantage of multiple or dual core processors. Opening documents in SolidWorks 2010 is now multi-threaded. When you retrieve a large part, drawing, or assembly document, the document immediately displays in a view-only state while the actual document and all its components are retrieved in the background. During the view-only state, you can use all functions supported in the SolidWorks Viewer (Zoom, Rotate, and so on), but you cannot switch to another document or start to open another document. After the retrieval is complete, SolidWorks changes to the normal edit state.
Should I store my files locally on my computer or on a network drive? Are there any performance issues that I should be aware of?
Javelin recommends that for maximum performance files should be stored locally. Files opened and retrieved over a network will always be slower than accessing a local drive. Data management products such as SolidWorks Enterprise PDM automatically manage the movement of files from network servers to local disk drives for the CAD user to ensure maximum performance. This is one of the key benefits of data management systems. More information on SolidWorks Enterprise PDM can be found here:
www.javelin-tech.com/main/products/solidworks_enterprise_pdm.htm
I would like to implement SolidWorks Professional (or Premium). Can you recommend a good strategy for the implementation of a server for a vault?
Javelin recommends that where possible a dedicated server be used for either a SolidWorks Workgroup PDM or SolidWorks Enterprise PDM vault. Besides allowing for maximum performance for the CAD users, using a dedicated server provides version/revision control, workflow process management and custom property management. For hardware specifications for a PDM system, please visit:
www.solidworks.com/sw/support/PDMSystemRequirements.html
What is your current hardware recommendation for SolidWorks 2010?
We recommend the following hardware configuration for SolidWorks:
- Intel Core 2 Duo (min) for 32 bit and 64 bit configurations (Core i7 recommended)
- 4GB RAM (or more)
- 100GB hard drive (or larger)
- nVidia FX1700 Graphics Card (minimum for non-intensive graphical applications)
- nVidia FX3500 Graphics Card (for best performance)
- Windows XP Professional with SP3 or Vista Professional with SP2
- High speed internet connection for managing updates
If you are regularly performing FEA analysis with the SolidWorks Simulation family of products, we suggest upgrading your RAM to at least 8GB and considering multi core processors (preferably quad core). Shop online at the Javelin Web Store for SolidWorks Certified Graphics Cards & Dell Hardware:
http://store.javelin-tech.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.51/.f
