Here is an overview of our current recommended SOLIDWORKS 2021 hardware / computer specs.

The following gives details on specific hardware components.  However the entire system should be designed and assembled for optimal performance.  Custom machines can be a cheaper option, however selecting components individually and connecting them together may not be compatible or efficient.  Cooling and thermal management is also an important aspect.  Purchasing a fully built system from a computer manufacturer ensures all components will work together correctly.

• Processor: 3 GHz or higher clock speed (preferably closer to 4 GHz)
• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
• Memory: 32GB to 64GB
• Hard Drive: Solid State Drive (SSD), maintaining at least 20GB free space
• Graphics Card:
  • General assemblies:
    • NVIDIA Quadro P1000/2200
    • AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100/4100
  • Large assemblies with basic parts:
    • NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000/5000
    • AMD Radeon Pro W5500/WX5100/WX6100
  • Large assemblies with complex parts:
    • NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000/8000
    • AMD Radeon Pro W5700/WX8200/WX9100
  • SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2021:
    • NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000/8000
    • AMD Radeon Pro W5700/WX8200/WX9100
• Internet Connection: High speed broadband connection for downloading service packs
• File Storage: SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard or SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional

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What are the minimum hardware requirements for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

The minimum requirements can be found on the SOLIDWORKS System Requirements page.

What Processor (CPU) is recommended for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

SOLIDWORKS supports both Intel and AMD processors.

The rebuild process in SOLIDWORKS is inherently linear (parent/child relationship of features) and therefore can only use a single core.  Rebuild performance can be increased by having a faster clock speed of the CPU.

Be aware that the Intel and AMD Boost speeds represent the max speed that can be hit for a period of time.  However it may not reach these speeds in all scenarios or for an extended period of time.  It must remain in specification limits for workload, temperature and power.

Some functionality can leverage multi-thread technology and share the workload over multiple processor cores.  Products such as SOLIDWORKS Simulation and PhotoView 360 can take advantage of multi-threading, as can other areas like the user interface activities.  Having more processor cores can improve performance in these scenarios.

Keep in mind that the fastest machine is no substitute for good design practices.  Minimizing in-context references, utilizing large assembly modes and other performance tools will reduce the load on the processor.  Javelin’s Large Assembly Service can dramatically improve your productivity by improving performance of assemblies through different techniques.

You can test and compare performance of your hardware using the SOLIDWORKS Performance Test and PassMark benchmark tool.

What Operating System is recommended for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

SOLIDWORKS 2021 is only supported on Windows 10 64-bit

*IMPORTANT: Windows 7 ended support with SOLIDWORKS 2020 SP5
Note: Windows Home editions are not supported

eDrawings and eDrawings Professional 2021 are supported on all operating systems listed above as well as macOS 10.14 or higher.

Does SOLIDWORKS 2021 work in virtual environments?

Only specific virtual environments are supported.  Visit the SOLIDWORKS Virtual Environment Support page for more details.

Does SOLIDWORKS support Windows Home Editions?

No, SOLIDWORKS does NOT support Windows Home Editions.  You may not encounter any issues using a Windows Home Edition version, however SOLIDWORKS does not guarantee proper functionality using this unsupported operating system.

How much Memory (RAM) is recommended for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

The minimum requirement of RAM indicated on the SOLIDWORKS System Requirements page is at least 16GB.  However larger models and simulation studies may require more memory.  We recommend installing a minimum of 32GB of RAM.    It’s best to use fewer memory chips with larger capacity to leave room for possible expansion in the future.

Increasing the amount of installed RAM will not necessarily improve performance if enough dedicated memory is allocated. However if the required memory exceeds the availability, the use of virtual memory may reduce performance.

What type of Hard Drive is recommended for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

For best performance, a Solid-State Drive (SSD) can provide up to 10x faster performance for open/save tasks compared to a standard Hard Disk Drive (HDD).  SSDs have come down in price over the years and are worth the investment.

Also note that opening files from a local SSD drive compared to opening from a standard disk drive on a network server can be up to 100x faster.  Why do assemblies take longer to open over a network?

Be sure to maintain enough hard drive space after installing for Windows to run effectively.  Keep at least 20GB or 10% of your hard drive capacity as free space.

For even greater performance, you can consider using a NVMe/PCIe SSDs rather than standard SATA SSDs.  These are connected with a much faster interface, but are more expensive.

Also, you may wish to research into using RAID storage (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) to improve performance and security.

What type of Graphics Card is recommended for SOLIDWORKS 2021?

NVIDIA Quadro and AMD Radeon Pro series are certified graphics cards for SOLIDWORKS.  A graphics card with hardware OpenGL acceleration will provide superior performance and stability, especially in 3D model viewing (refresh, rotate, zoom, pan).

The NVIDIA Quadro RTX is the latest GPU series and recommended for future growth.  The previous generation NVIDIA Quadro P series will still have powerful performance for those on a budget.  The Quadro T series are specific to mobile workstations.

The AMD Radeon Pro WX and W series are certified, with the W series being the latest.

An Enhanced Graphics Performance option was introduced with SOLIDWORKS 2019.  This takes greater advantage of newer graphics card technology for significant performance improvements.  SOLIDWORKS performance is now scalable as you invest in higher end GPUs.

For SOLIDWORKS Visualize users, renderings leverage the GPU cores directly so investing in a powerful graphics card is beneficial.  Visualize 2019 and prior was only supported with NVIDIA graphics cards.  Compatibility for AMD Radeon Pro graphics cards started with the Visualize 2020.

A full list of certified graphics cards and its associated certified driver for each SOLIDWORKS version can be found on the SOLIDWORKS Graphics Card Drivers page.

Graphics cards designed for “gaming” or multi-media applications, such as NVIDIA GeForce or AMD Radeon cards (not Radeon Pro), do NOT offer maximum performance or stability for SOLIDWORKS. These cards are optimized for a low number of polygons displayed on the screen, but at a high frame rate. CAD applications have the opposite requirement, where polygon count is high (the detail in your design model) but the image does not change rapidly so high frame rates are not as critical.  Using a certified graphics card and driver combo will yield the most stable platform for running SOLIDWORKS.

SOLIDWORKS does not take advantage of multiple graphics cards as only one GPU will be used.  SOLIDWORKS Visualize can use multiple graphics cards to boost rendering performance.  Only the total memory of the weakest card can be leveraged, therefore it would be recommended to use the same models.

What versions of Microsoft Office are compatible with SOLIDWORKS 2021?

SOLIDWORKS has the capability of using Microsoft Excel to create BOMs, Design Tables, and more.  After a new Microsoft Office major version is released, SOLIDWORKS must perform tests and therefore will not be certified on the given service pack at the time.

SOLIDWORKS 2021 is compatible with Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019.  The 64-bit editions are recommended.  Check the Microsoft Products table on the SOLIDWORKS System Requirements page.

Note: Microsoft Office 2013 ended support with SOLIDWORKS 2020 SP5

Should I store my files locally on my computer or on a network drive?

For maximum performance and stability, files should be worked on locally. Files opened and saved directly over a network connection will always be slower than a local drive and increases the chance of file corruption.  Data management products such as SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard or SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional automatically manage the movement of files from network servers to local disk drives to ensure maximum performance and stability. This is one of the many key benefits of a data management system. Learn more about SOLIDWORKS PDM.

What is the difference between SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard and Professional?

SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard is included with licenses of SOLIDWORKS Professional and SOLIDWORKS Premium.  This provides easy access to standard data management and revision control functionality.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional adds more functionality such as multi-site replication and automation.

Read our SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard and Professional Comparison article for further detail.

What are the hardware recommendations for SOLIDWORKS PDM 2021?

Javelin recommends using a dedicated server for running the SOLIDWORKS 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.  Check the server requirements on the SOLIDWORKS System Requirements page.

Javelin provides PDM Implementation and Upgrade Services to have you setup quickly and efficiently.