system requirements for solidworks 2004

Hi there, Got a present of a solidworks 2004 cd recently and would like buy a suitable pc for it. Could anyone advise me as to what environment is best for this program? On the official sw2005 website the following system requirements are mentioned:

- Microsoft Windows XP professional or Windows 2000 recommended

- Intel pentium - or AMD Athion - class processor

- 128 MB RAM or greater (512 mb to 1gb or greater recommended for assemblies exceeding 1000 parts

- Pointing device

- CD-ROM drive

- Microsoft Office XP or Microsoft Office 2000

- Internet Explorer version 6.0 or later recommended Is this really all that is needed - or could these specs. be a bit on the low end? Who can tell me from experience? Thanks in advance, Carlos.

Ignore everything you read at SW about hardware requirements. The concept being able to run SW on a Pentium 1 is ludicrious. I don't know who they are trying to fool. Try looking here for more realistic requirements.

As a good start, get any current computer system with an nVidia gaming card, and you will be fine. By the time you outgrow this system, you will know what you want. If you want more detailed info, you should state how much you are able to spend, and state what you intend to be doing. In particular, what is the largest assembly you intend to model, i.e. a table, a set of kitchen cabinents, or a motorcyle engine.

NO NO NO get a proper CAD card - Nvidia Quadro AMD processors rule at the moment and get 1gb ram min.

Well, you also need a valid and legal serial number and unlock code. As you got an outdated version as a 'present' I doubt seriously whether you have such as that, BUT giving you the benefit of the doubt I'd have to say that the requirements stated are indeed a minimum. 512Mb of RAM is about as little as you should consider, and 1Gb or greater is to be highly recommended. Also a video card which has 128Mb video RAM and which supports OpenGL -- anything other than one of the ones noted as being fully compliant on SolidWorks' list is apt to cause you to take great pains getting the right driver, at best. At worst SolidWorks' display will be bad and the performance will be grindingly slow. nVidia GeForce cards in general will work pretty well as long as you keep open windows to four or less. A Pentium IV class processor or AMD equivalent with a couple of gigahertz processing speed is the least you should consider. One of the crippleware processors (Celeron, etc.) will probably cause you to wait. And maybe even wait and wait and wait. The Microsoft Office products are recommended because SolidWorks makes use of Excel and Excel format files. Without Excel you will have severe limitations regarding any kind of tables (design tables, bills of material, etc.). You wouldn't like it.

'Sporky'

Carlos wrote:

Hi Tiger, Thanks for this. Carlos.

Hi Neil, Thank you. I wellcome any bit of useful info. Carlos.

Hi 'Sporky', Thank you for taking the time to aswer my question so comprehensively. It is most interesting and revealing. Had great pleasure reading this. Made my day! Thanks again. Carlos.