750-1000 budget engineering computer and laptop

davidnknight

Distinguished
Nov 8, 2011
11
0
18,520
I'm looking for computer and laptop for engineering work. I do solidworks, pcb layout, programming, and some data collection.

I'm thinking i5-2500.

Any suggestions on components and builds?

I have found the following computers online that might work:
desktops
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=6&sel=Detail%3B112_727_47194_47194,Price%3BPrice7,Detail%3B112_479_71967_71967 <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=6&sel=Detail%3B112_727_47194_47194,Price%3BPrice7,Detail%3B112_479_71967_71967>

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=602037&CatId=4928 <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=602037&CatId=4928>

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883113177

laptops
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1083421&CatId=3999 <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1083421&CatId=3999>

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1165594&CatId=3998 <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1165594&CatId=3998>

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1107990&CatId=3999 <http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1107990&CatId=3999>

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152258

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230145

Thanks in advance.
 

davidnknight

Distinguished
Nov 8, 2011
11
0
18,520


http://www.javelin-tech.com/main/support/solidworks_2011_hardware_faq.htm

Solidworks is multithreaded.
6GB RAM is recommended.

About graphics cards:
nVidia Quadro FX series or ATI FireGL/FirePro series. Although SolidWorks might work with any generic graphics card, a graphics card with hardware OpenGL acceleration will provide superior performance

 

cbrunnem

Distinguished

all the laptops have quad core i7's yes but they have crappy gpu's. on top of that they are gaming gpu's so they just are set out to do the work you want them to do.

with the desktops while they all have quad i7's the gpu's your getting are lacking for the money. i built the pc in my sig for at or below those prices and mine will be a lot faster + overclocking ability.

you should build your own or find a custom builder that doesnt charge a lot you can build much better then that yourself and building a computer is not hard at all. pretty idiot proof really.