Dell XPS 13 for CAD

Hi there,

I am looking at getting a new Dell XPS 13 9310 laptop in preparation for starting Mechatronics Engineering at Uni next year.

I currently have a 2017 model XPS 13 which I love but I know that my current 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD just won’t cut it.

In terms of build quality, in my experience I believe that the Dell XPS machines are some of the best on the market. I am also keen to go with the 13” for portability and it’s what I’m used to. I have a monitor I which can plug into for bigger screen so screen realestate is not a concern for me.

I’m already running programs like AutoCad and F360 with very few issues, but I will be moving to primarily using Solid Works so the new laptop would need to cope with that ok too.

I am planning to get basically the fully maxed out 9310 with 32GB RAM, but not the OLED display for battery life reasons.

Here is a link to the product: https://www.dell.com/en-nz/shop/lap...-laptop/spd/xps-13-9310-laptop/hnx9310c17nzsb

Do you think it will handle SolidWorks ok? Thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks,

Billy

 

With the exception of 3D CAD/CAE software, the Dell XPS is more than enough to meet all the requirements you may encounter during your curriculum. ... Investing on the Intel Iris Graphics card might not be a good option, since it's still doesn't allow you to run CAD/CAE software properly. The best laptop for CAD today is the Dell XPS 15. With its 10th generation, 4.5GHz Intel Core processor, teamed with between 8GB and 64GB RAM, it's more than capable of running both AutoCAD and other 3D design software, smoothly and efficiently. All in all, this is a premium laptop at a relatively affordable price.