When it comes to computers, their components, and how they interact with Solidworks, I am not overly savvy. Looking for a little help from the professionals.
I have been given a budget by employer to purchase a new workstation. I do work with most Office programs, but the primary function of this computer will be Solidworks (2015 SP04 and newer versions as they are released).
I do basic modeling and drawings for tooling and replacement parts, but have been working more with the R&D team lately on project design with moderately sized assemblies (200-1000 parts). Renderings and motion studies have been a huge help pushing new ideas through upper management, and as we work more with the animations, we see the value in having a computer that can handle these tasks efficiently.
I made the mistake of jumping on my first offer without doing my homework in full, and ended up with this mobile workstation:
I have been working with this computer for the last two weeks, and though I notice the difference from my old workstation, it just doesn't seem all there. After researching more in-depth on the aspects of a computer that make a difference for the kind of work I do, I stumbled across this desktop workstation:
I realize that with the second option I lose the mobility of a laptop, but I am not beyond packing up a tower and taking it home for a weekend to work on a project. I would also have my old laptop available for small parts and assemblies, which it handles fine.
Would the added benefits of the desktop make that much of a difference? And though subjective, in your opinion, would the added benefits be worth losing the mobility of the ZBook? The budget I am working with is \$2500-3000, and I am limited to the CDW website by my employer. If you're bored and feel like navigating the CDW website, feel free to make any recommendations on a workstation I did not mention.
Thanks in advance!
SolidworksAdministration