Best Laptops for CATIA V5: 2019 Buyer’s guide!

CATIA is a multi-platform software suite for computer-aided design (CAD), and is one of the most popular three dimensional CAD tools among engineers and industrial designers.  “CATIA” actually stands for Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application, and this program has been around for such a long time now: it was first developed in 1977 by the French company Dassault Systèmes. If you are a student and want to pursue a career in industrial design, there is a student version of CATIA V5 available for 99$. However, choosing a laptop to run CATIA isn’t that simple; and that’s why we wrote this short guide!

What is CATIA used for?

CATIA can be used for a variety of purposes, including CAD, (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE), PLM and 3D. One of the most notable users of CATIA is Boeing, who use the software for designing their aircrafts, such as the 777 airliner, and the 787 series. But  CATIA is also used in a variety of other industries including  automotive, consumer goods, and industrial machinery, to name a few. The latest installment of the software is the V5-6 version.

Differences between CATIA V5 Student Edition and the “commercial” version : There is no major difference between CATIA V5 Student Edition and its corresponding commercial license. From a capacity point of view, they are identical but produced parts and products are watermarked, so they cannot be used with a commercial license.

While most engineers and designers might prefer the feel of a desktop computer for working with CATIA, there’s plenty of efficient laptops for carrying around your projects today. And if you’re one of those looking for more mobility, we have compiled a list of some of the best laptops for CATIA V5 and other similar CAD programs. But before we jump to the list, let’s find out about the recommended system requirements for running CATIA V5.

What to look for when choosing a laptop for CATIA V5?

The first thing to consider when buying a laptop for CATIA V5, is that you’ll need a PC. CATIA V5 will not work on a virtual machine or on Mac OS. Another thing to note, is that CATIA V5 isn’t necessarily a demanding application: the minimum requirements are quite low, compared to other CAD tools. However, complex projects require more power.

With the GPU being a core spec for CAD work, you won’t be surprised in finding gaming laptops among the recommended ones. We compiled a brief guide for you to check everything that you might need in a laptop for handling your projects at best. Here are our recommendations :

Processor: We recommend at least an Intel Core i5 processor or equivalent. Depending on the scope of your projects, purchasing a laptop with a more powerful processor might be a better option. CATIA V5, like most CAD programs, usually only utilizes a single core at a time, so getting a processor that has a higher frequency is a better option. However, having more cores helps with multitasking, Simulation and Rendering.

RAM: Although CATIA V5 can run on a 4GB machine, we recommend at least a laptop that has 8 GB of RAM. Keep in mind that if you’re planning to work on big projects, you’ll need more RAM. But unlike the processor, though, that’s a spec that you can easily consider upgrading in the future, so don’t you worry.

Storage: For optimal performance, get a laptop with SSD. An SSD provides high speeds that  allow you to launch applications, load files and boot the system faster than any hard drive. SSD are more expensive, but that doesn’t mean that there are no budget laptops with SSD available out there. Also note that files from CAD tools will easily build up over time, up to the point of requiring you to purchase an external drive. This is mostly true for SSDs, since they offer less storage space.

Graphics Card: The graphics card is one of the main components to consider in a laptop for CATIA V5. Dassault Systèmes provides a list of certified hardware for CATIA V5, which you can search here. However, those are mostly desktops and workstation laptops.  For most users, a gaming Nvidia Geforce card will provide the same performance as a Quadro, while being considerably cheaper.  However, for professional users, and productions studios, it is better to go for a professional grade video card, as they are the ones supported by Dassault Systèmes.

Display: For  optimal performance, we recommend at least a 15 inch laptop with a full HD display. With a smaller display, it’s hard to see the details on the model you’re working on. A higher resolution is also not very suitable, unless you’re using a bigger external display. An IPS display is also recommended, as it offer better viewing angles and better colors.

Battery Life: Check out the battery life and cooling system. CAD tools like CATIA can be very demanding and  drastically reduce the battery life. This can be very important if you’re a student or need to carry the laptop with you for work. Make sure to read the specs and reviews carefully to get a laptop that provides the best compromise between performance and battery life.

So, now that you have an idea what to consider when choosing a laptop for CATIA V5, here are some of the best laptops for CATIA V5 available out there. These laptops are also capable of running other programs such as Solidworks, Solid Edge, and Creo.

Best Laptops for CATIA V5

HP Pavilion 15-cx0056wm 

View at Amazon

First, the HP Pavilion 15-cx0056wm is a 15.6” Full HD gaming laptop that is suitable for using CAT software. It features an 8^th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 1 TB HDD. It’s also packed with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, with 4 GB of RAM.

The Pavilion 15 is a cheap option if you’re on a budget, or you don’t have that much of a workload. The combination of processor and amount of RAM provides for a good enough performance in most tasks. This machine comes with a nice narrow bezel display, a backlit keyboard with a separate numeric keypad and the added connectivity of a USB Type-C port. There’s definitely some good value for the price it costs, so you can’t go wrong with this purchase.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL

View at Amazon

For a slightly higher price, we recommend the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL , a 15.6” Full HD gaming laptop featuring a display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. This one comes with the new 9th gen generation Intel Core i7- 9750H processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD, for a faster start up of your system. It’s also packed with the new Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti , with 6 GB of RAM.

The Helios 300 offers a remarkable cooling system, that’s going to come in handy for your project designs. The specs it comes with will guarantee you a smooth performance for the years to go. The only downside to this one is the reduced storage space, even though that can easily be fixed through purchasing an external drive for your files, or using cloud storage. The Helios 300 includes a backlit keyboard and one USB Type-C port for the best connectivity.

GIGABYTE AERO 15 Classic-SA-F74ADW

View at Amazon

The GIGABYTE AERO 15 Classic-SA-F74ADW is a powerful gaming laptop that comes in a rather discrete design. Its sleek, aluminum chassis, coupled with the narrow bezels display, surely make up for a pleasing view. The GIGABYTE AERO 15 features the latest i7-9750H processor, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB PCIe SSD. It’s packed with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics card, with 6 GB of VRAM.

The AERO 15 is a wonderful machine if you need a highly portable solution for running CAD software, such as CATIA V5 and Solidworks. This beautiful device is only 0.74 inch thin and weighs 4.49 Lbs! There’s plenty of value for the price it comes at, including a customizable backlit RGB keyboard and one USB Type-C //Thunderbolt port. The AERO 15 also has a gorgeous 1920×1080 IPS display, that provides accurate colors out of the box.

MSI WS65 9TL-685

View at Amazon

If you’re a professional and if budget is not a problem for you, we recommend the MSI WS65 9TL-685, a workstation laptop that’s officially certified by Dassault Systèmes for CATIA V5. Its price tag might not be for everyone, but it’s a beast worth mentioning if you wish to get your industrial design skills projects to the next level.

The MSI WS65 9TL-685 is  15.6” Full HD and VR ready laptop, featuring an octa-core 9^th generation Intel Core i9-9880H processor, 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD. It’s packed with the Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 dedicated graphics card, with 8 GB of RAM. The i9-9880H is one of the most powerful processors ever placed inside a laptop, and has a score of 17857 on CPU bechmark’s list.

There’s definitely some blow-your-mind potential if you think all of these goodies are packed within a chassis that barely weighs 4.14 lbs. This is an investment that is guaranteed to last many years.

Lenovo ThinkPad P72

View at Amazon

The Lenovo ThinkPad P72 is another high-end professional laptop, featuring a 17.3” Full HD display. This is a recommended machine for the ones among you who don’t care about portability as much as a wide view. It is also way more affordable than the MSI. The P72 is packed with an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 32 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD coupled with an additional 2 TB of HDD storage space. The dedicated graphics card is the Nvidia Quadro P600, with 4 G of RAM.

This beast includes a backlit keyboard with a separate numeric keypad and plenty of connectivity options, including two USB Type-C ports. The amount of storage space is simply stunning. You won’t have to worry about that in many years to come.