16GB will bottleneck your CAD work.

Significantly — 32GB can double your usable workspace and prevent frustrating lag.

Here’s the thing: CAD software like SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or AutoCAD eats RAM for breakfast. Every part you model, every assembly you load, every undo step—it all sits in memory. Once you run out, the system starts swapping to your hard drive, and that’s when your cursor starts stuttering and you’re staring at the spinning wheel.

16GB is fine for simple parts or small assemblies. But the moment you load a 200-component assembly, run a simulation, or keep a browser open (which you will), 16GB gets tight fast. I’ve seen it myself: the same model that chokes on 16GB glides on 32GB. Not a 10% improvement—a “why did I wait so long” improvement.

If you’re buying a new workstation for real CAD work, 32GB is the new minimum. 16GB belongs in a laptop for spreadsheets and email.

Future You will thank you for not having to close Chrome every time you open an assembly.