G2

James L.

Designer III

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

9/9/2026

"An incredibly capable CAD platform—with a few “SOLIDQUIRKS”"

4.5/5

What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?

What I like best about SOLIDWORKS is the combination of its intuitive interface and powerful parametric modeling capabilities. The software gives me multiple ways to access the tools I need, which makes it easy to build efficient workflows around how I work. Shortcuts like the S-key toolbar have become an essential part of my daily workflow.

I also really appreciate the strength of its design-intent and parametric modeling. When a model is built thoughtfully, making design changes can be incredibly efficient because the rest of the model can respond intelligently to those changes. That flexibility, combined with the depth of tools available for parts, assemblies, drawings, and sheet metal, is what keeps SOLIDWORKS my preferred CAD platform for day-to-day mechanical design. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?

My biggest frustration with SOLIDWORKS is that it can occasionally be finicky. I affectionately call these “SOLIDQUIRKS”—those situations where something that worked perfectly before suddenly decides it doesn't want to cooperate.

Some features and workflows can also create dependencies that aren't always obvious. For example, the Tab and Slot feature can create references between parts that can be difficult to break or manage when you want the geometry to become independent. I would like to see more control over those relationships directly within the feature.

Drawings have their quirks as well, particularly with things like foreshortened dimensions that can sometimes behave unpredictably.

Performance and stability can also be affected by how models are constructed and by the hardware being used. SOLIDWORKS is very hardware-intensive, and things like excessive mates, underdefined sketches, rebuild errors, and complex models can all contribute to problems. That said, in my current role I have experienced very few crashes, so I don't consider stability a significant issue in my day-to-day use. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?

SOLIDWORKS gives me a powerful way to take a design concept and turn it into accurate, manufacturable parts and assemblies while maintaining the design intent throughout the process. Its parametric modeling makes it easy to make changes and iterate on designs without having to rebuild everything from scratch.

It also helps me manage the complexity of real-world mechanical designs by allowing parts, assemblies, and drawings to remain interconnected. Changes made to a model can flow through to assemblies and drawings, which saves significant time and reduces the risk of errors.

Ultimately, SOLIDWORKS makes my day-to-day design work more efficient. I can develop, modify, document, and communicate mechanical designs in one environment, allowing me to spend more time solving engineering and design problems rather than fighting the CAD software. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.