Oh, it will run on a powerful enough ATI GPU just fine too.

It will run on a nVidia GeForce, but you wont get Realview graphics unless you've got a Quadro. Good news is, some GeForce's use the same chipsets as Quadros so you can use a tool to trick your GPU into thinking it's a Quadro (if you like Realview). Think the main things you need in reality are an x64 CPU and 4GB RAM min.

will solidworks not still run if its got a graphics card thats not specifically listed? just not at optimum performance?

There's an OSX version of Autocad. Saying that, a laptop that complies to the SolidWorks system requirements ain't cheap either!

Yes any Apple computer depreciates less than its PC counterpart, but unless there is a Mac version of SolidWorks I'd just go for a Windows laptop that has the required specs.

You said yourself you won't be using OS X much, so it's pointless paying more for a MBP just for the sake of it?

i know yeah, i still thought it would be a good spec when running windows but then find things liek that asus.
2 things on my mind, the asus wont be made as well and when i come to upgrade in 12-24 months the asus wont be worth 75%+ of what i pay for it like the mbp would be

If you *have* to use Windows 7 then there isn't much point getting a MacBook.

was gonna get a macbook pro, but using solidworks id have to dual boot vindows 7 so seems silly to pay the extra mainly for aesthetics seeing as im not gonna be using osx much.

foudn this http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/asus-n55sf-15-6-laptop-11884682-pdt.html
blu ray reader and writer, more ram, more hdd, better graphics, bluetooth, hdmi and vga (ill use a second monitor).

is the macbook worth £450 more in anyway? (looking at the 2.2 15" which is £1250 with discount)

and anything better out there for less than a grand? been looking for ages for the right laptop :lol: