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Solve Elec VS Pspice

Compare Solve Elec VS Pspice and see what are their differences

Solve Elec logo Solve Elec

Solve Elec is a free educational program to draw and analyze electrical circuits.

Pspice logo Pspice

OrCAD PSpice technology provides the best, high-performance circuit simulation to analyze and refine your circuits, components, and parameters before committing to layout and fabrication
  • Solve Elec Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-20
  • Pspice Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-01

Solve Elec features and specs

  • Freeware
    Solve Elec is completely free to use which makes it accessible for students, educators, and hobbyists without any financial constraint.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features an intuitive and straightforward interface which makes it easy to create and analyze simple circuits, even for beginners.
  • Educational Focus
    Specifically designed for educational purposes, Solve Elec provides tools and functionalities that help users understand the behavior of electrical circuits, making it an excellent learning resource.
  • Real-time Simulation
    Solve Elec offers real-time simulation capabilities, allowing users to visualize the behavior of circuits as they design them, which aids in quick learning and immediate error checking.
  • Basic Analysis Tools
    The software includes fundamental analysis tools such as voltage, current, and power calculations, which are essential for basic circuit analysis.

Possible disadvantages of Solve Elec

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Solve Elec lacks many advanced features and components required for complex circuit design and analysis, which makes it less suitable for professional or advanced engineering use.
  • Outdated Interface
    The software's interface appears dated compared to more modern applications, which could be less engaging or harder to use for those accustomed to contemporary UI/UX standards.
  • Limited Component Library
    The component library in Solve Elec is quite limited, which can restrict users in designing more sophisticated or varied circuits.
  • Windows-only
    Solve Elec is only available for Windows operating system, making it inaccessible for users on macOS or Linux unless running a compatibility layer or virtual machine.
  • Lack of Support and Updates
    Being freeware developed by a small or single entity, Solve Elec does not receive regular updates or extensive support, which could result in compatibility issues with new hardware or software environments and a lack of new features.

Pspice features and specs

  • Comprehensive Simulation
    Pspice offers a broad range of simulation capabilities including analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits, allowing for detailed analysis and testing of circuits before physical prototyping.
  • Integration with OrCAD
    It is tightly integrated with OrCAD Capture and PCB design tools, allowing for seamless design and analysis workflows.
  • Extensive Component Libraries
    Pspice boasts a vast library of components and models, which simplifies the process of circuit design and simulation.
  • Advanced Analysis Features
    It includes advanced features such as Monte Carlo analysis, Worst-case analysis, and Parametric sweeps, providing enhanced capabilities for design optimization.
  • User Community and Support
    There is an active user community and robust support, including detailed documentation and a variety of learning resources.

Possible disadvantages of Pspice

  • Cost
    Pspice can be expensive, especially for small businesses or individual users, as it requires licensing fees.
  • Resource Intensive
    The software can be demanding on system resources, requiring powerful hardware for efficient operation, which may not be available to all users.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    While powerful, Pspice has a steep learning curve, especially for beginners, which can be a barrier to entry for new users.
  • Complexity for Basic Tasks
    For simpler circuit design and analysis tasks, Pspice may be overkill and more complex to use compared to simpler alternatives.
  • Proprietary Nature
    Being proprietary software, users are dependent on Cadence for updates and support, and may face limitations with interoperability with other tools.

Analysis of Solve Elec

Overall verdict

  • Solve Elec is generally considered a good resource for those beginning in electrical engineering or physics related to electricity. It offers an intuitive interface and a comprehensible approach to circuit analysis, making it a valuable tool for educational purposes.

Why this product is good

  • Solve Elec is a software tool that helps users understand and analyze simple electrical circuits. It provides visualizations, circuit simulations, and educational resources that make learning about electricity and electronics more accessible and engaging. It is particularly useful for students and educators looking to enhance the learning experience with practical, hands-on tools.

Recommended for

  • High school students studying physics
  • Undergraduate students taking introductory electrical engineering courses
  • Educators looking for classroom tools to demonstrate circuit analysis
  • Hobbyists and beginners interested in learning about electronics

Analysis of Pspice

Overall verdict

  • PSpice is generally considered a strong tool in electronics design and simulation, thanks to its detailed simulation outputs, reliability, and extensive capabilities. It is especially favored by educators and professionals who require precision and a high level of analysis in circuit design.

Why this product is good

  • PSpice is a widely used simulation program primarily for electronic circuits. It offers comprehensive analysis capabilities, including DC, AC, transient, and parametric sweeps. Its integration with OrCAD provides a robust environment for schematics and simulations, useful for both education and professional industry applications. Additionally, it features a large component library and compatibility with various industry standards, making circuit design and testing efficient and effective.

Recommended for

    PSpice is best suited for electrical engineers, educators, and students in electronics engineering, as well as professionals involved in circuit design, testing, and analysis who need reliable simulation tools to validate their designs.

Solve Elec videos

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Pspice videos

How to build and simulate a simple circuit in PSpice?

More videos:

  • Tutorial - LTspice - Introduction, basic analysis, how to, comparision to PSPICE

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Solve Elec and Pspice)
Simulation
39 39%
61% 61
Electrical
52 52%
48% 48
Computer Simulations
33 33%
67% 67
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Solve Elec and Pspice

Solve Elec Reviews

Electronic circuit design and simulation software list
Solve Elec – is an electrical circuit simulator (free version) which is developed for Macintosh OS and Windows. It enables users to draw and analyse circuits (both electrical and electronic) functioning in direct current or alternating current, get formulas, verify equations, get equivalent circuits etc.

Pspice Reviews

Electronic circuit design and simulation software list
TopSpice – this is a demo version circuit simulator from Penzar. This electronic simulation tool is tailored to work with Windows only and its is compatible for Windows XP/Vista/7. TopSpice is a mixed mode mixed signal digital,analog, behavioral simulation software. It offers both Pspice and Hspice compatible simulation of circuits.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Solve Elec and Pspice, you can also consider the following products

Oregano - oregano - An electrical engineering tool for GNOME

LTspice - LTspice® is a high performance SPICE simulation software, schematic capture and waveform viewer with enhancements and models for easing the simulation of analog circuits.

BlackBoard Circuit Designer - Help building prototypes on so called breadboards easily

PCBWeb - PCBWeb is a 100% free Windows desktop CAD application for designing and manufacturing electronics...

Circuit Simulator - Animated electronic circuit simulator using ideal components to visualize voltage and current.

PCB Wizard - PCB Wizard 3 is a powerful package for designing single-sided and double-sided PCBs.