[NXTGeek]

I've used both pretty extensively, and I actually started with Pro-E. I have been to conferences that endorse one, not the other, for both Inventor and Solidworks. I will probably write this post with a bias, since I like Autodesk's marketing better, ao beware! :D For this post I am going to focus on Inventor.
I like Inventor's more extensive array of constraints during sketch mode, and how intuitive it is to make another dimension come off of another (ie (D42-31)/3) and have that dimension change with the appropriate variables. Also Inventor's sheet metal part is great to use, and full featured in a non-cluttering way. Inventor is great for looks, and hooks up with plenty of other products including iPad apps (this setup helped my team win Engineering Excellence last year) and renderers from Autodesk's suite. While many teams (the teams whose mentor knows Solidworks usually) have argued, both on CD and on person that Inventor "is less full featured and more dumbed down", I would argue that Inventor is more featured, and as Autodesk's flagship product it is paid much attention. Also, for job opportunities, right now the top dog is Solidworks. Before it was Pro-E. Before then were more lower-generation products that crashed often and were difficult to use.

On the other hand, Inventor crashed for me 10 times for every time Solidworks crashed, and this is on an i7 with 8GB memory and discrete graphics. Solidworks also runs smooth on older, less powerful computers. SolidWORKS. It isn't flashy, but it works. I think Solidworks is polished, well optimized, and simple to use for most of your assembly tasks. It is easy on the computer, no-nonsense interface that gets every part done as promised. Solidworks has a suite too, and while some of it I wish came with Solidworks integrated (looking at you, full-featured stress analysis software), the other part of it is more for enterprises than anything else.

I am using Solidworks to virtually build our robot this season. I am using Inventor for 2D sketches, and use it to virtually "design" our robot. I find it e trembly convenient to open up Solidworks files lossless and with mates/constraints in Inventor. Sadly the other away around (Inventor files -> Solidworks) doesn't work the same way, as the parts become unconstrained, solid IGUS part bodies. I see Inventor set to fulfil the spot as the next generation design tool for engineers because of the company's innovation to get CAD more about designing than drafting. I know I sound terribly pro-Inventor. If I where you, I would learn Solidworks if you are using Inventor right now. It's common sense to learn a very widely used product. Solidworks is taught in college and many many companies like it. But check out some of Inventor's next-gen features, like it's modeling-like sketching tools, it's gearing generator, it's analysis tools. Autodesk actually is developing this product, making it closer and closer to what they envision to be the future. Solidworks was bought by CATIA (the 500lb car company CAD gorilla), and less attention is being paid to it than to Autodesk's Inventor.

So that's my stance on Solidworks VS Inventor. I want to use a CAD solution that WORKS, and one that helps me design, rather than just model. At this moment, I would suggest this: learn Solidworks, and learn about Inventor's features (on YouTube, whatever) and decide wether you like them and can use them like I use them. Inventor is not "dumbed down," it's just that you need to know where the button is, and actually LEARN how to use the software. Learning Solidworks is not hard, but using Inventor without the hazy vision bias earns people IS hard. Luckily you don't have to choose now.