computers are not about the BRAND! their about the parts. this question is hard to answer beacuse you havent given much to go on besides you need it for engineering. i'm not sure if this involves 3d modeling applications like 3ds max (nevermind i looke up soilid works)or anything so i will give you a quick rundown on what to look for
CPU: at least an Intel Core i5 CPU, which is capable of increasing its clock speed dynamically when you need more performance. Power users should settle for no less than Core i7 system, preferably a quad-core chip.
RAM: When it comes to memory, or RAM, even the cheapest notebooks have 4GB these days so don’t settle for less. If you can get a system with 6 or 8GB, you’ll be better prepared for high-end applications and lots of multitasking.
Hard Drive: For most users, a fast drive is more important than a large one. If you have a choice, go for a 7,200-rpm hard drive over a 5,400-rpm unit. Even if you have several movies and games on your hard drive, a 320GB should provide more than enough space, but 500GB or 750GB drives usually don’t cost much more. I suggest a larger one or getting a portable external hdd for your design fils and a backup.
Flash Cache: Any Ultrabook and some other notebooks come with 8, 16 or 32GB flash caches you can use to increase performance. While not as fast as an SSD, a flash cache will help boost load and boot times while allowing you to store all your data on a large hard drive.
Solid State Drives (SSDs): These drives cost quite a bit more than traditional hard drives and come with less capacity (usually 128 to 256GB), but they dramatically improve performance. You’ll enjoy faster boot times, faster resume times, and faster application open times. Plus, because SSDs don’t have moving parts such as mechanical drives, failure is much less of an issue.
Display: The more pixels you have, the more content you can fit on-screen, and the sharper it will look. choose a laptop with a higher pixel count 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 —always go for the highest res you can get. You’ll see more of your applications clearer. Full HD panels (1920 x 1080) cost about $150 more than your typical display, but are worth the splurge, especially on larger screens.
Graphics Chip: a discrete graphics processor from AMD or Nvidia (which has dedicated video memory) will provide better performance when it comes to the most-demanding applications. i cant say how much graphics memory you will need but at least 2gb for modeling.
Battery: Make sure you get the maximum capacity battery that is available and possibly search online for extended batteries.
make a smart choice when you buy, DONT go to best buy for your computer. i suggest going to a computer repair shop and talking it over with the techs about what your requirements are and maybe they will help you with your decision. the best way to make an informed decision when making a big purchase like a computer is to educate yourself as much as possible before buying. dont let someone sell you something your not sure you need or is not enough for what you need. best of luck :)