- When cycle-accurate RTL-level validation is required for hardware corner cases; virtual prototyping models are higher-level abstractions and do not replace low-level RTL simulation or emulation where cycle accuracy is required
- When available model libraries do not cover the target system and the organization cannot justify the cost or time for custom modeling
- When procurement requires transparent, self-serve pricing, since public pricing information is not provided for the model libraries
- When an organization lacks internal processes for managing enterprise licensing and vendor-based support, as operational friction has been reported anecdotally in community discussions
- When open governance, full modifiability, or fully open-source toolchains are top priorities; open-source simulators may be a better fit in those cases