Budget PC build under $600

So, I’m looking to put together a rig where the main goal is work—specifically running stuff like AutoCAD, SCIA Engineer, and other construction software 😁. After the workday is done, I’ll probably throw on some movies or maybe play some low-key games... nothing crazy recent or anything. For $1333, it feels like I could easily overspec this thing, grabbing way more power than these programs actually need. Honestly, I’m a bit lost on what to grab and how to balance it all... if anyone has some suggestions or can point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it 😁. (links)

Intel Pentium G3450$221
ASROCK B85M Pro3$164
PC-12800, 16 GB (2x8GB), G.SKILL Ripjaws X$247
SSD 120.0 GB CORSAIR Force LS 120gb$155
1000.0 GB Seagate$145
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730, 2GB$190
DVD±RW LG GH24NSD1, 24x$38
Case ANTEC VSK-4000B$88
Power Supply 600W, EVGA Smart Series$139

$1387, Links

Intel Core i3 4170 3.7GHz,3MB,LGA 1150$333
ASRock B85M-DGS, 1150$141
Kingston HyperX Fury,1866MHz, 4GB 172,34 x2
Patriot SSD Blast R560/W425, 120GB$113
Seagate Barracuda 1TB$133
Samsung DVD±RW 24x$38
MSI GF N730 V2, 2GB DDR3$172
Fractal Design Core 1100$120
Fractal Integra M 550W, 80+ BRONZE$184

$1349, Downtown PC Shop

The builds are pretty similar, but I’d suggest going with the second option. AutoCAD and other multi-threaded programs will definitely benefit more from those 2+2 cores.

@Christian Torres3

The build is pretty poorly balanced. I guess the power supply is low-end, the second part is total overkill, the CPU isn't really worth it, and the GPU doesn't offer much more than integrated graphics anyway.

@Anthony Reyes10

Zalman mini tower case black, ZAL-A1
Seagate Barracuda 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm
Thermaltake TR2 450W Bronze
Intel Core i3 4330
MSI H81M-E33
2x Kingston HyperX Fury 8GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL10
AMD Radeon R7 360 GDDR5 2GB/128bit, 1200MHz/6500MHz, PCI-E 3.0 x16, DP, HDMI, 2x
Patriot SSD Blast R560/W425, 120GB, 7mm, 2.5"

Total: $1359 Downtown ($40-$27 shipping, free assembly)

As far as I know, those programs aren't great at multi-threading, so the i3 might actually be the best call here because of the stronger individual cores. Plus, you get 16GB of RAM, an SSD, and a GPU that's several times faster than a GT 730.

crimsonstag84 said:@Christian Torres3

The build is pretty poorly balanced. I guess the power supply is low-end, the second part is total overkill, the CPU isn't really worth it, and the GPU doesn't offer much more than integrated graphics anyway.

@Anthony Reyes10

Zalman mini tower case black, ZAL-A1
Seagate Barracuda 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm
Thermaltake TR2 450W Bronze
Intel Core i3 4330
MSI H81M-E33
2x Kingston HyperX Fury 8GB 1866MHz DDR3 CL10
AMD Radeon R7 360 GDDR5 2GB/128bit, 1200MHz/6500MHz, PCI-E 3.0 x16, DP, HDMI, 2x
Patriot SSD Blast R560/W425, 120GB, 7mm, 2.5"

Total: $1359 Downtown ($40-$27 shipping, free assembly)

As far as I know, those programs aren't great at multi-threading, so the i3 might actually be the best call here because of the stronger individual cores. Plus, you get 16GB of RAM, an SSD, and a GPU that's several times faster than a GT 730.

The first one is from Best Buy because that's what he wants. For AutoCAD, unless you're running FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro, it pretty much doesn't matter which card you pick—you'll only see a real difference if you're gaming.

It’s probably not going to be worth the upgrade since the GPU is pretty weak—barely better than integrated graphics—and honestly, it just doesn't make sense financially. For $100, you can get an AMD Radeon R7 360 or an NVIDIA GTX 750 that's way more powerful, which is what I'd suggest instead.

crimsonstag84, he doesn't need 16GB of RAM. Especially if he isn't doing heavy 3D rendering.

8GB is plenty for AutoCAD.

I've been using AutoCAD for over 10 years, and it runs smooth as silk even on basic integrated graphics with just 2GB of RAM—handling 2D work, even massive blueprints, and the occasional 3D task.

CATIA ran perfectly fine for me on 2GB of RAM.👍

crimsonstag84 said:It’s probably not going to be worth the upgrade since the GPU is pretty weak—barely better than integrated graphics—and honestly, it just doesn't make sense financially. For $100, you can get an AMD Radeon R7 360 or an NVIDIA GTX 750 that's way more powerful, which is what I'd suggest instead.

Sure, there are stronger options, but this is enough for AutoCAD and some light gaming. And hey, why don't you tell me how quickly you'll get a PC from Downtown? You might wait a day or two, maybe a week, since they don't really keep stock and have to wait for shipments from importers—or maybe it doesn't even show up, so you might end up with better parts or you might not. Meanwhile, at Best Buy, if it's on the price tag, it's actually in stock.

It isn’t just about AutoCAD; several other civil engineering programs were mentioned too, so I'd say the NVIDIA GTX 750 is really your best bet here. I can walk anyone through my reasoning if they need more detail.

Alexander Moore67 said:It isn’t just about AutoCAD; several other civil engineering programs were mentioned too, so I'd say the NVIDIA GTX 750 is really your best bet here. I can walk anyone through my reasoning if they need more detail.

Don't bother explaining. I've been running AutoCAD and CATIA since 2002. I know my way around CAD software, so I know what I'm talking about.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:Don't bother explaining. I've been running AutoCAD and CATIA since 2002. I know my way around CAD software, so I know what I'm talking about.

This person has been talking trash about anyone who doesn't share their exact opinion for several years now.

Alexander Moore67 said:This person has been talking trash about anyone who doesn't share their exact opinion for several years now.

You're acting like an expert when you clearly don't know what you're talking about. Have you actually used any of those CAD programs? Do you know how they handle hardware firsthand? No. So stop rambling.

In 2D and basic 3D, there's zero difference between a standard dual-core CPU and an i5... or even an AMD Athlon X4 or X6.

The gap only matters once you get into heavy 3D modeling. The OP never said that's what they were doing.