Need help building a PC build

I’m currently attempting to spec out a PC for a friend, but honestly, given how insane the GPU market is right now—with prices being ridiculous and half the components we actually need being nowhere to be found—I’m feeling a bit lost on what to actually build here.
Most of his workload involves schoolwork, specifically running AutoCAD programs.
As far as gaming goes, he mostly sticks to older titles like League of Legends or World of Tanks.
That said, he’d naturally like to try out some newer, more demanding games eventually.
I’m debating whether it would be wise to just go with an integrated graphics setup, something like Vega 11? Would that even be able to handle any modern, more intensive titles at all?
The plan was to wait until the market stabilizes and then grab a dedicated card later. I had initially put together a build featuring an ASUS GTX 1050 Ti 4GB, but I'm starting to wonder if there's even any point in that.$600 Is that card even considered "new" anymore? Clearly, I am no genius.
The budget is somewhat flexible, sitting somewhere between $600 and $900, though I'd really prefer not to exceed that if possible.
1 * ASUS Prime A320M-A
Part Number: 0202149
2 * CRUCIAL 8GB DDR4-3200 UDIMM CL22 (8Gbit/16Gbit)
Part Number: CT8G4DFRA32A
1 * SSD Kingston 480GB A400 Series 2.5" SATA3 SA400S37/480G
Part Number: 0140851
1 * Zalman 700W PSU LX-II Series Reta
Part Number: ZAL-ZM700-LX-II
1 * Zalman S4 Mid-Tower ATX Case, Black
Part Number: 47382
1 * AMD Ryzen 3600 6C/12T (4.2GHz,36MB,65W,AM4), MPK with Wraith Stealth cooler
Part Number: 100-100000031MPK
1 * ASUS GTX 1050 Ti
Part Number: 0902242
Total: $2068
Total with discount: $1862

This build features a more cost-effective processor—performing right on par with the Ryzen 3600—along with a larger SSD, an upgraded power supply, better RAM, and a superior motherboard. Though, honestly, I'm not entirely sure if there's a better board out there within this specific budget.

You can put together a build on Newegg using an AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650G for about the same price as this—minus the cost of the graphics card. But let's be real: you won't get much more out of it than what you had before. You’re looking at performance roughly in the range of a GT 1030. Everything on low settings, and modern titles? Forget about it. They'll struggle.

What GPU is he running now?
I just need to track down a used GPU somewhere. Otherwise, this one is my absolute limit—the next step up in price is already out of reach. $1000.

One Intel Core i5-10400F (2.9GHz, 12MB, LGA1200) boxed.
Part number: BX8070110400FSRH3D
ASROCK B560M PRO4 LGA1200 DDR4 6xSATA B560M PRO4
Code: 4131321
1 * Viper Steel, 3200 MHz CL16, 16GB (2x8GB) kit.
Part Number: pat-vs416g320k-16g
1 * GIGABYTE NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC GDDR5 4GB/128bit, 1316MHz/7008MHz, PCI-E 3.0 x16, HDMI, DVI-D, DP, WINDFORCE 2X Cooler (Double Slot), Retail
Part number: GV-N105TOC-4GD
Crucial 1TB P2 M.2 NVMe SSD. Uses Micron 3D NAND. Speeds hit 2300/1150 MB/s. Comes with a 5-year warranty.
Part Number: CT1000P2SSD8
1 * Seasonic S12III 650W Bronze PSU
Code: 0151690
Bottom line: $2178
Total after discount: $1960

P.S.

Forgot to include the case. Just pick one that actually fits.
If they’re really that thick-headed. $33 If you're over budget, just drop the SSD down to 500GB for now. You can always pick up a 2TB hard drive later on.

You could save some cash on the power supply, too. $33 With this.
Power Supply Units (PSUs) – what should you actually look for? Let’s get into it. When you're shopping for a PSU, don't just grab the cheapest box on the shelf at Best Buy. It's the heart of the system. If it fails, it takes everything else with it. The main thing is wattage. You need enough juice to cover your GPU, CPU, and everything else. But more importantly, check the efficiency rating. Look for that 80 PLUS certification. It’s not just about saving a few cents on your electric bill; it’s about heat and stability. Don't ignore the build quality either. Cheap units use low-grade capacitors that will bake themselves inside your case within a year. Stick to brands you actually trust. What are you guys running in your rigs lately? Any specific models that have been reliable, or are we all just praying our power supplies don't turn into smoke bombs?
I went with a slightly beefier unit just in case I decide to pick up a better used card or something brand new down the road—like an Nvidia 3000 series.

You could probably score a better GPU by putting together a more complex build like this, or you might find an even better deal at a different retailer.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/example-linka>

The only catch is you have no idea what kind of power supply is actually tucked inside....

First off, thanks for getting back to me.
He doesn't even know which GPU he's running right now, but let's just assume it's some total piece of junk. The only thing we'll salvage from that old rig is a 500 GB hard drive for storage.

See, that’s my point—it makes zero sense to drop money on a six-year-old card like a 1050 Ti for what feels like an absurd price.
The PC you linked me? I don't know, the power supply looks sketchy at best, and it's using a first-gen Ryzen. Honestly, I'm not feeling it; the only decent part there seems to be the graphics card.

In my opinion, the smarter play is to grab a build with a Ryzen 5 3400G featuring integrated Vega 11 graphics. It'll handle things like CS:GO or PUBG well enough for now. Then, once he saves up some cash and prices stabilize a bit, he can just pop in something like an RTX 2060 or better later on.
Anyway, he mostly plays LoL, WoW, and World of Tanks. He wants to try PUBG, and from what I've read online, the Vega graphics should cut it.
I threw this list together in a hurry. I didn't include a dedicated cooler because I was worried about overheating issues.
Also, it looks like the standard cooler won't fit this CPU, so I might have to buy one separately.
1 * ASUS Prime A320M-A
SKU: 0202149
2 * CRUCIAL 8GB DDR4-3200 MHz CL22 UDIMM (8Gbit/16Gbit)
SKU: CT8G4DFRA32A
1 * SSD Kingston 480GB A400 Series 2.5" SATA3 SA400S37/480G
SKU: 0140851
1 * Zalman 700W PSU LX-II Series
SKU: ZAL-ZM700-LX-II
1 * Mid-Tower ATX Case, Black
SKU: 47382
1 * Ryzen 5 3400G MPK
SKU: 0400522-
Total: $1276
Total with discount: $1149

EDIT—buying a used graphics card is completely out of the question. Even if it were my own brother asking, I wouldn't do it. I don't trust that none of them were used for crypto mining.

If they can scrape by on integrated graphics for a while, maybe they’ll actually land something decent by the end of the year.

But honestly, the 3400G isn't worth it. It's just an older second-gen quad-core, basically a 2500X with integrated graphics.
Instead, for roughly the same cash, they could grab an Intel Core i3-10100F—which outperforms the 3400G (it's effectively an i7 7700)—plus a GT 1030, which performs about the same as Vega 11.
The 4650G is third-gen, similar to a Ryzen 3600. There's a massive difference there. If they try to slap a decent card like an RTX 3060 in later, that 3400G is going to be a total bottleneck.
It's got Vega 7 instead of 11, but the clock speeds are higher and you can overclock the integrated graphics.
Plus, they could get better RAM; 3200 MHz CL22 is pretty underwhelming.
Better to ditch that cheap Zalman 700W and get a high-quality unit with lower wattage.

Going with a 4650G paired with a B450 or B550 motherboard (B550 isn't expensive anymore) is a total no-brainer if you want integrated graphics and a real upgrade path down the road.

Regarding used GPUs, I'd personally just hunt for a cheap one and an Intel Core i5-10400F, maybe for around $500-$233. For example, a GTX 950 blows any integrated graphics out of the water, and those older cards with less VRAM weren't even used for mining.

AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650 tray + cooler, s. AM4, 100-100000143MPK
091.500.089
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$555
1 * $555
Asrock B450 Gaming K4, 90-MXB8A0-A0UAYZ, AM4
Asrock B450 Gaming K4, 90-MXB8A0-A0UAYZ, AM4
094.500.098
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$241
1 * $241
DDR4 16GB (2x8) Crucial 3200MHz Ballistix Sport Black, BL2K8G32C16U4B
DDR4 16GB (2x8) Crucial 3200MHz Ballistix Sport Black, BL2K8G32C16U4B
096.100.773
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$282
1 * $282
Crucial SSD 480GB BX500, SATA3, CT480BX500SSD1
Crucial SSD 480GB BX500, SATA3, CT480BX500SSD1
098.600.151
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$159
1 * $159
LC Power 650W GreenPower4 LC6650GP4 V2.4 S-Modular 80+ Gold
LC Power 650W GreenPower4 LC6650GP4 V2.4 S-Modular 80+ Gold
101.100.299
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$248
1 * $248
Aerocool Shard, acrylic window, Mid Tower, RGB, ACCM-PV14012.11
Aerocool Shard, acrylic window, Mid Tower, RGB, ACCM-PV14012.11
100.300.575
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$122
1 * $122

So, it looks like this $1608 at Best Buy

Thomas Wells5 said:AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650 tray + cooler, s. AM4, 100-100000143MPK
091.500.089
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$555
1 * $555
Asrock B450 Gaming K4, 90-MXB8A0-A0UAYZ, AM4
Asrock B450 Gaming K4, 90-MXB8A0-A0UAYZ, AM4
094.500.098
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$241
1 * $241
DDR4 16GB (2x8) Crucial 3200MHz Ballistix Sport Black, BL2K8G32C16U4B
DDR4 16GB (2x8) Crucial 3200MHz Ballistix Sport Black, BL2K8G32C16U4B
096.100.773
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$282
1 * $282
Crucial SSD 480GB BX500, SATA3, CT480BX500SSD1
Crucial SSD 480GB BX500, SATA3, CT480BX500SSD1
098.600.151
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$159
1 * $159
LC Power 650W GreenPower4 LC6650GP4 V2.4 S-Modular 80+ Gold
LC Power 650W GreenPower4 LC6650GP4 V2.4 S-Modular 80+ Gold
101.100.299
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$248
1 * $248
Aerocool Shard, acrylic window, Mid Tower, RGB, ACCM-PV14012.11
Aerocool Shard, acrylic window, Mid Tower, RGB, ACCM-PV14012.11
100.300.575
Remove from cart
1
-
+
$122
1 * $122

So, it looks like this $1608 at Best Buy

That SSD—you could grab a 500GB one for less, but since you're already looking at an SSD priced over $267, just go with a 1TB NVMe instead.

Regarding the power supplies, pick based on how much headroom you want, but I wouldn't put LC Power in a gaming rig. Pretty sure that price for the LC Power is a typo. A 500W Seasonic is a much better call.

btw, Best Buy won't apply that 10% discount until you hit checkout.

If you're looking to upgrade to a better GPU, like a new 1650, then this is definitely a best buy.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pc-builds...70229/product/

$1867

Alexander Moore67 said:If you're looking to upgrade to a better GPU, like a new 1650, then this is definitely a best buy.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pc-builds...70229/product/

$1867

👍👍

Alexander Moore67 said:If you're looking to upgrade to a better GPU, like a new 1650, then this is definitely a best buy.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pc-builds...70229/product/

$1867

The power draw tops out at around 200W, so the specific PSU shouldn't be much of an issue.