[SOLVED] New build: 2D/3D CAD Workstation Under $2000

Dec 31, 2020
5
1
15
First things first - Wishing you a happy 2021!

Approximate Purchase Date: first weeks of 2021
Budget Range: 2000$
System Usage from Most to Least Important: 2D/3D CAD (AutoCAD Civil 3d), gaming
Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: will buy at a local online shop if parts won't be sold out
Country: Latvia
Parts Preferences: -
Overclocking:
Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: No
Monitor Resolution: currently - 2560 × 1080
Additional Comments: most probably will buy a new monitor @ 2560 × 1440 few weeks laters, suggestions are welcome.

Here's what I've put togother. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-10700KF 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor ($329.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X63 98.17 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z490-E GAMING ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($280.67 @ Amazon)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($94.97 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB GAMING OC PRO Video Card ($905.00 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case ($65.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($124.99 @ Best Buy)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($139.88 @ Other World Computing)
Total: $2271.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-01-01 05:34 EST-0500
 
Last edited by a moderator:
First things first - Wishing you a happy 2021!

Approximate Purchase Date: first weeks of 2021
Budget Range: 2000$
System Usage from Most to Least Important: 2D/3D CAD (AutoCAD Civil 3d), gaming
Parts Not Required: keyboard, mouse
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: will buy at a local online shop if parts won't be sold out
Country: Latvia
Parts Preferences: -
Overclocking:
Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: No
Monitor Resolution: currently - 2560 × 1080
Additional Comments: most probably will buy a new monitor @ 2560 × 1440 few weeks laters, suggestions are welcome.

Here's what I've put togother. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-10700KF 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor ($329.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X63 98.17 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($134.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z490-E GAMING ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($280.67 @ Amazon)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($94.97 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB GAMING OC PRO Video Card ($905.00 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case ($65.98 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair RM (2019) 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($124.99 @ Best Buy)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($139.88 @ Other World Computing)
Total: $2271.45
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-01-01 05:34 EST-0500
It's not a bad case, it's just not the best. If you want you can change to something like a P400A or L2Mesh
 
  • Like
Reactions: a-gris
Thanks, @Prad_Bitt and @Djoza

Already wanted to ask, if Liqued Freezer II 240 compatible with LGA1200 socket, but the found the answer here.

Speaking of switching the case - I assume the ones you offerd has better thermal performance and lower noise levels?
Thermal performance definitely. Noise level, I'm not sure. Gamers Nexus did a review on all of these. (H500, not the H510 but same difference) you can check those out
 
Dec 31, 2020
5
1
15
So for now the build looks like this:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i7-10700KF 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor ($359.99 @ Walmart)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 56.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z490-E GAMING ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($285.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston HyperX Fury 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($95.02 @ Amazon)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($54.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB GAMING OC PRO Video Card
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P400A ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic PRIME 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($149.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $1255.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-01-01 11:51 EST-0500


Switched PSU from Corsair RM (2019) to SeaSonic PRIME 750 W as I wanted to buy all in one shop, but it was not available.
Total: EUR 1864.98
 
Dec 31, 2020
5
1
15
Update on final build:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: Intel Core i5-10600K 4.1 GHz 6-Core Processor ($259.99 @ B&H)
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 72.8 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($114.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z490-E GAMING ATX LGA1200 Motherboard ($285.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory ($83.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($139.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate IronWolf NAS 2 TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive ($79.99 @ Adorama)
Video Card: Asus GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card ($932.49 @ Amazon)
Case: Phanteks Eclipse P400A ATX Mid Tower Case ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair RMx (2018) 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($125.99 @ Best Buy)
Total: $2093.41
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-01-02 11:48 EST-0500


  1. Switched CPU to i5-10600KF as it performs quite close or even better than i7-10700KF, and I guess the extra 2 cores won't be that much of a use for me.
  2. Switched CPU cooler to Liquid II 280 instead of Liquid II 240 as it isn't so noisy and it still fits in P400A
  3. Switched HDD to IronWolf instead of Barracuda - again because of the noise and possible usage in NAS
  4. Most PSU's are out of stock so took what is available, 650W sould be enough even when OC CPU

Hope this helps someone

BTW, got stuck for a while on workstation vs gaming GPU debate. Main reason to choose worksation GPU is that they are tailored for CAD and there are supposed to be less crashes. And supposedly a fix for common issues. Did not "buy it" and went for saving a bit money, hope I won't regret it