UGNX and Solidworks are about equal as far as the drafting end goes. UGNX pulls way ahead in the way of modeling. Both systems model similar, and both are equal until you start getting into complex and or imperfect models. Solidworks is easy to make choke. UG is hard to make choke.
UGNX and Mastercam are about equal when it comes to machining text. That's where it ends. One thing with Mastercam is when things go wrong, your not sure if it's your technique or if the system has a bug. With UGNX...it's you. The 4-5 axis toolpath is generations ahead of mastercam.
******************UGNX and Solidworks are about equal as far as how hard it is to learn in the drafting end. The Modeling end is a little bit harder with UGNX. Solidworks tends to guide you along, to the point of it being annoying. Up and running semi-efficient on your own with solidworks is prolly a month. With UG 2-3 months.
Mastercam is actually harder than people give it credit for. If you walk up to mastercam with no training, you will be in a bad mood before the day is out. UGNX is a bit harder. The reasons are many...one is the help files. The cast tutorials are weak on manufacturing, pushing feature machining the whole time screwing up the tutorials. And the general help files are basically hard to find. There's a ton of help, but it's hard to find what your looking for at first.
*********Price.
Solidworks/Mastercam together is like 8-10 grand (I think). But the real cost of software is the learning curve. Solidworks has none, mastercam has a semi-small one, and UGNX has a long curve. UGNX is 10 times the price of those two pieces of software together.
********Gains...
Nobody gives a shit if you have mastercam or solidworks, it's like having excel or notepad. But UGNX is different. Companies will actually do work with you on the sole reason of you having and using UGNX. That alone makes the cost unimportant in the big picture.
*******UGNX rocks! I hope the stuff loves me half as much as I love it!