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The Best $1000 Content Creation PC Build – April 2023

The Best $1000 Content Creation PC Build – April 2023

By Ari Altman | Published April 2, 2023 | Updated April 2, 2023

SilverStone Fara B1Your Ticket to Pro-Level Content Creation on a Budget!

Looking for the best video editing/content creation PC build you can buy for $1,000? You just found it! While content creation isn’t anything new, in the past it’s been the domain of agencies that could invest in a fleet of overpriced Mac Pros. For all you folks doing content creation at home or on the side, money spent on an overpriced content creation PC comes straight out of your bottom line.

But there’s no need to overspend! This guide will set you up with a PC build perfect for video or photo editing that provides excellent performance, quiet operation, and ease of assembly, all at a great price. And take note, this build also serves as our top recommendation for a Stock Trading PC at the $1000 pricepoint. In short, if you’re ready for a PC build that can handle any professional task you could throw at it, follow this guide to get the best component picks.

This Month’s Build, Powered by Intel!

For April 2023, this build utilizes Intel’s impressive 13th-Gen platform, specifically the Core i5-13600K, a 14-core, 20-thread powerhouse that beats previous-gen Core i7 chips as well as everything AMD currently offers in its price range. Importantly, it has integrated Intel graphics, making it the ultimate tool for content creators on a budget. You can get up and running without worrying about the added expense of a separate video card, which would eat up far too much of a $1,000 budget, cutting into overall performance.

Keeping this system fed with data is 32GB of ultra-fast DDR5-6000 RAM, which will accelerate both CPU and GPU tasks, along with a high-speed 1TB NVMe solid-state drive that’s perfect for content creation use. The PC is housed in a stylish SilverStone mid-tower case, utilizes a quiet tower cooler from Scythe, and is powered by an efficient and capable power supply.

Parting Thoughts

If you need a monitor or peripherals, we have some great recommendations for you at the end of this guide, but you can also check out our dedicated monitor buyer’s guide and peripherals buyer’s guide. Note that throughout our this and all of our guides, we provide direct links to Amazon or Newegg for our US readers, and our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers in the UK, Canada, and a number of countries in the EU, with substitutions made based on availability. To support this site, please use these links if you purchase any of the products we list.

Required Components

  • Intel Core i5-13600KF
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    Intel Core i5-13600K

    $320
    The 13600K is simply revolutionary at its pricepoint. With a total of 14 cores (6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores), and a total of 20 threads (yes, it’s getting hard to keep up!), it can handle just about anything. In an instant, it made nearly AMD’s entire product stack irrelevant!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Make sure you don't go for the 13600KF, which has no built-in graphics and will not work in this system!
  • Gigabyte Z790 UD AC
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte Z790 UD AC

    $195
    Gigabyte packs tons of value into its Ultra Durable “UD” series motherboard, and this Socket 1700 model is a perfect match for Intel’s latest CPUs. It features three M.2 slots (all being Gen 4 x4), a PCIe Gen 5 video card slot, ten USB ports (including a Type-C port), and integrated WiFi.

    The Guru’s Tip

    You'll be able to output to two UHD displays simultaneously using this board's HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 ports in conjunction with the graphics built into the CPU.
  • G.Skill Ripjaws S5
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 CL30

    $120
    For the ultimate in speed, you must go with DDR5 RAM, but not just any DDR5 RAM, because you need high-frequency DDR5 to blow past DDR4 RAM performance. And that’s what you get with G.Skill’s Ripjaws S5 kit, running at DDR5-6000 with timings of 30-40-40-96 at 1.35V. This is the real deal when it comes to DDR5 performance!

    The Guru’s Tip

    We have spec'd a DDR5 motherboard, so you must make sure to get DDR5 memory. DDR5 is much faster than DDR4, and they are not interchangeable.
  • WD Blue SN570
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    WD Blue SN570 1TB NVMe

    $46
    WD knocked it out of the park with its high-performance yet bargain-priced SN570. Optimized for excellent real-world performance thanks to WD’s years of SSD development, it easily keeps up with much more expensive drives. This 1TB model can provide sequential read speeds of 3500MB/s and write speeds of 3500MB/s. Note that you’ll need a jeweler’s-type screwdriver to affix it.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is priced like many 500GB drives, making it an exceptional deal for content creators who need space on a budget!
  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    Silverstone Fara B1 RGB

    $70
    The bargain-priced case offers tremendous features and style for the price. It has dual 120mm RGB fans to provide cooling and modern looks, along with a tempered glass side panel, a sleekly-styled front panel with ample venting, plus three USB ports on top.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Thanks to the front- and rear-mounted fans in this chassis, there's no need to get another fan!
  • Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Silverstone ET550-B

    $60
    This PSU easily beats every competitor in its price class, offering top-notch quality and Bronze-rated efficiency. With 550W of power on tap, this unit has plenty of headroom to keep this system going for years, even with significant upgrades, including more powerful video cards.

    The Guru’s Tip

    While many lower-cost PSUs are of questionable quality, this is the real deal!
  • Scythe Kotetsu Mark 3
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Scythe Kotetsu Mark 3

    $30
    This cooler is the perfect pick for a mainstream PC Build. It offers great styling thanks to the black fan and top plate, robust cooling potential courtesy of the fall fin stack, and nearly-silent operation, provided by the excellent Scythe Kaze Flex II fan, among the best 120mm fans on the market! The quality of this high-end fan alone makes this cooler an absolute bargain!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This cooler has the socket 1700 bracket you'll need for the cutting-edge Intel CPU right in the box.
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home (USB)

    $136
    Windows 11 take everything people loved about Windows 10, and then takes it to 11! It adds significant under-the-hood changes to make it faster and more secure, and of course, the interface is sleek too! This version ships on a convenient USB stick, allowing it to be easily installed by just plugging it in.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 11 is definitely what you want on a system running Intel's latest hybrid processors!

Optional Products

  • Logitech MK735
    Click to Buy
    The Deluxe Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo –

    Logitech MK735 Keyboard/Mouse Combo

    $72
    This combo includes two great Logitech products at one great price. The keyboard has built-in media keys and a wrist rest, along with a handy LCD display to show status of various options like caps and num lock. The mouse is ergonomically designed and offers 7 customizable buttons. Both peripherals connect to your PC with a single tiny, Logitech Unifying USB receiver.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This wireless kit uses a single USB receiver for both devices, freeing up a port for other USB peripherals.
  • LG32UN650
    Click to Buy
    The 32-inch 4K Monitor –

    LG 32UN550-W

    $330
    Looking for the best high-end content creation monitor available at a bargain price? This is it! It gives you a great view of your desktop, thanks to its massive 32″ 4K panel! It also includes a highly-adjustable stand for proper ergonomics.

    The Guru’s Tip

    The value this monitor offers to content creators can't be overstated!
  • Click to Buy
    Webcam –

    Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam

    $70
    Need to use your PC for video conferencing? No problem! Just add this high-quality 1080p webcam from Logitech, which includes a built-in microphone. Just remember that if your monitor doesn’t have built-in speakers, you’ll also need stand-alone speakers for web conferencing to work. We’re amazed at the number of people who use headphones for video conferencing when it’s so much more professional to use gear attached to your PC, rather than your head!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This has a microphone built in, but in order to teleconference, you'll still need headphones to hear, or alternatively speakers, such as the ones below.
  • Click to Buy
    The Basic PC Speakers –

    Creative Pebble 2.0

    $19
    Because desktop PCs, unlike laptops, don’t have internal speakers, we recommend you pick up Creative’s Pebble kit. Whether it’s music, You Tube videos, TV, or movies, Pebble will sound great.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Note that despite the name, these are far larger than a pebble!
  • HyperX Cloud
    Click to Buy
    The Budget Wireless PC Headset –

    HyperX Cloud Stinger Core

    $60
    HyperX absolutely revolutionized the budget gaming headset market with the Stinger series, and the Cloud Stinger Core is its budget wireless offering. It has an ultra-lightweight design, 40mm drivers, and a convenient swing-down mic for better control. With up to 17 hours of battery life, it will go all day and then some!

    The Guru’s Tip

    We really value wireless connectivity on headsets when doing content creation, as we're never at our desk for too long!

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