The Best $1000 Content Creation PC Build – January 2023
Your Decemberto 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 January 2023, this build features the Intel Core i7-12700K, a 12-core, 20-thread powerhouse of a CPU equipped with integrated Intel graphics. It’s the ultimate tool for content creators on a budget, thanks to a recent price cut. The built-in video allows you to 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 and powered by an efficient and quiet 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
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CPU –Intel Core i7-12700K
$303The Guru’s TipIntel reclaims the gaming lead with its 12th-Gen “Alder Lake” CPUs, and the 12700K is the CPU to get for extreme performance without going overboard on cost. It handily beats the previous-gen darlings, AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 9 5900X, and is nearly as fast as Intel’s top-end 12900K for a lot less money!Make sure you don't go for the 12700KF, which has no built-in graphics and will not work in this system!
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Motherboard –MSI PRO Z690-A WiFi
$230The Guru’s TipMSI as usual packs tons of value into its “A” series motherboard, and this Socket 1700 model is a perfect match for Intel’s latest CPUs. It features four M.2 slots (three being Gen 4), a PCIe Gen 5 video card slot, eight USB ports (including a Type-C port), and integrated WiFi 6E.You'll be able to output to two UHD displays simultaneously using this board's HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.2 ports in conjunction with the graphics built into the CPU.
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Memory –G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C36
$150The Guru’s TipFor a cutting-edge PC, you need DDR5 RAM, but not just any DDR5 RAM, because you want high-frequency DDR5 to blow past DDR4 RAM performance. And that’s what you get with this kit, running at DDR4-6000 with timings of 36-36-36-96 at 1.35V. This is the real deal when it comes to DDR5 performance!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.
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Solid-State Drive –Silicon Power 1TB NVMe
$52The Guru’s TipYou simply can’t do better for the price than this value-packed SSD, which uses the speedy PCIe 3.0 interface and TLC NAND to vastly outperform all the SATA drives that sell for around the same amount! Note that to install this drive, you’ll affix it in an M.2 slot on your motherboard using a jeweler’s-type screwdriver.This is priced like many 500GB drives, making it an exceptional deal for content creators who need space on a budget!
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Case –Silverstone Fara B1 RGB
$70The Guru’s TipThe 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.Thanks to the front- and rear-mounted fans in this chassis, there's no need to get another fan!
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Power Supply –Silverstone ET550-B
$56The Guru’s TipThis 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.While many lower-cost PSUs are of questionable quality, this is the real deal!
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CPU Cooler –DeepCool AK400
$35The Guru’s TipThis cooler is the perfect pick for a mainstream PC Build. It offers robust cooling potential and nearly-silent operation thanks to an excellent heavily-swept, 9-blade fan design.This cooler has the socket 1700 bracket you'll need for the cutting-edge Intel CPU right in the box.
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Operating System –Windows 11 Home USB
$139The Guru’s TipWindows 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!Windows 11 is definitely what you want on a system running Intel's latest hybrid processors!
Optional Products
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The Deluxe Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo –Logitech MK735 Keyboard/Mouse Combo
$72 The Guru’s TipThis wireless kit uses a single USB receiver for both devices, freeing up a port for other USB peripherals.
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The 32-inch 4K Monitor –LG 32UN550-W
$297 The Guru’s TipThe value this monitor offers to content creators can't be overstated!
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Webcam –Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam
$70 The Guru’s TipThis 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.
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The Basic PC Speakers –Creative Pebble 2.0
$19 The Guru’s TipNote that despite the name, these are far larger than a pebble!
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The Budget Wireless PC Headset –SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
$100 The Guru’s TipWe really value wireless connectivity on headsets when doing content creation, as we're never at our desk for too long!
Total Cost: $1035
Required Components
- CPU – Intel Core i7-12700K ($303)
- Motherboard – MSI PRO Z690-A WiFi ($230)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C36 ($150)
- Solid-State Drive – Silicon Power 1TB NVMe ($52)
- Case – Silverstone Fara B1 RGB ($70)
- Power Supply – Silverstone ET550-B ($56)
- CPU Cooler – DeepCool AK400 ($35)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home USB ($139)
Optional Products
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The TBG DIY PC Build Guides
View all of TBG’s DIY PC Build Guides! This is where you’ll find all the best PC builds on the ‘net, from ultra-compact home office PCs to massive gaming towers.
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The Monitor Buyer's Guide
Upgrade the view for your PC with a new monitor - we list the best in our buyer's guide!
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Speaker & Headset Buyer's Guide
Upgrade your audio experience with our top-rated picks among speakers, headsets, and mics!
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The Wireless Networking Buyer's Guide
Need to upgrade your home network to get the most of your new PC? Check out our picks!