The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $2000 High-End Content Creation PC Build – January 2023

The Best $2000 High-End Content Creation PC Build – January 2023

By Ari Altman | Published December 25, 2022 | Updated December 25, 2022

Seta A1Calling All Serious Content Creators!

If you’re looking to put together the ultimate video editing PC at a mainstream price, this is the guide for you! Rather than try to tweak gaming-focused builds to make them a better match for heavy Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and similar application use, just build one that’s designed for content creation from the start! Sure, you could game on this system, but the components have been chosen specifically to maximize application performance and minimize noise, which is what we think professional video editors will value the most.

This Month’s Build, Featuring AMD and Nvidia!

For January 2023, the High-End Content Creation swaps over to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, a 12-core, 24-thread productivity powerhouse. After a big price cut, it’s now the clear choice over the slower, more power hungry Intel Core i7-13700KF CPU that we previously recommended. The 7900X is massively fast in both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications. For graphics, this system features the potent Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB GPU, which offers a huge amount of of app acceleration capability, along with simultaneous support for up to four 4K monitors!

Backing up the CPU and GPU is 32GB of ultra-high-speed DDR5-6000 RAM and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive, offering extraordinary I/O throughput. To put the finishing touches on this build, we suggest you equip it with an efficient fully-modular power supply, install it in the quiet, professionally-styled SilverStone Seta A1 case, and cool it with the legendary Noctua NH-D15 tower cooler. This will give you a silent-running, workstation-class system.

Parting Thoughts

If you’re looking to complete your system, you’ll find our recommendations on the perfect peripherals for a content creation PC later on this page. We use Amazon affiliate links for our readers in the US, which will auto-convert for our readers in the UK, Canada, and parts of the EU, with regional substitutions made automatically based on availability. To support this site, please use these links if you purchase any of the products we list.

Required Components

  • AMD Ryzen 7900X
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

    $420
    AMD has done it again with Zen 4, simply smashing through performance barrier in all respects. The 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 9 7900X is up to 15% faster in games and 30% faster in content creation than its predecessor, while offering the latest connectivity standards thanks to the AM5 platform.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Of note, this CPU has built-in graphics, so the motherboard can support a monitor without a graphics card installed, but of course we're adding one in this build for acceleration and much more robust connectivity options.
  • MSI X670-P
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    MSI Pro X670-P WiFi

    $290
    This feature-rich X670 board from MSI allows you to tap into the potential of AMD’s cutting-edge AM5 platform at a great price. You get a potent 14+2+1 Phase power solution, a PCIe Gen 4 video card slot plus three additional slots, and four M.2 slots (one being Gen 5, the others Gen 4). On the back you have 8 USB ports, two being Type-C, and one of these being a blazing-fast 20Gbps port, plus built-in WiFi 6E. Topping it off is the high-end Realtek ALC4080 audio codec.
    The Guru’s Tip

    As with all AM5 boards, this one requires DDR5 memory, and we have the ideal match in this guide.
  • Zotac RTX 3060 Ti
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    Zotac GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge 8GB

    $410
    The GeForce 3060 Ti 8GB Twin Edge from Zotac offers tremendous performance at a great price, along with impressive energy efficiency and compact overall dimensions.
    The Guru’s Tip

    With its HDMI 2.1 port and triple DisplayPort 1.4 outputs, this card can support up to four 4K monitors simultaneously, and it will provide a huge boost in rendering and other GPU-intensive tasks!
  • G.Skill Flare X5
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Flare X5 DDR5-6000 CL32 EXPO

    $165
    To get the most out of AMD’s latest CPUs, you want fast RAM, and DDR5-6000 is the sweetspot not only in terms of price, but in terms of the AM5 platform. It allows for the highest overall performance thanks to running in 1:1 sync with the memory controller. And this Flare X5 kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the enhanced 32-38-38-96 AMD EXPO timings.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Remember to engage the EXPO profile in the motherboard's UEFI to get the most out of this fast RAM.
  • WD Black SN850X
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    WD_Black SN850X 2TB NVMe

    $180
    WD took its vaunted SN850 and endowed with even greater speed, creating the 850X. Powered by amazingly-fast NAND flash, and offering transfer speeds up to 7,300MB/s, it’s the one you want!
    The Guru’s Tip

    The speed of this drive will be put to good use in a serious content creation machine. If you'd like to split out your OS and swap drive for even better throughput, just pick up two 1TB drives.
  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    SilverStone Seta A1 Silver

    $135
    The Seta A1 from SilverStone is a true watershed product in the case market. Designed around maximizing airflow while providing a professional exterior, the Seta A1 does something no other case can do: give you maximum performance, ultra-quiet operation, and a stylish aluminum front panel all in one package. The key to the A1’s excellent performance are the dual 200mm fans hidden behind that front panel, which spin at a maximum of just 800RPM, meaning they’re far quieter than typical 120mm fans, while producing tremendous airflow.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This case was originally designed as a gaming case, but its professional looks and ultra-quiet operation make it perfect for a content creation PC.
  • Corsair RM650
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Corsair RM650

    $95
    Corsair offers a ton of value in its RM line, and this model is no exception. You get 650W of Gold-rated power, fully-modular cables, and a fan that doesn’t even spin at low loads for total silence. The best part: a full 10-year warranty.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The price on this quality unit is well below its lower-wattage, lower-efficiency competitors!
  • Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black

    $110
    Noctua has always dominated when it comes to air-based cooling performance, and if you want nothing but the very best in high-powered air cooling, you want the NH-D15. The latest chromax.Black edition of course comes in all-black, which means you don’t have to make excuses for Noctua’s odd beige color schemes anymore! It’s the best air cooler on the market, period, and can beat nearly every 240mm liquid cooler too!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This cooler has all the necessary mounting hardware for the AM5 platform.
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home USB

    $139
    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!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Win11 is definitely what you want on a new PC!

Optional Products

  • Click to Buy
    Sound Card –

    Creative Sound Blaster AE-7

    $210
    If you’re serious about audio, you’ll want to add a dedicated sound card to your system. The AE-7 from Sound Blaster features an astounding 127db signal-to-noise ratio, an ESS SABRE-class 9018 DAC, along with an Audio Control Module (ACM) that incorporates a built-in microphone array and mic/headphone I/O connections, plus a control knob to adjust the headphone levels.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Stepping up to a dedicated sound card is a good choice if you do a lot of audio work.
  • Click to Buy
    The Ultimate Business Keyboard –

    Logitech MX Keys Wireless Illuminated Keyboard

    $120
    The sleek, full-featured keyboard is our top pick for serious office productivity use. The low-profile keys and metal frame give it a very professional look and feel, along with a solid typing experience. It also offers backlighting to make typing in the dimly-lit conditions easier, and being wireless, you can easily move it out of the way when you need more desk space. Finally, Logitech’s Flow Control software allows you to use it on multiple systems simultaneously!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Logitech really leapfrogged the competition when it released this keyboard, and no one is close to catching up!
  • Click to Buy
    The Deluxe Wireless Mouse –

    Logitech MX Master 3S

    $100
    Nothing can bog you down faster than a mouse tangled up on its cord. So we strongly recommend a wireless mouse, but not just any wireless mouse – the MX Master 3S from Logitech has an incredibly comfortable profile, ideal for use all day long, along with the most innovative scroll wheel ever to make its way onto a mouse. Its built-in battery will last up to 70 days before needing a charge, and the 3S can even track on glass, thanks to its highly-optimized 8000dpi sensor!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Perhaps the coolest feature of this mouse from a content creator's perspective is the Flow cross-computer control, which allows you to work seamlessly on three computers without the need for a KVM switch.
  • Click to Buy
    The Deluxe PC Headset –

    Corsair Virtuoso Wireless Headset

    $174
    Combining ultra-high-end performance with incredible comfort, this wireless headset from Corsair is the ideal all-day companion for listening to the latest market news. This headset also has an audiophile-grade microphone, perfect for teleconferencing. Free free to check out our full review right here!
    The Guru’s Tip

    We've used this as our daily driver since it was released, and we have no intention of ever giving it up!
  • LG32UN650
    Click to Buy
    The 32-inch Professional 4K Monitor –

    LG 32UN650-W

    $430
    This sleek monitor from LG features a 32″ IPS panel that can produce 95% of the DCI-P3 Color Gamut and is color calibrated from the factory. It’s nearly borderless for a sleek look and has a height-adjustable stand to provide great ergonomics.
    The Guru’s Tip

    We figure that any serious content creator is going to want a true 4K monitor rather than a standard or ultra-wide 1440p monitor.

Pin It on Pinterest