The Tech Buyer's Guru

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

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

By Ari Altman | Published April 8, 2023 | Updated April 8, 2023

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 April 2023, the High-End Content Creation takes advantage of price cuts to run faster than ever before. It still relies on the multi-threading king, AMD’s stellar Ryzen 9 7950X, a 16-core, 32-thread productivity powerhouse. It matches Intel’s best while being far more efficient. For graphics, this system features the potent Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 8GB GPU, which provides plenty 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 (using the fastest CL30 timings available), and the best PCIe Gen 4 SSD ever released, Samsung’s 990 Pro 2TB, which offers 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 7950X

    $586
    AMD has done it again with Zen 4, simply smashing through performance barrier in all respects. The 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 7950X 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.
  • Gigabyte X670 Aorus
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX

    $273
    This feature-rich X670 board from Gigabyte allows you to tap into the potential of AMD’s cutting-edge AM5 platform at a great price. You get a potent 16+2+2 Phase power solution, a PCIe Gen 4 video card slot plus two additional slots, and four M.2 slots (one being Gen 5, the others Gen 4). On the back you have an incredible 13 USB ports, one being a blazing-fast 20Gbps Type-C port, plus built-in WiFi 6E.

    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 3050
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    Zotac GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Twin Edge

    $290
    The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers a cost-effective solution for gaming or content creation, and this model packs in additional value thanks to its highly-effective and ultra-quiet cooler.

    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 Trident Z5 Neo
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO

    $140
    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 Trident Z5 Neo kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the extraordinary 30-38-38-96 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.
  • Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Samsung 990 Pro 2TB

    $190
    For primary storage, you don’t just want high-end, you want ultra-high-end, and that means going for the 990 Pro PCIe 4.0. It offers mind-blowing performance, up to 7,450MB/s read and 6,900MB/s, plus blistering random speeds that no other drive can touch. The 990 Pro will go down in history as the drive that truly maxed out the PCIe Gen 4 bus. Want something faster, you’ll have to wait for next gen!

    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.
  • Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    SilverStone ST75F-GS-V3 Gold

    $128
    Offering up 750W of power and top-notch build quality, this PSU is a great value among high-end models. Thanks to its fully-modular cables and compact design, it’s very easy to install, allowing you to minimize cable clutter by leaving out cables you don’t need for this build. The best part: thanks to its Gold-rated efficiency, the power supply will operate in virtual silence!

    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

    $120
    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, and is the perfect choice for cooling the potent 7950X processor.
  • 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

    Win11 is definitely what you want on a new PC!

Optional Products

  • Click to Buy
    Sound Card –

    Creative Sound Blaster AE-7

    $203
    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 SE

    $170
    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!
  • ViewSonic VP3256
    Click to Buy
    The 32-inch Professional 4K Monitor –

    ViewSonic VP3256-4K

    $500
    Pair your content creation machine with a monitor that will let your work shine! The awesome ViewSonic VP3256 is a 32″ 4K IPS  monitor that achieves 100% sRGB gamut coverage, 95% Adobe RGB and Delta E<2 accuracy, and is Pantone-validated for tremendous color accuracy! It even has USB-C 60W power delivery, so you can connect your laptop and charge it at the same time!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Any content creator will want a big 4K monitor to work with, and this one is that and a whole lot more!

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