The Best $5,000 Professional Content Creation PC Build – May 2022
Compute at the Speed of Light!
If you’re looking for a PC offering professional-level computational performance to the extreme, then this is the build for you. With a budget of $5,000, you can max out just about everything, without venturing too far into the land of diminishing returns. And by the way, if you came here looking to game… well, we suggest you jump to our $5000 Dream Machine Gaming PC Build, as it’s optimized exclusively for gaming at the same pricepoint!
This Month’s Build, Featuring AMD and Nvidia
For May 2022, our Professional Content Creation PC Build feature the jaw-dropping AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core processor, cooled by a massive 360mm liquid cooler. Backing up the processor is the massively-fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB, which offers plenty of brawn for any content creation task.
As for storage, this system offers up a total of 8TB of ultra-fast PCIe Gen 4 storage, split between two 4TB SSDs, which will keep up with any workflow. The system is also maxed out in the memory department, with 128GB of DDR4-3600 RAM. Powering the system is a 1000W Platinum-rated power supply, and for the chassis, we go with the professionally-styled SilverStone Seta Q1, the quietest case ever designed!
Parting Thoughts
We provide direct links to Amazon US and Newegg for each product, and our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers in the UK, Canada, and parts of the EU, with regional substitutions made when necessary. To help support the continued development of this guide, please use the links we provide if you purchase products we recommend.
The Pre-Built Option
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The Workstation PC –Empowered PC Sentinel Workstation PC 5950X/RTX 3090
$3800This pre-built professional PC is packed with premium components that will get you working (or gaming) at warp speed! These include an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core, 32-thread processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 24GB video card, and 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. In terms of storage, you’ll get a 1TB NVMe solid-state drive plus a 3TB hard drive for file storage. The system is anchored by an 850W Gold-rated power supply, and is pre-loaded with Windows 10 Pro x64.
The Guru’s TipThis system is spec'd out very similarly to our DIY build, so if you're not up for building a PC yourself, it's a great option. Where it falls behind is in SSD and RAM capacity, but you can add to that down the line if you need to.
The DIY Build
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CPU –AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
$549 The Guru’s TipThere is no better all-around CPU for content creation than the 5950X!
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Motherboard –Gigabyte X570S Aero G
$320 The Guru’s TipThis board is specifically designed for content creation, as shown by its incredible M.2 drive capacity, robust USB connectivity, and professional styling.
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Memory –G.SKILL 4x32GB Trident Z DDR4-3600 CL18
$580 The Guru’s TipThis extreme capacity kit will mean you never have to worry about running out of memory while creating!
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Video Card –Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC 12GB
$1200 The Guru’s TipThis card is by far the best choice for adding massive content-creation acceleration!
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Solid-State Drive –Corsair MP600 Pro XT 4TB
$800 The Guru’s TipMount this in the top M.2 slot and use it as your OS drive.
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Solid-State Drive –
Second Corsair MP600 Pro XT 4TB
$800 The Guru’s TipWith the two recommended drives installed, you'll have 8TB of capacity, plus another two M.2 slots still available for future upgrades!
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Case –SilverStone Seta Q1
$205 The Guru’s TipThis is the perfect chassis for a serious content creation system!
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Power Supply –be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1000W
$210 The Guru’s TipThis PSU has plenty of headroom to allow maximum loads on the CPU and GPU simultaneously, as often occurs during content creation.
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CPU Cooler –Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360
$125 The Guru’s TipMount this cooler to the top of the chassis, and remove the case's pre-installed sound-dampening panel. The system will still be plenty quiet thanks to the great design of this cooler!
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Operating System –Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Flash Drive
$200 The Guru’s TipWindows 11 is being offered by Microsoft as a simple, free downloadable update to all Win10 owners.
Optional Products
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The 38-inch Ultra-Wide Productivity Monitor –LG 38WP85C-W
$1297 The Guru’s TipWhile there many form factors for big monitors out there, we think this 38" ultra-wide model will suit a professional content creation system best.
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Keyboard –Logitech G815 Mechanical Keyboard (Linear)
$181 The Guru’s TipThis is our favorite keyboard for content creation - it's sleek, responsive, and quiet.
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The Deluxe Wireless Mouse –Logitech MX Master 3
$100 The Guru’s TipLogitech has packed a tremendous amount of innovation into this mouse, specifically for content creators!
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The Deluxe PC Headset –Corsair Virtuoso Wireless Headset
$180 The Guru’s TipThe microphone on this headset is better than what you'll find on any other wireless headset, period.
Total Cost: $4989
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 5950X ($549)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte X570S Aero G ($320)
- Memory – G.SKILL 4x32GB Trident Z DDR4-3600 CL18 ($580)
- Video Card – Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC 12GB ($1200)
- Solid-State Drive – Corsair MP600 Pro XT 4TB ($800)
- Solid-State Drive – Second Corsair MP600 Pro XT 4TB ($800)
- Case – SilverStone Seta Q1 ($205)
- Power Supply – be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1000W ($210)
- CPU Cooler – Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 ($125)
- Operating System – Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Flash Drive ($200)
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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
Looking for the best professional monitors on the market? Our guide will get you set up!
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The Speaker & Headset Buyer's Guide
Every content creator needs a great audio setup, and we list our favorite gear in this guide!
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The Wireless Networking Buyer's Guide
Don't let an old network slow your sweet new PC down, upgrade to an ultra-fast router today!