Last time I built a computer Facebook was limited to college students only.. so its been awhile. I started looking around on pcpartpicker and quickly had a $2500+ computer build. So instead I am seeking the wisdom of TexAgs.

Use case:

My kids play mine-craft/roblox, but otherwise gaming is limited. We are currently using a Laptop from 2019 with integrated graphics. However I frequently host online webinars/presentations and ideally I would like to use OBS studio (or something) to screen record, virtual cam, etc. I usually have PowerPoint and multiple tabs opened at the same time. Currently when I start doing this type of stuff my computer lags and audio becomes very choppy.

I would also like to start messing around with video/image editing, but I would be starting from zero so probably don't need the latest greatest video card.

Other than an Ipad and phone I have never used an Apple product so I have hesitation on learning a new OS. I also have a hard time paying the higher prices. BUT I am open to that if their tech is so much better for my specific instance. I keep hearing that the M-processors are so vastly superior? We are a google suite of tools family and would stay that way.

Definitely dual screens. Would love a 3rd screen if possible.

While I would love another laptop they seem to get expensive quickly for anything mid-grade and up. I don't mind a tower and then just continuing to use my laptop/ipad for travel.

I have no idea how to set a budget for this. The cheaper the better, but at the same time price is not the biggest obstacle. I just want to get something good that will work for several years.

Any ideas or suggestions? I lean towards just buying something from Microcenter to avoid the build hassle...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or guidance!!

Do you see you or any other user of the PC moving to more demanding games in the next few years?

What sort of video editing are you planning?

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AMD offers marginally more bang for your buck over the last gen IMO. If you aren't chasing the latest gaming or CPU dependent rendering performance, I'd recommend something on the AM4 socket. It's at the end of it's life, but no CPU on that gen is going to bottleneck a GPU for the next several years. It will save you some money on memory too.

• Ryzen 5 5600X - includes a cooling fan that works well
• Whatever motherboard is on sale from MSI,Gigabyte, Asrock (bios may need to be updated prior to installing CPU, but most should be ok)
• Storage: NVME 1TB Samsung. Other brands out there. I have had good luck with WD and Samsung.
• Gskill Ripjaw V DDR 4 2x8gb - you could go up to 32gb if you want some headroom for OSB
• GPU: AMD 6700XT or Nvidia 4060. Both are in the $300 price range. You could find a used 3060 or 3070 to save some money and not give up too much.
• I added in a corsair PSU and a Fractal case. I like the Meshify because it isn't huge, has good quiet fans, and stays cool. Not too expensive either. Swap out with your preference.

Total price for build above: $890

PC Partpicker Link

The red incompatibility text is due to the CPU being newer than the motherboard as I mentioned above. BIOS may need to be updated before putting the CPU on.

You'd need an OS and monitor on top of that if you don't already have a license. Thermal compound, etc. is already on the CPU and is good enough for this one.

EDIT: Nothing in this list is the latest and greatest, but that's not what you need.

Thanks for the detailed reply. Yes, I think I am looking for "good enough" without being too far behind the curve on current technology.

With regards to video editing, I am planning to just start playing around with Divinci Resolve and see where it takes me. Outside of that and the streaming/hosting with multiple cameras and tabs open there is nothing I do that that my current setup can't handle.

What OldArmy07 suggested looks like a good build for what you want. I did a build 10 years ago with MicroCenter. One employee shopped with me to pick out the parts there. Now with PC part picker, you can find the best deals online, save your build, and then check compatibility later on when you want to upgrade something. It's a lot of money up front, but most likely you'll keep the same tower, monitors, speakers, power supply (if you bought a large amount of wattage), and software license for at least 10 years. I think it's better to go with what's good enough than the latest and greatest. I'll probably look for a last gen GPU soon. I'm still rocking the 1080 I bought from a Texags user back in 2019.

Looks like both of the GPUs that OldArmy07 suggested have three DisplayPort inputs, so you should theoretically be able to plug in three monitors pretty easily.

Good advice. There are a lot of fantastic options for the "good enough" category you seem to want. More RAM 16 v 32GB) is always a good thing if you are running multiple programs at once (browsers, streaming, OBS). $1,000 gets you everything you need.

I recently got into VR Flight Simulation. That is how you get up to $2,500 on PC Part Picker real quick.

2k of that is just getting a GPU that doesn't make you dizzy at a decent resolution!

appreciate the other thoughts and agree with the idea of getting what I need now and then just reusing in the future.

Final thought/question... for the video editing side of things is there any reason to consider Apple? Not trying to start a PC/Apple fight, but everything you read right now is that Apple silicon is "so much better" Is there enough "better" for me to make the effort to learn a different OS? I understand the pricing issues but for the sake of the discussion lets assume the money doesn't matter.

AEP Ag said:

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appreciate the other thoughts and agree with the idea of getting what I need now and then just reusing in the future.

Final thought/question... for the video editing side of things is there any reason to consider Apple? Not trying to start a PC/Apple fight, but everything you read right now is that Apple silicon is "so much better" Is there enough "better" for me to make the effort to learn a different OS? I understand the pricing issues but for the sake of the discussion lets assume the money doesn't matter.

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Unlikely. It's possible that editing software available on Macs might be a little better, but the hardware isn't orders of magnitude better than what you can find on a PC.

Agree with Claude. Raw performance is arguably better on a PC because you can throw more GPU at it for rendering.

No bias here. I have a Mac laptop that I love.

Great. thanks for the input. Would rather not try to learn video editing at the same time I am learning an OS.

I have built 4 computers over the past 15 years and enjoyed the experience. Each machine I build lasts me about 5 years before it becomes the spare machine of the house. I don't keep more than two, I just sold one I built in 2013.

pcpartpicker is a good site I used for the last 3 machines.

I suggest that you not skimp. Build something that you will enjoy using, it will not matter if you use it for 5 years, the extra cost won't be felt.

infinity ag said:

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I have built 4 computers over the past 15 years and enjoyed the experience. Each machine I build lasts me about 5 years before it becomes the spare machine of the house. I don't keep more than two, I just sold one I built in 2013.

pcpartpicker is a good site I used for the last 3 machines.

I suggest that you not skimp. Build something that you will enjoy using, it will not matter if you use it for 5 years, the extra cost won't be felt.

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Don't disagree, but also look for break points in price. If the RTX 3080 is $10 more than a 3070, maybe splurge, but if the step up to a 4060 is $300, may not be worth it.

Claude! said:

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infinity ag said:

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I have built 4 computers over the past 15 years and enjoyed the experience. Each machine I build lasts me about 5 years before it becomes the spare machine of the house. I don't keep more than two, I just sold one I built in 2013.

pcpartpicker is a good site I used for the last 3 machines.

I suggest that you not skimp. Build something that you will enjoy using, it will not matter if you use it for 5 years, the extra cost won't be felt.

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Don't disagree, but also look for break points in price. If the RTX 3080 is $10 more than a 3070, maybe splurge, but if the step up to a 4060 is $300, may not be worth it.

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Yes, that makes sense. All I am saying is not to always optimize for cost. This is a 5 year investment, so saving $200 on something while taking a hit in experience may not be worth it. One should not regret it later on.

infinity ag said:

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Claude! said:

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infinity ag said:

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I have built 4 computers over the past 15 years and enjoyed the experience. Each machine I build lasts me about 5 years before it becomes the spare machine of the house. I don't keep more than two, I just sold one I built in 2013.

pcpartpicker is a good site I used for the last 3 machines.

I suggest that you not skimp. Build something that you will enjoy using, it will not matter if you use it for 5 years, the extra cost won't be felt.

---

Don't disagree, but also look for break points in price. If the RTX 3080 is $10 more than a 3070, maybe splurge, but if the step up to a 4060 is $300, may not be worth it.

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Yes, that makes sense. All I am saying is not to always optimize for cost. This is a 5 year investment, so saving $200 on something while taking a hit in experience may not be worth it. One should not regret it later on.

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100%.

Come to think of it, my computer is now five years old...guess it's time to go shopping.