$2000 Build Guide
Compared to the $1500 Creator Build, this extra budget allows for more GPU power, a better X670 motherboard, as well as double the amount of RAM. As a reminder, this isn’t a build tailored around getting the most “FPS per Dollar” value, because it’s using more of the budget towards Creator focused features.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is simply the best gaming CPU on the planet right now, and it also makes for an amazing creator CPU as well. This 8 core and 16 threaded CPU is great for video editing, streaming, productivity, coding, etc. The only problem is that the price has been extremely volatile lately, and I wouldn’t recommend spending over $400 for one. If you can find it at the $330-$380 range then I’d definitely consider this my top option. Otherwise I would consider saving some money and going with a Ryzen 7 7700X.
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I do not really consider any Intel CPUs at this point in time. Not all of them are affected by the current instability issues, but Ryzen simply has too many better options for me to consider Intel right now. That will more than likely change in the future.
With $2000 to spend I’d prefer to use an AIO here. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D doesn’t necessarily need one, and the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 is perfectly fine, but to get better cooling we can go with a 360mm AIO. Without spending too much of the budget, I like the Thermaltake TH360 V2 ARGB for just over $100. It’ll get the job done cooling wise and it also matches nicely with the case selection of this build.
For this level of build I’d recommend going with an X670. A nicer B650 can get the job done with the 7800X3D, but I prefer a bit better with this kind of budget. The Gigabyte X670 Gaming X AX V2 is a fantastic choice without breaking the bank, and it has all of the ports and features that a creator would need. We use this board often for our Shadow Strike PCs.
For creators and 4K video editors specifically, there’s a performance boost going from 32GB to 64GB. For the ZTT editor machines I won’t go any less than 64GB at this point. Any 2x32GB DDR5 kit clocked at 6000MHz or higher will work. I would recommend trying to find one with a CL rating of 30 if possible, but not required. I usually find that the SP Zenith Gaming 64GB kit and the G.Skill Ripjaws Flare X5 64GB kit to be the least expensive and very reliable.
I’d recommend starting with at least a PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD with 2TB for this level of build. If you have more money to spend then feel free to creep your way up to a “High-Level NVMe” or even Gen 5, but sticking with a mid ranged SSD at this build price is perfectly fine. The Teamgroup MP44L has consistently been one of the most available and least expensive mid-ranged drives, so it’s getting my top pick. Video editors will definitely notice the difference of a faster drive compared to a budget alternative.
I will almost always recommend an Nvidia graphics card for creators, especially for live streamers with one PC. Nvidia includes many software and even hardware features specifically for creators, and I think the extra price compared to an AMD competitor card is worth it (NVENC encoder and Nvidia Broadcast to name a few). For a $2000 build price, the best Nvidia card that will fit is an RTX 4070 Ti Super which is a very powerful card for both gamers and creators. I’d recommend getting whichever model you find a good deal on, or one that matches the aesthetics of your build. The MSI RTX 4070Ti Super Ventus 3X card usually sits right at that $800 target price, and I also like the ASUS Dual RTX 4070 Ti Super if you prefer a smaller 2-fan model.
For a Ryzen 7 7800X3D and RTX 4070 Super build, my search filter will be any Tier B or A 750W+ unit, and one that includes a 12VHPWR connector. The MSI MAG A750GL PCIe 5 has been consistently available for $80-$90, and I’ve personally used this a ton for higher level Nvidia based systems. It’s fully modular which is much appreciated, and it has the 12VHPWR connector which the 4070 Ti Super needs. Always ensure that this connector is plugged in the full way both on the GPU and the back of the PSU.
The case selection is always personal preference, but with a little extra money to spend in this type of build I like the Antec C5 ARGB. It’s full of ARGB fans and very easy to build with. If you want to spend a little extra money, then I also love the Montech King 95 Pro. If you go with the King 95 Pro, you might want to get a different AIO because the type of RGB lights are drastically different in terms of aesthetics.
Last updated: September 19, 2024