Build a PC / content creation
$3,000 video editing PC, part by part
An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the GeForce RTX 5080, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $2,984 all in.
Video editing, photo work and motion graphics at 1440p. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for export times: many cores, a card with good encoders, lots of memory. Typical US prices read on 2026-09-09, not a live checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the GeForce RTX 5080 are well matched at 1440p.
Enthusiast
$2,984 of $3,000
Build order
Eight steps, the way a builder works through the case. $2,984 all in.
- Gigabyte B860 Aorus Elite WiFi7 on the tray
- Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in the socket
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 on top
- 2 sticks of memory
- Samsung 9100 Pro 2TB on the board
- RTX 5080 in the x16 slot
- 1000 W supply in the basement
- Panel on, power on
Highest content creation score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.
2 swaps that still fit
- Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus-$104, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF-$31, -10 ptsBuy on Amazon
B860 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 3 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.
48 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 32 GB or more is the floor for content creation.
16 GB of video memory, index 77 at 1440p; tuned for export times: many cores, a card with good encoders, lots of memory.
2 swaps that still fit
- ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB White OC-$380, -7 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Radeon RX 7900 XTX-$1, -13 ptsBuy on Amazon
Rated 330 W for a chip that turbos to 250 W.
2 swaps that still fit
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 White-$15, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Thermalright Frozen Notte 360-$15, -18 ptsBuy on Amazon
1000 W, 80 Plus gold; this build draws about 800 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.
4 swaps that still fit
- Corsair RM1000e Whitesame price, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Corsair RM1000esame price, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W+$8, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Edge 1000W White+$8, -2 ptsBuy on Amazon
4 fans in the box, 2 of them lit, 4 is the least 610 W of parts needs behind a mesh front. Takes ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 395 mm.
4 swaps that still fit
- Montech Air 903 Max-$51, -6 ptsBuy on Amazon
- Lian Li Lancool 207 Whitesame price, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Montech King 95 Pro+$8, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Montech King 95 Pro White+$8, same scoreBuy on Amazon
2 TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe, 14,700 MB/s reads, with cache.
3 swaps that still fit
- Crucial T705 2TBsame price, -1 ptsBuy on Amazon
- WD Black SN8100 2TBsame price, same scoreBuy on Amazon
- Kingston NV3 2TB+$5, -37 ptsBuy on Amazon
The same list, more or less money
$3,000 spent on a different job
The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.