Video and photo editing build around $2k

Hey there,

I'm trying to figure out what kind of setup I could score with this budget—looking to pay cash on delivery! I'm aiming for something with a Skylake processor and an Nvidia card, but I don't need any peripherals.

Thanks!

ASUS X99-E motherboard, LGA 2011-3
650 w Corsair RMx Series RM650x power supply, ATX 2.4, CP-9020091
Fractal Design Core 2500 Black case
32GB (4x8GB) DDR4 PC4-21300 2666MHz CL16 Corsair Vengeance LPX Black, CMK32GX4M4A2666C16
Intel Core i7-5820K processor (15MB Cache, up to 3.60GHz), LGA 2011-3
Gigabyte GTX960 WF2 OC graphics card, GV-N960WF2OC-4GD, 4 GB DDR5, 128-bit, 1279/7010 MHz
Scythe ninja 4 CPU cooler, SCNJ-4000
512GB SanDisk X400 SSD, M.2 2280 SATA, SD8SN8U-512G-1122
2TB Toshiba P300 High-Performance HDD, 3.5", 7200RPM, 64MB Cache, SATA3, HDWD120UZSVA

Total: $3943 - Best Buy

Here’s the breakdown:

Skylake paired with Nvidia

1. A cheaper build
Build - PCPartPicker v1

2. Maxing out the budget
Build - PCPartPicker v2

Regarding what crimsonstag84 put together for you, the only thing I’d change is this motherboard

You don't even need that motherboard; the one in crimsonstag84's build is plenty.

Besides, I put this build together specifically because the OP asked for Skylake paired with an Nvidia card...
even though, let's be real, the processor in crimsonstag84's setup is definitely more powerful.

I've been playing around with this setup—what do you guys think?
Is everything here compatible, and do you think I can actually upgrade this thing in about 6 years??
Is this build built to last?
The main goal is running After Effects and handling some rendering work
So, I'm looking at 32 GB RAM, an 8 GB GPU, and an Intel Core i7 6700K @ 4 GHz
Can I get something better for this kind of cash—around $1,300 to $1,500?
(Based on prices at Best Buy)

Mark Wright6 said:

I've been playing around with this setup—what do you guys think?
Is everything here compatible, and do you think I can actually upgrade this thing in about 6 years??
Is this build built to last?
The main goal is running After Effects and handling some rendering work
So, I'm looking at 32 GB RAM, an 8 GB GPU, and an Intel Core i7 6700K @ 4 GHz
Can I get something better for this kind of cash—around $1,300 to $1,500?
(Based on prices at Best Buy)

The more complex the build, the better it performs—and you can find cheaper deals through crimsonstag84 or even me. If you're playing the long game, grab the crimsonstag84 konfa plus a GTX 1070.

As for upgrading, who knows who'll still be around in 6 years? By then, today's standards will probably be ancient history anyway.

You’re being pretty direct about this... and honestly, if you even need me to break this down further, then you might be missing the big picture. A machine built for heavy photo and video editing isn't—and simply cannot be—the same thing as a gaming rig. crimsonstag84 put together a legitimate workstation for you, which is exactly what you need for high-end creative work. On the other hand, Robert Rodriguez2 built a standard desktop tailored for gaming. crimsonstag84's build is essentially a modernized version of the computer you're running right now. As for upgrades, let's be real: whatever parts you pick today will be ancient history in six years if technology keeps moving at this pace.

Thanks so much for the help!
I'd probably go with a 750 W unit plus a GTX 1070—basically like crimsonstag84's build

Mark Wright6 said:Thanks so much for the help!
I'd probably go with a 750 W unit plus a GTX 1070—basically like crimsonstag84's build

You don't need a 750W power supply
unless you're planning to slap a second 1070 in there later.

Jeffrey Allen92, quit talking trash. Both of my builds are solid workstations meant for actual work, not just gaming.

Here you go:

I mean, you probably don't even need it. It's just the difference $33 between 650W and 750W, so...

https://lineshapespace.com/pc-versus-workstation/

This link breaks down the differences if you're interested. If you want to dig deeper, just Google the LGA 2011-3 socket and what it was actually designed for...

Jeffrey Allen92 said:https://lineshapespace.com/pc-versus-workstation/

This link breaks down the differences if you're interested. If you want to dig deeper, just Google the LGA 2011-3 socket and what it was actually designed for...

Hold on. You seriously think I, or anyone here who actually touches hardware, doesn't know the difference?
give me a break...

I'm just saying an i7 6700K isn't strictly for gaming. It handles heavy lifting just fine.
look at Dimitri from Hardware Canucks—he's proof that a setup like this can crush rendering jobs without breaking a sweat.

Thanks so much!
So, I'd be ordering through adm.hr—does everyone think they handle shipping out to Indianapolis okay? Also, just wondering if all the individual boxes (like for the GPU, CPU, etc.) arrive separately
I'm planning on paying cash on delivery.

To be honest, I’m not sure why you’d need an RTX 3070 for that kind of workload. You can check out several tested Adobe performance benchmarks right here: klik.

Additionally, judging by these various graphics software benchmarks, I think the best move regarding price-to-performance would be picking up an RX 470 (essentially a slightly trimmed 480) if they fall under $667. Otherwise, grab an RTX 3060 at most if you feel like you absolutely need CUDA support, though based on that first link, it doesn't seem like a dealbreaker
.
A high-end GPU just doesn't justify the massive price gap compared to a card in the $200-$300 range.

Mark Wright6 said:Thanks so much!
So, I'd be ordering through adm.hr—does everyone think they handle shipping out to Indianapolis okay? Also, just wondering if all the individual boxes (like for the GPU, CPU, etc.) arrive separately
I'm planning on paying cash on delivery.

You should receive all the original boxes, and yes, cash on delivery is an option.