Budget PC build for casual video editing?

Hey there!

I'm looking to put together a PC that I'll spend about 99% of my time using for web browsing and playing some really old, obscure games. That other 1%? Just ripping movies for my own enjoyment—I travel a lot, so I usually have plenty of footage to burn.

Budget isn't a massive deal, but honestly, since my needs aren't anything special, I'd rather not overspend.
I don't mind hunting for deals on eBay or Craigslist. As for what I already have on hand: I think it's a Seasonic 520W PSU, 4GB of 1600MHz RAM, a 1TB HDD plus a 120GB SSD, and a case.

If you guys don't mind, I could really use some advice here. It's been a few years since I've dealt with hardware, so I'm pretty out of the loop.

Thanks in advance!!!

So, come on, just give me a number. How much would you actually drop on this?

Amy Vaughn12 said:So, come on, just give me a number. How much would you actually drop on this?

The lower, the better.😁

Money isn't the issue here. My problem is that I always overdo it and end up buying rigs I don't actually need. For example, four years ago, I built a setup with a Phenom X4, a GTX 460, some Extreme 3 motherboard, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD, and a fancy NZXT case. I dropped maybe $1,500 to $2,000 on it just to play two modern shooters, and then spent the rest of my time watching movies and browsing the web. Back then, I could have put together exactly what I needed for about $1,000.

Let’s say I’d give maybe $600 to $$1000 for something matching those specs. Of course, if there’s a damn good reason to go above that budget, I might consider it. But realistically? I just need a machine to edit about ten 10-minute videos a year for fun.

👍

So, what kind of software are you using to put those clips together?

fadedorca66 said:So, what kind of software are you using to put those clips together?

I was using Pinnacle Studio 16 until my GPU kicked the bucket. It's been nearly a year since I've touched any editing. With this new build, I could probably handle much newer software now.

So, you don't have a GTX 460? What kind of motherboard are you running? I guess if your board is actually compatible, you might be able to just throw an FX 6300 in there and call it a day.

Amy Vaughn12 said:So, you don't have a GTX 460? What kind of motherboard are you running? I guess if your board is actually compatible, you might be able to just throw an FX 6300 in there and call it a day.

ASRock 870 Extreme 3
From what I know, this board is AM3, not AM3+
I don't have a GTX 460 anymore. I wasn't even thinking about upgrading this rig, but if it actually makes sense, why not...

rowdydrifter15 said:ASRock 870 Extreme 3
From what I know, this board is AM3, not AM3+
I don't have a GTX 460 anymore. I wasn't even thinking about upgrading this rig, but if it actually makes sense, why not...

If it's just the Extreme 3 without the R2.0 version, you can't run an FX on it; the best you can get is a Phenom X6.

Which Phenom are you running?......Honestly, it’s probably perfectly fine for browsing the web and doing some light video editing here and there... You might get more bang for your buck by picking up an SSD or maybe a new GPU instead.....

I’m thinking along these lines if possible. Or maybe just a slightly cheaper AMD build.

1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x MSI R7 250X 1GD5, 1GB GDDR5 128GB, DVI + HDMI + Display Port
1 x Intel Core i5-4440 (3.10GHz,1MB,6MB,84 W,1150) Box
1 x Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H, s1150, Micro ATX, Intel H97 Express

$1013

1 x DDR3 4GB (1x4GB) Crucial, 1600MHz CL11
1 x MSI R7 250X 1GD5, 1GB GDDR5 128GB, DVI + HDMI + Display Port
1 x AMD FX-Series X6 6300 3.5GHz,14MB,95W,AM3+, FD6300WMHK
1 x ASUS M5A97 R2, AM3,AM3+, AMD 970, SB950, BUS 5200 MHz, DDR3
1 x Spire Kepler Rev.2 ,hladnjak, 1156/775/FM1, 96.5×51×125 mm ,92mm

$848
craigslist.com

rowdydrifter15, what's the deal with your Phenom X6? Is it actually dragging you down during processing, even with that SSD? Based on how you described your needs being pretty basic, that rig should technically be cutting it... You might just need an extra 4GB of RAM or a new GPU if yours finally kicked the bucket.

By the way, what kind of games are we talking about here? What counts as "old school" to you—something from 1999 or maybe 2010? It’s such a subjective thing. If you're looking at titles from the 90s up through roughly 2006, you could probably max those out even on integrated graphics from something like an Intel Core i5-4440, and maybe even some newer stuff.

Also, quick heads-up guys: right now, the R7 250 and 250X aren't worth the money at all. You can find the R7 260 (non-X) in most shops for the same price, or sometimes even less.

http://www.amazon.com/s?k=r7+260

Kimberly Gomez34 said:rowdydrifter15, what's the deal with your Phenom X6? Is it actually dragging you down during processing, even with that SSD? Based on how you described your needs being pretty basic, that rig should technically be cutting it... You might just need an extra 4GB of RAM or a new GPU if yours finally kicked the bucket.

By the way, what kind of games are we talking about here? What counts as "old school" to you—something from 1999 or maybe 2010? It’s such a subjective thing. If you're looking at titles from the 90s up through roughly 2006, you could probably max those out even on integrated graphics from something like an Intel Core i5-4440, and maybe even some newer stuff.

Also, quick heads-up guys: right now, the R7 250 and 250X aren't worth the money at all. You can find the R7 260 (non-X) in most shops for the same price, or sometimes even less.

http://www.amazon.com/s?k=r7+260

First off, thanks to everyone for the replies.
Let's just say I'm leaning more towards a full system swap rather than upgrading this one. If I had the version 2.0 motherboard, I might have considered jumping to an FX 6300, but with this setup, I'm passing.

The games I play are seriously old and light (Europa Universalis 2, Napoleon: Total War, Close Combat 3😁 and things like that).

I have a chance to snag a GTX 650 2GB for $233. It's still under warranty, and I've seen people on various forums saying it's decent for light video editing because it has "CUDA." I honestly have no idea what that actually means, but it keeps coming up everywhere. If anyone can explain that simply, I'd appreciate it.
I only really need a dedicated GPU if it helps with video editing. Right now, I'm using an EAH 5450 I "borrowed" from an old office PC, and it actually handles everything else fine. Honestly, maybe even an APU with plenty of RAM would cut it, but I'm out of the loop and too nervous to try building something myself.

Your APU isn't actually any more powerful than a Phenom X6 ii x4 9 xx

If you’re looking for a real upgrade, aim for an Intel Core i5-4440 or go the AMD route with an AMD FX-Series X6 6300 or an FX 8320. Anything else is just a lateral move, not a step up.

Honestly, that's not exactly a steal for that card. That R7 260 is performing about the same as a GTX 650, yet there's a newer option available with a full 3-year warranty that's even cheaper (around $210 +). If you want to stick with NVIDIA to take advantage of CUDA, look at a GTX 750 for roughly $267 +/-; it'll actually outperform the GTX 650.

You nailed everything except for which Phenom you're actually running.....

If you switch over to an Intel Core i5-4440, you won't even need a dedicated graphics card... the integrated GPU should be more than enough for what you need... plus, I think the processor itself is strong enough that those extra cores won't be a dealbreaker... besides, different programs just use cores differently anyway...

Bryan Taylor6 said:You nailed everything except for which Phenom you're actually running.....

If you switch over to an Intel Core i5-4440, you won't even need a dedicated graphics card... the integrated GPU should be more than enough for what you need... plus, I think the processor itself is strong enough that those extra cores won't be a dealbreaker... besides, different programs just use cores differently anyway...

It's a Phenom II 955 (maybe a 945), but I'm not sitting at that PC right now.

Man, every single time I start building a rig, I end up even more indecisive than when I started. 🙄

Right now, I'm looking at two paths: Intel or AMD.
Intel:
Which i5? + what motherboard? + 8GB RAM (if I go this route, I probably wouldn't grab a GPU).

AMD:
FX 6300 + motherboard? + GTX 750 + 8GB RAM

Now I'm stuck wondering about motherboards and which i5 to pick. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

If you're deciding between the FX 6300 Gigabyte 970 A-DS3P or the ASUS M5A97 R2, you'll also need an aftermarket cooler. You could go with something budget-friendly like a Spire Kepler or an LC-CC-95, or step it up to something more premium if you plan on overclocking.

Regarding the Intel Core i5-4440, it really comes down to how many features you want in a motherboard. You can't just pick any board—it absolutely has to be an LGA 1150 socket. Look for chipsets like H81, B85, H87, or H97.

For instance, if you want a board with four RAM slots without breaking the bank, I’d suggest looking at the Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H, the ASRock B85M Pro3, or even the Pro4.

I suppose the best move would be an H97 board that gives you a path toward a Broadwell upgrade later on. Something like the Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H, maybe.

rowdydrifter15 said:It's a Phenom II 955 (maybe a 945), but I'm not sitting at that PC right now.

Man, every single time I start building a rig, I end up even more indecisive than when I started. 🙄

Right now, I'm looking at two paths: Intel or AMD.
Intel:
Which i5? + what motherboard? + 8GB RAM (if I go this route, I probably wouldn't grab a GPU).

AMD:
FX 6300 + motherboard? + GTX 750 + 8GB RAM

Now I'm stuck wondering about motherboards and which i5 to pick. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

You're just throwing money away. That Phenom is actually solid and you can likely overclock it a bit. Just grab an SSD too—if I'm reading you right, you already have a GPU...

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! 👍

The i5-4460 is officially in, and I went ahead and treated myself to a Fractal Design Define Mini case along with an 8GB RAM stick.
My old setup was driving me crazy with how loud it was, but this one is practically silent—even when the side panel is off. 😁

What I totally missed before was that my last build had a Phenom X2 555BE instead of an X4, so I figured it was time for some more drastic upgrades. I’ll be putting the old rig up for sale here on the forum soon, so if anyone’s interested, shoot me a PM.