Photo and video editing for $150

Hello!
I don't personally track current component pricing or local stock levels, so I am looking for some recommendations for a professional workstation dedicated to photo and video editing. My budget is roughly $15,000 $0.00. I will also need a monitor included, though I don't require any peripherals or Windows
. Ideally, I would prefer a pre-built configuration or a shop that offers professional assembly services
. Regarding the monitor, there are plenty of options out there; I wouldn't mind an ultrawide setup, provided it isn't a gaming-centric model with high refresh rates
. Thank you!

Some software really leans on a powerful processor, while others might get by with a weaker graphics card—and vice versa. Ideally, you want a setup that excels at both.
Could the person looking for a build let me know which specific programs they'll be running?

Adobe Creative Cloud

Edward Peterson70 said:Adobe Creative Cloud

What are the standard resolutions you usually see for raw footage versus final projects or exports?

Personally, I’d put my money on the processor. Honestly, Adobe software barely touches the GPU; you’ll rarely ever see it fully saturated during a task. It’s also pretty inefficient when it comes to using the CPU, though you can certainly get some extra mileage there by letting something like After Effects handle multiple frames simultaneously, right?

wanderingbison9 said:What are the standard resolutions typically used for raw footage versus the final project or export settings?

I would argue that the processor is the more critical component here. Adobe software is notoriously poor at utilizing the GPU, so you'll rarely see it fully saturated. While its CPU efficiency is also quite underwhelming, you can mitigate that somewhat by adjusting settings—for instance, allowing After Effects to render more frames simultaneously.

I am aware that on older Macs with integrated graphics, a lot of tasks either fail to run entirely or perform incredibly slowly because the system is forced to rely on the CPU. Because of that, having a solid dedicated graphics card is essential. This holds true for both Photoshop and Premiere Pro as well.

I’d suggest looking for a 4K monitor, ideally at least 27 inches. While having a solid DCI-P3 color gamut is important, you don't necessarily need to drop the cash on a high-end professional graphics monitor.

Something like this would be ideal. If I recall correctly from what I read somewhere, this model covers about 90% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
If you're looking at curved monitors on Mall, specifically those 32-inch models, there's quite a bit to consider before hitting that buy button. A screen that size offers a lot of real estate, which is great for productivity, but the curvature changes the whole experience depending on what you're doing. For creative work—say, if you're spending most of your day inside Adobe Creative Cloud or working with color-sensitive assets in Photoshop—you really need to prioritize color accuracy and panel quality. I always suggest checking the color gamut coverage, like whether it hits certain percentages of Adobe RGB or DCI-P3, to ensure what you see on screen matches your final output. Also, make sure the panel is an IPS type if you want consistent viewing angles; otherwise, you might find the colors shifting as you move your head. If your workflow leans more toward video editing in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, having that extra screen space is a lifesaver for your timelines. However, just keep in mind that a heavy curve can sometimes distort straight lines in a way that might bother you during fine detail work. It’s worth comparing different brands and specs carefully. Don't just look at the resolution; check the refresh rate if you plan on doing any gaming on the side, and look into the connectivity options. It's all about finding that sweet spot between immersion and professional precision.

Edward Peterson70 said:I realize that on older Macs using integrated graphics, a whole lot of things either won't run at all or perform terribly because the workload shifts entirely to the CPU, so I suppose having a solid dedicated GPU is pretty essential. That goes for both Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

A 4K monitor, ideally at least 27", would be ideal. While having a good DCI-P3 spectrum is important, you don't necessarily need a high-end professional graphics monitor.

Something like this would be great. If I remember correctly from somewhere, this one covers about 90% of the DCI-P3 gamut.
https://www.amazon.com/lcd-monitors/sam...32-curved

Honestly, there are so many monitors around that price point—or even cheaper—that offer 90% DCI-P3, so is it really worth paying a premium just to jump up to 99% for that kind of money?😉

Then again, those high-end monitors can actually become a bit of a curse if you're primarily working on content intended for TV in HD or for web/YouTube. You often find yourself having to mess around quite a bit with color management and LUTs just to achieve a reasonably accurate Rec709/sRGB look.

As for the graphics card, while it certainly needs to be capable, wouldn't an Nvidia RTX 3060 or an AMD equivalent be more than enough for these tasks? Had they mentioned anything other than the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, I might have suggested something else entirely.

Edward Peterson70 said:I know on older Macs with integrated graphics, a ton of stuff either won't run or runs incredibly slow because it has to offload everything to the CPU, so a decent GPU is definitely necessary. That goes for both Photoshop and Premiere.

A 4K monitor, at least 27". DCI-P3 coverage matters, but honestly, you don't need some high-end professional graphic monitor.

Something like this would be great. Pretty sure I read somewhere that this one hits 90% DCI-P3.
https://www.amazon.com/lcd-monitors/sam...32-curved

VA panel, 32" curved, 250cd? Seems pretty useless for video editing. Not a good deal.

I’ve got a 32" IPS and a 34" ultrawide VA sitting side-by-side. VA has better contrast (blacks), but otherwise, IPS is just better for viewing—angles, colors, all that.

Better options would probably look like this:
https://www.bestbuy.com/monitor/iiya...16-9-125156321

https://www.walmart.com/monitor/hp-u...16-9-120842981

https://www.target.com/monitor/view...-16-9-58521791

The first two are stronger; the last one is 32".
No clue how the color accuracy holds up...

Investing heavily in a high-end monitor often yields diminishing returns.
You could easily drop $1,000 just on a display, but it doesn't make much sense if the final product is destined for print or if people are just viewing it on a greasy smartphone screen.
My main priority is finding an IPS panel that performs at least slightly above average.

I think an IPS 27" 4K flat panel is pretty much the sweet spot for what you're trying to do.

The Iiyama model I linked looks solid enough.

https://www.itpro.co.uk/hardware/mon...back-to-basics

It’s got a VESA mount, USB ports, and some built-in speakers—not a bad deal if you don't already have a setup going.

Having spent quite a bit of time working on a 27" 4K monitor—including three months of heavy lifting in After Effects and DaVinci Resolve—and now seeing someone else dive into Premiere Pro, I’ve come to realize that if you're looking at 4K, you really ought to consider stepping up to at least a 32" screen. We can set the technical theories aside for a moment, because honestly, isn't the software itself usually where the real struggle lies?
If your primary focus is print work, shouldn't you be prioritizing a monitor with the highest possible Adobe RGB coverage rather than focusing on DCI-P3?

And what's actually going into his budget?

wiredotter14 said:but what exactly can he afford right now?

Looking at the current selection, if that Samsung doesn't sell, I think I'd probably just stick with that one mentioned earlier...

Review:

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...itor,6265.html

It hits over 300 nits, and while it doesn't seem to push much past sRGB, it covers that range completely, which is actually a win in my book. Isn't trying to mess around with partial DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB coverage without a dedicated calibration tool just asking for trouble? It feels like such a gamble. The review even mentions some "calibrated" presets for WB and gamma.

So, what do we think about this setup? 😁

Here is what I am looking at:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-32-inch-curved-lcd-monitors

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/desktop-computers/extian-gy7-6

I honestly have no idea why I am even browsing Best Buy right now. 😬

Edward Peterson70 said:So, what about the setup? 😁

Here is what I am looking at:

https://www.mall.com/lcd-monitors/sam...32-curved

https://www.mall.com/desktop-computers/...-extian-gy7-6-

I honestly can't figure out why I keep checking mall.com in the first place. 😬

But why not?

wanderingbison9 said:And why not?

The issue is they aren't really a retail computer shop; they act more like a distributor. Getting in touch can be a headache, prices often end up being higher than at other retailers, and dealing with warranty claims or returns can be a struggle.
It wouldn't be my first choice, but it doesn't matter if their offer is actually good.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

I honestly feel like 16 GB of RAM just isn't going to cut it for what we're trying to do here.

I wanted to circle back to the monitor situation for a moment, if you don't mind.

This particular model looks like a fantastic option—it's newer, more affordable, and I even spotted an extra 10% discount over at Best Buy:

In case you want to dig deeper, here is a full review: https://www.displayninja.com/samsung-u32j590-review/

That PC on Mall.com is getting pretty pricey...

1 * Intel Core i7-11700F 2.5 GHz LGA1200 box
password: 4092739
1 * ID-Cooling SE-224-XT Basic Cooler, 120mm, PWM
password: IDCSE224XTBASIC
1 * Gigabyte GA-B560M-DS3H V2, LGA1200
password: gig-ga-b560m-ds3h2
1 * ADATA XPG Spectrix D30 Red RAM, 32 GB, DDR4 3200Mhz, 2x16GB
password: 010.504.015
1 * Gigabyte NVMe SSD R1700/W1550, 512GB, M.2 NVMe
password: giga-nvme-2280-512
1 * Toshiba P300 Desktop HDD (3.5" 3TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, NCQ, AF, SATAIII), bulk
password: HDWD130UZSVA
1 * Palit GF RTX3060 Dual OC, 12GB GDDR6
password: pal-3060-doc-12gb
1 * Thermaltake Smart BM2 650W Power Supply, 80+ Bronze, Modular
password: 0001194213
1 * Fractal Focus G, black with window, no PSU
password: frac-focus-bk

Total: $3837
Total after discount: $3454

Or maybe try this newer processor:

1 * Intel Core i7-12700F 2.1GHz LGA1700 Box
password: 4341739
1 * ID-Cooling SE-224-XT Basic Cooler, 120mm, PWM
password: IDCSE224XTBASIC
1 * GigaByte MB B660M DS3H DDR4, LGA1700, DDR4/5333(OC), PCIe 4.0
1 * ADATA XPG Spectrix D30 Red RAM, 32 GB, DDR4 3200Mhz, 2x16GB
password: 010.504.015
1 * Gigabyte NVMe SSD R1700/W1550, 512GB, M.2 NVMe
password: giga-nvme-2280-512
1 * Toshiba P300 Desktop HDD (3.5" 3TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, NCQ, AF, SATAIII), bulk
password: HDWD130UZSVA
1 * Palit GF RTX3060 Dual OC, 12GB GDDR6
password: pal-3060-doc-12gb
1 * Thermaltake Smart BM2 650W Power Supply, 80+ Bronze, Modular
password: 0001194213
1 * Fractal Focus G, black with window, no PSU
password: frac-focus-bk

Total: $4101
Total after discount: $3691

*You can pick whatever case you want

Assembly and shipping are free. This is the shop where I had mine built: www.microcenter.com

I figured I’d jump back into this thread (it arrived right on cue).
I need to spec out two different machines—basically acting as the consultant/advisor here.
I’ll be leaning heavily on the advice already posted in this thread.
But I have a few questions for the folks here who actually know what they’re doing.

a) Budget: $2,000 total for the PC and monitor.
The software is Agisoft Metashape, and the user will supposedly be doing 3D modeling.
The explicit recommendation is an Intel 8-Core + 64 GB RAM + some kind of Nvidia RTX.

Regarding graphics: "1 - 2 NVIDIA or AMD GPUs with 1920+ CUDA cores / shader processor units (For example: GeForce RTX 2080 Ti or Radeon VII)"

I’m not really a graphics person—does that mean multiple cards, or are we talking about the number of cores per card?

Also, does the platform combo even matter? Like, should I go Intel CPU + Nvidia GPU or AMD + Radeon?
Since Metashape specifically mentions Intel + Nvidia in two examples, I can't tell if it's better to just chase higher Tflops or if there's a specific reason Intel is preferred. What do the people actually running this stuff think?

b) The second build is $1,500, just for the computer itself.
This one is for processing drone footage.
I have no clue which software they'll use.🤔 They might be using whatever came with the drone, or maybe something pro. The user is an amateur and doesn't know, 🤦 and honestly, I don't particularly care.
What would be a smart move here? Should I just scale down the hardware proportionally to the price, or is there something else I should be looking out for?

When you're looking at running Autodesk, you really need to focus on those compute cores... which makes Nvidia probably the smarter play here... specifically if you can grab as much VRAM as possible... Personally, I think an RTX 3060 with its 12 GB of VRAM strikes a pretty solid balance between cost and performance, don't you think?