Video Editing professionals must constantly update their hardware in order to meet up to the current demands of video editing software, that’s why you need to carefully choose components that are future-proof for at least 5 years. This guide attempts to guide you through building the best 4k video editing PC build 2021, and we’ve selected the best components for you, taking the guesswork off your chest.
We are going to be building an editing PC based on an 8-core AMD processor. You might also want to check out our guide on how to build the best budget gaming PC. For content creators and 3D artists, you can head over to this page for our best 3D animation and render desktop build 2021. You might also check out other guides for custom PC builds. Otherwise, if you are ready, let’s go!
Best 4K Video Editing PC build 2021 Parts List
Build MY PC Hardware priority chart for Best 4K Video Editing PC build 2021
From the chart above, you should dedicate the most resources to getting the best multi-core processor your money can buy. This is because when it comes to video rendering, encoding or transcoding, the more cores your processor has, the better.
This translates to faster processing times. The next in order of importance is a fast SSD drive for your video editing apps, large amounts of fast RAM and a large capacity hard disk drive for data storage.
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What you need for this build
- Best 4K Video Editing PC build 2021 Components
- Anti-static wrist band
- Screwdriver
Best 4K Video Editing PC Build 2021 Components
The Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Our processor of choice, the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X Processor, is one of the recent line of Ryzen processors released by AMD in 2019. AMD has upped its game with the introduction of the Ryzen series, further strengthening its market share in the processor market segment.
The Ryzen processors are engineered on the 7-nanometer process. They represent a huge leap in performance improvement AMD unleashed, and anyone with an eye on the processor market should get their hands on one of these chips.
Why we chose the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X: Performance – The Ryzen 7 3800X is a performance powerhouse, comparatively edging close to the Intel i9 9900K which is almost two times the price of the Ryzen. In video rendering and encoding tests, the Ryzen 7 clocks up to 80 – 90% of the performance of the i9-9900k. Granted, the i9 is a powerful processor, but recently we have not seen a $300+ chip get this close in performance tests.
Price – As we mentioned above, the price point is impressive. Sometimes we wonder how AMD manages to produce quality processors and at the same time balance their books and remain profitable. Well, that’s for the company accountants to worry about.
Features – This chip has a total of 8 physical cores with multi-threading which translates to 16 logical cores. This is great for multi-tasking and specifically video encoding and rendering. The processor also has 36MB of combined cache for faster data access and processing. The CPU cache is a great determinant of how responsive and fast the CPU can handle raw data in real-time.
When it comes to CPU cache, the higher the better. In addition to this, you can overclock this processor up from the max frequency of 4.5 GHz using the included overclocking utility, the AMD Ryzen Master Utility. This processor doesn’t need a water cooler. It performs great with the stock LED cooler, rising to a temperature of around 31o F which steps up to just below 500F under load.
Other features include AMD StoreMI Technology which enhances load times, boot times, file management and system responsiveness, the AMD SenseMI Technology for true machine intelligence and accelerated system performance, the AMD Ryzen Master Utility for overclocking which unleashes the true potential of your processor.
This processor does not have integrated graphics; only the Ryzen 3 and 5 do. We will be needing a discreet graphics card to go with this build. Also included with the processor is the new Wraith Prism LED Cooler which means we don’t have to purchase a separate cooler. This processor also has thermal paste pre-applied. However, we are not going to use this. We will use another thermal paste. Finally, the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is VR-ready. This means you can run VR apps with a compatible graphics card.
Motherboard
The ASUS Prime X470-Pro AMD ATX Motherboard
We chose the ASUS Prime X470-Pro AMD ATX Motherboard because of its wide compatibility and rugged build. This is an AM4 motherboard that is reasonably priced, for the features it packs.
For starters, it can support up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM. It has 3 PCIe slots and an M.2 slot for high-speed SSD connectivity. It also features 5-Way Optimization for intelligent auto-tuning and dynamic fan calibration. Overall, this is a great mid-range board that will suit our purposes for now.
Graphics Card
The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 2070 Super
For our graphics card, we chose the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 2070 Super Graphics Card. This card is a great performer when it comes to handling 4K videos, as it allows you to handle the playback and rendering the GPU accelerated effects with ease. The 2070 Super is a card loaded with really high specs such as the 8GB ultra-fast GDDR6 memory, 2560 CUDA cores, 256-bit memory bus, and Real-time Ray Tracing and DLSS support.
Though this card is not the flagship product in the NVIDIA Turing architecture which it is based on, it’s still a good balance per performance/price ratio. The 2080 Super and the 2080 Ti are even better alternatives that you may consider.
Graphic cards really play an active role in 4K video editing, thanks to the CUDA platform. GPU-accelerated effects in video editing apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro are coded to rely on CUDA for rendering the effects in the video editing timeline. This enables lag-free and fast editing, without having to pre-render the effects in the timeline. This frees the CPU for other tasks, making your 4K video editing workflow much faster.
Video transcoding also relies on the graphics card, especially apps such as Aiseesoft Media Converter Ultimate, Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate, and others. Hardware transcoding converts your 4K video much faster than a CPU, significantly improving your workflow efficiency.
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CPU Cooler
The stock cooler that came with our processor can handle the cooling comfortably. We don’t need to purchase another. The Wraith Prism LED Cooler is a beautiful addition bundled with our processor, and you’ll definitely love the LED lighting that emits a lovely glow when the system is in operation.
Power Supply
Rosewill Modular Power Supply Glacier Series 600 Watt 80 PLUS Bronze Certified PSU
Our choice power supply is the Rosewill Computer Modular Power Supply rated at 600 Watts is adequate for running the PC. We are not going to be installing a power-hungry graphics card, so this should just do.
We chose this power supply because of its low price and feature-rich power protection such as Over Power Protection, Over Voltage Protection and Short Circuit Protection. On top of these, it comes with a solid 3-year warranty.
Boot Drive
As always, we will be needing a fast SSD for installing our OS and apps, video editing apps specifically. SSD drives speed up overall file operations on the PC, including rendering and video editing specific tasks. Our choice for this build is the Silicon Power 256GB SSD, a great performer at a decent price.
Storage Drive
We need lots of storage, basically for storing huge video recordings. A typical 4K one-hour video recording can gobble up to 110GB of storage space. We opt for the Seagate Barracuda 8TB hard drive. With this hard drive, you’ll never have to worry about running out of disk space.
RAM
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4 RAM
We go for the Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 3000MHz. This should be just okay for most of our video editing operations. As a matter of fact, you may have to ramp it up to 32GB which is more than enough for the memory-hungry Adobe editing suite. This is completely up to you, but for our build, we are sticking to 16GB.
Casing
Thermaltake V200 Tempered Glass RGB Edition Capable ATX Mid-Tower
For casing, we chose the Thermaltake V200 Tempered Glass RGB Edition ATX Mid-Tower Case, a full-size tower with loads of features including 16 Lighting modes on its front panel RGB lighted fans (you’ll love this), a tempered glass side window (to let you view the innards without opening the case), a top-front panel with USB 3 and 2 connectors and the RGB light button for changing the colors, among others.
Additionally, this case comes with three pre-installed fans in the front, for improved airflow. This is a superbly built sturdy case with great cable management and should serve you well.
Keyboard and Mouse
We go for the Logitech MK545 Advanced Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo, great for its smooth and sturdy build. We love Logitech, don’t we!
Display
The AOC 31.5″ 4K UHD Monitor
Our display of choice is the AOC 31.5″ 4K UHD Monitor. This is a beautiful monitor with lots of connectivity options and beautiful vivid colors. This professional monitor is equipped with two 3-watt speakers and Flicker-Free Technology for reduced eye fatigue. You’ll simply love it.
Optical Drive
We’d stick with the LG Internal Bluray Re-Writer as it affords us the ability to record directly to Bluray discs. This is optional though as you may not strictly need it. But then, it is quite invaluable if you plan to archive data on optical discs.
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Preparation
After assembling our components, it’s time to put them all together. Gently remove each component from its packaging, taking care not to touch the soldered points on the circuit board in case of the motherboard and graphics card. For the processor, don’t touch the contact points.
Best practice suggests holding it by its sides. If you have an anti-static wrist band, now would be a good time to strap it on your arm. Get your screwdriver ready, for tightening screws for the graphics card, hard drive, and optical drive. Our installation should proceed effortlessly.
Install the Components
First of all, install the motherboard in the case lining it up with the IO shield at the back and firmly but gently screwing it in place to the case using the supplied screws. Next, install the power supply in the compartment at the bottom of the case. There are screw points where the screws should enter. The cables can be tucked neatly into the provided space.
Next on the list would be the CPU which you can install easily. Neatly remove the pre-applied thermal paste that shipped with the processor. Apply a fresh paste (you can get one at your local computer store), just a pea-sized quantity would do. Carefully line up the processor in its socket on the board and secure it with the latches.
Next, install the CPU Cooler by pressing the pins into the provided spots on the board and plug the CPU cooler power cable into a suitable port on the motherboard (Check the motherboard manual). The RAM is easy to install; just pop them into the RAM slots on the board, making sure it aligns properly before pressing it in.
Next, install the drives by screwing them in place on the provided compartments on the case. The board has 6 SATA ports, more than enough to accommodate our devices. Install the SSD in SATA 1, the storage hard drive on SATA 2 and the optical drive on SATA 3. Connect them to the appropriate power cables. Our PC is taking shape.
Next, we install the graphics card. It should easily fit into one of the provided PCIe slots on the board. Secure it firmly and connect the power cable to the appropriate connector on the power supply.
Next, connect the front panel headers to the sockets on the board. These are the connectors for the front USB and power button and power LEDs.
Finally, connect the motherboard power cables to the slots on the board. Connect your display and every other peripheral, including the mouse and keyboard. At this point, you may power up the system to check for a POST. If it POSTS successfully, great. If not, check for loose cables and re-seat them properly, including the RAM and graphics card. The system should POST successfully. It is time to cover up the case, and install Windows.
Install Windows
Run your windows installation. Don’t forget to install the SSD drive. We suggest you download updated drivers for your hardware from the manufacturer’s website. The hardware that you must update includes the Motherboard chipset drivers, the graphics card drivers, and the audio drivers. This is because the shipped driver discs may contain outdated drivers.
Conclusion
This is the end of the guide on building the best 4K video editing PC build 2021. We hope you enjoyed it. Please don’t forget to share this guide on social media using the buttons below. Better still, drop your comments and let us know what you think. You may also check out our Guide on Video Editing Build for all Budgets.
The home page also contains some guides for you. Are you a gamer? Then check out the Best Gaming PC Build for all Budgets, whether AMD or Intel. Follow us on social media for updates and news. Thanks and happy editing!
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- Just so you know!
My passion for PC hardware is my greatest motivation. I love technology and how it can make life easier and less complicated! When I’m not tinkering with hardware, I’m reading. I love to travel and I usually can’t wait to sit down on my PC to work.
I’m also a copywriter, designer, video editor, and writer. I also do some 3D with 3DS Max. Do you want to reach me? Use the Social Media buttons, or shoot me an email. I’ll be glad to hear from you!