What To Know When Choosing a PC for Content Creators

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When looking for your next streaming, video editing, or art PC, it can be easy to overlook prebuilt PCs for something entirely custom. But if you’re new to the PC builder space, worried about building your own rig, or just looking to save a little money, a prebuilt creator PC might be the right choice.

Prebuilt PCs are functionally identical to custom PCs, just without the hassle of picking parts and putting the whole thing together. Going prebuilt can save time, money, and energy and still get your exactly what you need for whatever you may be creating.

 Of course, before buying a computer, it’s important to know what you’re looking to get and what tasks you will use it for. Some computers may be better suited for music production, others for graphic design, so make sure you know what you'll be doing on your PC. So, let's go through the things that you consider before picking up a new PC.

Why Should I Go With A Prebuilt PC?

When purchasing a creator PC, you'll have to choose between a custom-built and a prebuilt PC. Both types of PCs are great for creators in any field, but a prebuilt creator PC offers a few quality-of-life improvements that custom-built PCs can't.

Perfect for All Skill Levels

Prebuilt PCs are perfect for all levels of creators. Whether someone is a beginner or advanced creator, a well-selected prebuilt PC can fill all their needs. If you're an entry-level creator, going prebuilt will all but guarantee that it's going to perform perfectly, and you don't have to worry about compatibility or underpowering a custom PC. Assembling a custom PC can be daunting, even demanding. With a prebuilt PC, you won't need to worry whether or not you applied enough thermal paste. Just plug it in and get to work!

Top-Of-The-Line Performance

Ready-made PCs for creators are powerful machines. They're built with consideration for creators and are ready to do a lot of heavy lifting. These PCs include the perfect mix of hardware, ensuring a smooth frame rate and high-definition resolution. Prebuilts are designed and built by professionals, ensuring all components work smoothly together so you don't have to spend time tinkering with settings.

Reduce Hassles and Save Time

Assembling a computer is fun (and something we love to talk about LINK TK), but it can be challenging. A person should have significant expertise and time to gather resources and hardware. Furthermore, they need to do advanced research to choose the best components for their computer. These include the motherboard, RAM, and Graphics Card. Prebuilt PCs remove all the hassle of compatibility and construction and turn it into a plug-and-play experience. Perfect for the busy creator!

Things to Consider While Buying a Prebuilt PC

Here are some essential components of a computer that a creator should consider while purchasing a prebuilt PC:

Processor (CPU)

The processor is essentially the brain of the computer. The CPU performs logic, basic arithmetic, and input and output operations. Moreover, the CPU instructs multiple processes and applications to perform tasks. The better the processor: the faster the operations. Faster prebuilt computers will increase the efficiency and productivity of the creators using them.

What to look for in a CPU:

Creators shouldn't settle for less than a four-core processor. Look for Intel Core i5s, AMD Ryzen 5s and beyond.

Graphics Card (GPU)

The graphics card is a super important component for a creator. A GPU is a different processor that handles visual data such as graphics of high-resolution clips for video editing projects. Creators such as music producers, video editors, graphics designers, or streamers require high-end graphic cards.

What to look for in a GPU:

Anything in the NVIDIA GeForce or AMD RADEON line of graphics cards, though more intensive programs will perform better with higher-end cards. If you need power, the minimum you should look for is an NVIDIA GeForce 3070 Ti or AMD RADEON 6700 XT.

Memory (RAM)

Memory or RAM defines how fast the computer will process the data. Without enough RAM, installing high-precision video and photo editing software is not possible. However, increasing the RAM will enhance the performance of creators’ PC.

What to look for in RAM:

At least 16GB of RAM. Anything less and you'll be bottlenecking your PC while working, resulting in, at best, lower efficiency and, at worst, regular crashes.

Storage

All of that creating doesn't amount to much if you can't save it. Be sure you pick up a PC with enough space for everything you plan on doing with it. If you're looking for speed, you should look for PCs with SSDs. M.2 SSDs are even faster. If you're more concerned with storage capacity, HDDs are way bigger for way cheaper.

What to look for in storage:

If you're creating, you should look for at least 500GB in storage space. Otherwise you risk running out of space for your projects.

 

Best Prebuilt PC Options for Creators

De MSI Aegis RS 11TG-222US

Video editing PC for streamers, gamers, and video producers

Specifications

 •    CPU: Intel Core™ i7-11700K 8C/16T 3.6-4.9 GHz 16MB Cache

•    Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 Ti 8GB GDDR6X

•    RAM: 16GB DDR4 3000Mhz (8GB x 2)

•    Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD and 1TB 3.5" 7200 RPM HDD

The Aegis RS video editing PC is a fantastic prebuilt PC for creators and gamers as well. Designed by MSI, it's built to be a fantastic workhorse and game machine. The included Intel Core i7-11700k and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offer incredible performance for rendering video and even streaming. Plus, it comes prepared with 2TB of storage, so you won't have to worry about running out of space for a long time to come.

 

PowerSpec G229 Gaming PC

Budget streaming PC for photographers, streamers, video editors, and graphics designers

Specifications

 •    CPU: Intel Core i5-11400F 2.6GHz processor

•    Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB GDDR6

•    RAM: 16GB DDR4 2666Mhz

•    Storage: 500GB Solid State Drive

If you're looking for a powerful desktop on a budget, check out the PowerSpec G229. While not as powerful as some of the higher-end machines, it'll handle visual editing like a champ and still have some oomph for gaming. It might not blow minds with its minimal look, but it'll get the job done.

 

HP Omen 30L GT13-0380T

The high-end choice for graphic designers

Specifications

 •    CPU: 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor

  •    Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3090

•    RAM: HyperX® 16 GB DDR4-3200 XMP SDRAM (2 x 8 GB)

•    Storage: WD Black 512 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD

The HP Omen 30L is here to absolutely crush anything you throw at it. With an included NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, it's ready to get to work in 4k. Rener art, video, or photography in stunning high-resolution, then clock off and stream all night in vibrant ultra high-definition.

Can I Upgrade a Prebuild PC?

Generally, yes. There are a few prebuilt PCs that restrict upgrades for one reason or another, but most are upgradable - feel free to add new Graphics cards, SSDs, and even a new CPU cooler to your machine. In fact, it's fairly common for creators to add more storage space to their PCs as soon as they get them, just to be sure they have all the space they need for their projects.

Conclusion

Hopefully, we've helped you on your way to picking out your prebuilt PCs. If you have any questions or are looking for other recommendations, please leave us a comment below! And remember to always do your research before picking up a new PC!

Looking for more creator tips? We’ve got a full section dedicated to content creators as well as The Essential Creator Laptop Buying Guide, The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Gaming Laptop, and How to Choose Parts for your Custom PC Build. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to post a new discussion and the Community will be happy to help!