Entry-Level 4K editing PC for DaVinci Resolve

Looking for an entry-level 4K video editing rig for DaVinci Resolve? Whether you’re editing for education, entertainment, or documentation, choosing a good computer for video editing is crucial for performing efficient work. We will walk you through exactly what parts you will need to edit your own videos.

 Processor: Intel Core i5-12600K Alder Lake 3.7GHz Ten-Core Processor

With Intel’s new Alder Lake architecture, this generation of processors give you much more power for much less money. With 16 threads, using Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve have better processing power to translate 4k video.

Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 UD AX (Wi-Fi) DDR4 LGA 1700 ATX Intel Motherboard

There are many motherboard options available designed for creators exclusively, like the ASUS B660-CREATOR ProArt or the Gigabyte Z690 AERO G, but we’re going for value on a budget and the Gigabyte Z690 UD AX fits our needs perfectly. And because we’re on a budget, going with a DDR5 motherboard put it a bit outside our price, but DDR5 is a fantastic upgrade for your enthusiast or professional rig!

Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti XC Gaming Dual-Fan 8GB GDDR6 PCIe 4.0 Graphics Card

Depending on your video editing software, a graphics card can have little noticeable effect or it can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to render your composite. Using a program like DaVinci Resolve will take advantage of the GPU processing power, while Adobe Premiere Pro is more CPU intensive. This build is more geared towards the former so, we will need a good graphics card for the advantages it gives.

Ram: Corsair Vengeance RGB RT 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3600

For this build, we’re going for something that can edit 4K fast, as well as multi-task for projects that may require constant scrubbing of video data. Having 32GB will give you the power you need for a consistent, fluid workflow. 

Hard Drives: Inland Performance 2TB 3D PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD & Seagate Ironwolf 8TB 7200RPM 3.5" Internal NAS Hard Drive

For solid-state drives and hard drives, there are a few options we could have gone with but in this build we’re going for performance and long term storage for projects. The Inland Performance 2TB SSD would be used for a primary hard drive, giving us a read performance of up to 5,000MBps. You would use this drive to install your operating system, your video editing software, as well as any touch up programs like DaVinci Resolve – Fusion or Adobe After Effects and their plugins. The Seagate Ironwolf 8TB would be your cold storage drive. This drive would primarily be used to store your finished projects and reference materials in case you need a refreshed on how you handled an old project.

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 GT 750W 80+ Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply

This build doesn’t require a 750W power supply, but we’re going for future upgradability. In the event you ever wanted to start 8K projects and need to upgrade your GPU, this will give you the power you need without having to buy a new power supply. 

Case: Lian Li Lancool II MESH Type C RGB Tempered Glass ATX Mid-Tower

Cases are in the eye of the beholder. It’s definitely one of the most personal part of the build as it is what you are looking at every day. This case was chosen based on its cooling ability and functionality, given that it comes with three RGB fans for intake and a USB-C port on the front for universal access for most newer devices. 

Cooler: Lian Li Galahad 240mm RGB Water Cooling Kit - Black w/ 1700 Bracket

To keep the processor nice and cool, we have chosen an All-in-One water cooler for lower CPU temperatures, as AIO processors offer better cooling than stock fans and give the build a nice look.