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I'm a total rookie when it comes to hardware tech news, so I'm relying on userbenchmark.com to choose stuffs. Here are the core modules of the rig I'm building:

  • CPU: core i3 9100F
  • GPU: GTX 1650S (Super)
  • RAM: Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200 C16 2x8GB
  • SSD: Pilot NVMe PCIe M.2 500GB

As you can see from the list, I aim for pieces that provide the biggest bang for the buck. I don't know whether those CPU & GPU... are mid-end or low-end, but I want my remaining constituents to be within the same price range.

Therefore, here comes the big question: what would you recommend for the mainboard, a monitor and speakers that go with this rig?

I intend to use the PC to make videos using Adobe Premiere (the latest version if possible), otherwise most of the time I'll just surf and do easy tasks. If my channel catches on then I may consider streaming, possibly games, but that's pretty far fetched (the gaming part ;) ).

I don't have plans to upgrade any parts of the machine once it's been built, so the chance of switching anything in or out is less than 50%.

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I've had very good luck (VRM and BIOS-wise) with ASUS mainboards. Since you'll need NVMe support but your CPU isn't very demanding in terms of power, I'd probably go with the Asus Prime B360M-A which should support all the features you need. It is a bit light on USB ports, so if that's a concern for you, something like the Asus Prime B360-Plus offers more connectivity, but in a larger form factor. If form factor is an issue in your case, please specify.

You state you mostly want to use the machine for productivity and mildly color-demanding work. Together with your GPU and light gaming needs, you'll probably not need a 120 or 144 Hz display. Monitor size is, again, hugely dependent on your preference. Personally, I wouldn't want to go below 27" and WQHD. Used monitors provide a pretty large saving potential there. If you do want a new monitor, the Philips 275E1S should fit those (mine) requirements quite nicely with decent reviews.

I can't really comment on speakers - I use cheap dollar-store ones if I don't use my headset.

Frame challenge: If you're mostly after productivity anyways, AMD Ryzen based systems offer a lot of performance for very decent pricing and upgrade-ability these days.

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  • Thanks! I've just read a good article and realized that Premiere is CPU-heavy and indeed can thrive on an AMD system, so your suggestion is changing my mind. In that case, can you recommend a whole new build, with the approximately same budget as the current one?
    – longtry
    Oct 16, 2020 at 9:15
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I almost have the same build as you.

CPU: core i3 9100F

GPU: Gigabyte RX 570 4GB

Ram: 16gb (2 sticks of 8gb DDR4 2666 Kingston HyperX Fury Black)

SSD: 500gb Samsung 970 EVO SSD, M.2 NVMe

Motherboard: Gigabyte B360M HD3

PSU: Seasonic S12II, 620 watts, bronze rated

Monitor: 24" AOC 24G2 144hz refresh rate, IPS panel

Same processor, type of SSD (M.2 500gb but samsung brand), and 16gb (8x2) ram. My PSU is Seasonic: S12II (620 watts, bronze rated). Motherboard is Gigabyte B360M HD3 which is perfect for my needs and not much extra features that I don't need. It has a slot for a M.2 SSD which I also have. The only thing that is a little different for you is the GPU. I have a RX 570 but yours is a much newer budget release late last year so a little higher power requirements I would say (but most likely the same PSU is a good fit). Since you wont be using for gaming, you probably wont need a refresh rate above 60hz as stated here, but get an IPS panel. Good for color and very much more affordable. As mentioned for your productivity purposes, a monitor size of at least 27" is ideal. You can also opt for 1440p resolution if you want it to be real clear and less pixelated, but this can be more expensive.

Also one thing to note is the ram speed of the rams you are buying. If i'm not mistaken it is 3200 MHz? If yes, then there is a good chance you will not be able to utilize the speeds fully. My motherboard only handles a maximum of 2666 MHz, but the i3-9100f does not bottleneck this based on what I read.

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  • Actually for video editing, I found out that RX cards are better than my previous choice. I don't know why a productivity purpose would require a big screen? Genuine curiosity there. Also, is there any mainboard that provide 3200 mhz in the same price level?
    – longtry
    Oct 17, 2020 at 6:57
  • This is because you get to work with a larger workspace with a bigger monitor. You become more productive that way on most cases. You can check this for boards that have ram speeds with 3200 MHz pcpartpicker.com/products/motherboard/?compatible_with=4n648d
    – Pherdindy
    Oct 17, 2020 at 10:16
  • But GTX 1650S is perfect for a budget build. If that card was released already when I made my PC earlier last year I would have gotten that.
    – Pherdindy
    Oct 17, 2020 at 10:23
  • thanks for the link! works great. now i know anything above 2666MHz is probably not useful. regarding 1650S, you're right... howwever, i was looking for 2nd-hand parts too, so a pretty new card like that may not be available as 'used' right now.
    – longtry
    Oct 17, 2020 at 16:23

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