4K video editing (and other content creation) on a tight budget (about 1400 PLN / 300€)
Articles advising on choosing a computer for content creation focus on the notion that 'your time is so valuable' you shouldn't waste time on penny-pinching - just get a Macbook Pro.
Or - in case your evil employers want you to use Windows applications like a poor person - get a top-of-the-line Dell XPS 2022/2023/2024/whatever is the current year.
But in case you don't earn hundreds of euros per hour of your work, and you can 'waste' some time penny-pinching, how low can you go?
Let's say we want to achieve performance on par with a Dell XPS 17 laptop from 2022, with mobile RTX 3060 6GB (TGP 65W) and mobile Intel Core i7-11800H.
It was reviewed as a solid laptop for video editing, and its recommended retail price on release was just below 3000€.
https://www.itpro.com/hardware/laptops/362309/dell-xps-17-review-serious-power-in-a-portable-package
https://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.php/artikel/hardware/notebooks/57541-dell-xps-17-9710-im-test-edles-aber-suendhaft-teures-ultrabook-mit-rtx.html
Obviously, we will not be getting a glorious 4K OLED display or a massive battery, we just need a similar level of performance.
Components for such a desktop (with warranty, shipping included) cost just over 1400 PLN / 300€ - plus assembly fee if you don't want to build the PC yourself.
Here are the links to Polish electronic stores and AliExpress. But you should be able to get similar prices throughout Europe.
(links to Allegro are reflinks)
Processor - Xeon E5 2630 V3 (basically i7-5960X with 8 cores, Haswell E architecture, 20MB cache, 3.2 GHz all-core turbo)
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Motherboard - Machinist X99 PR9
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RAM - 32GB (2 sticks 16GB each) ECC 2133 MHz DDR4
for a total of 441 PLN
https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/1005005438880753.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.15.16a6168dZQDUYp&algo_pvid=36c16607-63f1-48ea-8690-13dbb12f8685&algo_exp_id=36c16607-63f1-48ea-8690-13dbb12f8685-7&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21PLN%21612.8%21441.22%21%21%21%21%21%402145280e16831712735224805d0749%2112000033088353033%21sea%21PL%21899947118&curPageLogUid=Rk9tKlRnpFm4
Graphics Card - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 OC (6GB) - 650 PLN
https://pl.webuy.com/product-detail/?id=sgranvi1660gtx6gb&categoryName=karty-graficzne-pci-e&superCatName=komputery&title=nvidia-geforce-gtx-1660-6gb-gddr5&referredFrom=category
SSD - GoodRam CL100 gen.3 480GB (with coupon code APP30) - 72 PLN
https://www.amazon.pl/Goodram-SSDPR-CL100-480-G3-Dysk-Twardy-Czarny/dp/B089S1QWW1/ref=sr_1_7?qid=1683022969&refinements=p_85%3A20876009031%2Cp_36%3A6000-10500&rnid=20900476031&rps=1&s=computers&sr=1-7
Power Supply - Fortron FSP600-60AHBC 600W - 125 PLN
https://allegro.pl/oferta/zasilacz-fsp-fortron-600w-fsp600-60ahbc-85-13591834988?utm_medium=afiliacja&utm_source=ctr&utm_campaign=59e68b13-3ab9-4f46-a75d-dacbc91e934b#
Case - Krux Trek krx0015 (1 fan included 'for free') - 106 PLN (with coupon code APP30)
https://www.amazon.pl/Krux-krx0015-etui-komputerowe-czarne/dp/B08L3386MQ/ref=sr_1_222?qid=1683078266&refinements=p_n_free_shipping_eligible%3A20876078031%2Cp_36%3A9000-20000&rnid=20900476031&s=computers&sr=1-222
A set of 2 additional 120mm case fans - 12 PLN
https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/1005002412274009.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.79.13ed5935r9oGwg&algo_pvid=c4b62053-3b48-4b6b-81b6-5f176f160f38&algo_exp_id=c4b62053-3b48-4b6b-81b6-5f176f160f38-39&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21PLN%2115.56%2112.46%21%21%21%21%21%40214527c616830791545367117d0723%2112000020566577525%21sea%21PL%21899947118&curPageLogUid=27reLog8HDMm
If you are not convinced that the components selection is adequate check out the article where I explain why matching the performance of low-power laptop components is not as difficult as you might think:
https://steemit.com/hardware/@hwtrendsetter/desktops-consume-more-power-for-a-reason-elaboration-on-the-article-about-4k-video-editing-on-a-tight-budget