Video, photography, art, podcasts, music, coding, animation… whatever it is you’re into, in the new AI age, you require a computer to match. Here’s how to build one…
We’ve entered a new era of computing: the AI era. Artificial intelligence is now a part of our daily lives and in the years between now and when our robot overlords go all Skynet on us, it will vastly change the palette from which creatives can go about their art. But only if you have a computer up to the task.
In 2026 and beyond, the ultimate creator’s PC isn’t just about making sure the software runs smoothly and exports efficiently when you’re dealing with today’s huge files. It’s about making sure there is compatibility and communication pathways each company’s AI, so together they can work in your favour.
For the AI in one part of your system to maximise its potential, it needs to be able to have a handshake agreement with the AI in other parts of your system. Your GPU AI, your CPU AI, your motherboard AI, your software AI and so on, all sitting around the campfire singing Kumbaya, so to speak. These are the parts we opted for in our build and why it has worked out a treat.
Case – Corsair Frame 5000D
Before you install the body parts, your computer needs a skeleton to hold it together. The ultimate creator’s PC is going to have large, high-end parts working in overtime, which will generate a lot of heat. We opted for the Frame 5000D from Corsair because it’s big enough to fit large, powerful parts, and hold their weight thanks to its sturdy build. It also comes with good ventilation, large pre-installed fans and space for liquid cooling.
Motherboard – ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero
Your motherboard is perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle. This is the central nervous system: the communication network. It needs to speak the language of each of the parts connected through it, so they understand one another. We went with the ASUS ROG Maximus Z890 Hero because it is compatible with the latest PCI-e 5.0 speeds with both its hard drive and graphics card (GPU). It has support for the latest DDR5 RAM speeds, too, as well as Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7, both great for moving big files about. It has its own AI, working to optimise processes in the background. Plus, it has a whopping six m.2 SSD hard-drive slots, perfect for creators.
CPU – Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
The brain of your computer needs to be able to deliver high performance multitasking to meet the demands of high-end creator software. This chip focuses in on that goal, using the latest Arrow Lake, AI-enabled architecture to optimise efficiency across a whopping 24 cores at speeds up to 5.7GHz. It can also unlock the latest generation parts that leverage PCI-e 5.0 and DDR5 speeds. A chip purpose built for creators and tests show it’s the best at it on the market.
Liquid Cooling – Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360
The important thing to note about using a high-end CPU, is that it needs it own cooling system. We opted for Arctic due to its balance. It offers excellent cooling at an affordable price, while also staying quiet. Its additional VRM cooling helps maintain stability under load, too. By the time you read this, the 420 model may be available in Australia, with its bigger fan providing even better efficiency.
GPU – Gigabyte Aorus Nvidia GeForce 5080
While it’s true there is a more powerful 5090 model in the latest Nvidia range, it’s too expensive for what it offers. The 5080, however, still packs a hell of a punch, using the company’s new Blackwell architecture to facilitate AI acceleration and 16GB of ultra-fast GDDR7 VRAM. In short, it’s designed to handle 8K resolutions and detailed renders. Gigabyte has layered over the top its impressive Windforce cooling system, a sturdier reinforced build, an LCD screen display and RGB lighting, while offering a four-year warranty. This is the beating heart of your build.
HD – WD Black SN8100
When you’re building a PC for performance, it’s important to minimise bottlenecks. The ultimate creator PC is going to require the movement and creation of huge files on and off your hard drive, so we wanted the fastest HD on the market. That’s the WD Black SN8100 m.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD. With read and write speeds above 14,000 MB/s, this is a next-generation storage solution.
RAM – Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB 32GB x 2
Creator PCs do a lot of multitasking, especially when you are swapping files between multiple software products, such as the Adobe suite. To give your computer the headroom to do that, you want plenty of memory (i.e. RAM), running at the highest speed. This is why we opted for the Corsair Dominator Titanium sticks, which not only meet that criteria, but do so with good cooling, a durable build and some RGB lighting flair.
PSU – Corsair RM1000x PSU
The last piece of the puzzle is your computer’s power; its stomach if you will, where all the energy comes from. You want a PSU that can over deliver on the needs of all the high-end parts you’ve compiled, so it’s never running at maximum intensity. This 1000W option from Corsair achieves that goal. It’s also efficient and quiet, key if you want to do audio recording at your desktop. The stable power outlay, modular cabling and 10-year warranty provide peace of mind, while it also fits snuggly in the Corsair case.
By Chris Stead
