The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $1500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – March 2023

The Best $1500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – March 2023

By Ari Altman | Published February 5, 2023 | Updated February 5, 2023

SG16Serious Gaming Power in a Tiny Box!

Are you a gamer who wants extreme gaming capability in a tiny package? Then the $1,500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build is for you! This system takes up barely 1/3 the space of a typical gaming tower while packing in the same performance, making it perfect for gaming on the go or in your living room. In other words, despite its compact size, the $1,500 Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build is a totally legit high-end gaming PC, the equal of massive PCs that cost the same or more!

This Month’s Build, Powered Exclusively by AMD!

For March 2023, this build gets an upgrade to AMD’s AM5 platform, specifically the powerful Ryzen 5 7600X six-core, 12-thread processor. It’s supporting the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB, the most powerful GPU you can fit in this system.

Also on the build list is 32GB of speedy DDR5-6000 RAM, along with a quick 1TB PCIe solid-state drive. The build comes together in the compact SilverStone SG16 chassis and uses a 120mm liquid cooler that maximizes the system’s cooling performance. Finally, feeding this system is a quiet, efficient 650W power supply. Learn more about building in the SG16 case in our full review below.

SilverStone SG16 Mini-ITX Case Review - The Successor to the SG13 Takes on a Brave New World!

Parting Thoughts

We also our favorite accessories for the $1,500 Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build at the end of this guide, including a great keyboard and mouse, so don’t forget to scroll down to check those out! Note that in our buyer’s guide below, we have dedicated links to Amazon for our US readers, which will auto-convert for readers in Canada, the UK, and many countries in the EU. Your use of these product links is the only thing that will keep this site going!

The DIY Build

  • AMD Ryzen 7600X
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

    $241
    AMD has done it again with Zen 4, simply smashing through the performance barrier in all respects. The 6-core, 12-thread Ryzen 5 7600X is up to 15% faster in games and 25% faster in content creation than its predecessor, while offering the latest connectivity standards thanks to the AM5 platform.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This CPU does not come with a cooler, so make sure to grab the liquid cooler we recommend later in this guide!
  • MSI B650i Edge
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    MSI MPG B650I Edge WiFi

    $240
    This board has all the features you need for a high-end build on the AM5 platform, despite its reasonable pricepoint. It features 8+2+1 power stages, dual M.2 PCIe slots (both Gen 4), 2.5Gbps LAN, built-in 802.11ax wireless networking with Bluetooth, the premium ALC4080 audio codec, and six USB ports, including a Type-C port.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This board requires DDR5 RAM, just like all AM5 boards, and we recommend the a great kit in this guide.
  • MSI RX 6700 XT
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    MSI Radeon RX 6750XT 12GB Mech 2X

    $430
    This Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB from MSI has impressive gaming power, beating Nvidia’s RTX 3070, while coming in at a far lower price. Plus, it has the added advantage of 12GB of VRAM, which is 50% more than competing Nvidia cards!

    The Guru’s Tip

    At 9.7" long, this card will easily fit in the case we recommend, which has 10.8" of clearance. It's actually the most powerful GPU of any kind that will fit in this system!
  • G.Skill Flare X5
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Flare X5 DDR5-6000 CL32 EXPO

    $135
    To get the most out of AMD’s latest CPUs, you want fast RAM, and DDR5-6000 is the sweetspot not only in terms of price, but in terms of the AM5 platform. It allows for the highest overall performance thanks to running in 1:1 sync with the memory controller. And this Flare X5 kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the enhanced 32-38-38-96 AMD EXPO timings.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Remember to engage the EXPO profile in the motherboard's UEFI to get the most out of this RAM!
  • Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Silicon Power 1TB NVMe

    $49
    You simply can’t do better for the price than this value-packed SSD, which uses the speedy PCIe 3.0 interface and TLC NAND to vastly outperform all the SATA drives that sell for around the same amount! Note that to install this drive, you’ll affix it in an M.2 slot on your motherboard using a jeweler’s-type screwdriver.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Remember to install this drive before you install the motherboard in the case!
  • SilverStone SG16
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    SilverStone SG16

    $84
    Coming in at just 13 liters despite impressive component compatibility and exceptional airflow, the SG16 stands alone. There are smaller “kick-started” cases out there, but they often come with a whole lot of “gotchas”, one of which is always an exorbitant price! The SG16, on the other hand, is a value-packed option designed by the biggest name in the ITX industry, SilverStone. It has 120mm fan mounts front and rear (almost unheard of in this size-class), and it can fit video cards up to 10.8″ long.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This case is also available in a sleek white finish, which is listed on the same product page.
  • Click to Buy
    Case Fan –

    Arctic P12 PWM

    $9
    Want to cooler your system without a noise penalty? Look no further than the excellent P12 PWM from Arctic. It offers fantastic performance at low noise levels, and comes in at a shockingly-low price, despite a market-leading 10-year warranty.

    The Guru’s Tip

    You'll be mounting this fan to the front of the chassis to provide cool intake air to the motherboard, RAM, and CPU.
  • SilverStone SX650
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    SilverStone SST-SX650-G v.1.1

    $106
    For a high-powered build like this one, you need a serious power supply, and this awesome 650W Gold-rated unit is our top pick. It’s incredibly powerful for its size, with more than enough output to handle the CPU and GPU featured in this build (including 4 PCIe power connectors – a single GPU can use up to 3!).

    The Guru’s Tip

    While the case we recommend can technically fit a full-size ATX power supply, going with this ultra-compact SFX model will make the PC so much easier to build and keep cool thanks to all the extra room it frees up inside, like the awesome cooler we recommend!
  • Thermaltake TH120
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Thermaltake TH120

    $70
    Keeping a CPU cool in a high-powered, compact PC can be a challenge, but this liquid cooler has what it takes to get the job done. It is far superior to any low-profile air cooler, and it will match many of the best 120mm tower coolers. All that and it’s easier to install too!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Mount the radiator and fan to the rear of the chassis. There's plenty of space, as this case is perfectly designed for 120mm liquid cooling!
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home (Download)

    $140
    Windows 11 take everything people loved about Windows 10, and then takes it to 11! It adds significant under-the-hood changes to make it faster and more secure, and of course, the interface is sleek too! Make the best use of this downloadable version of Windows by loading it onto this 128GB USB 3.1 thumb drive, which you can re-purpose after OS installation as an ultra-fast backup drive.

    The Guru’s Tip

    It took Microsoft over six months to release Windows 11 to retail after initially making it available as an update to Win10 owners, but now that it's here, you definitely want the latest OS on your DIY PC!

Optional Products

  • Sceptre E275B
    Click to Buy
    The 27" 1440p 144Hz Gaming Monitor –

    Sceptre E275B-QPN168

    $220
    Sceptre is all about deliver inconspicuously-named monitors with out-of-this-world value! This one packs in a big 27″ 2560 x 1440 IPS panel, a 144Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium for ultra-smooth framerates, a Displayport, an HDMI 2.0 port, and dual HDMI 1.4 ports, plus built-in speakers. To get it set up just right, it has a height-adjustable stand, unheard of in this price range. It even includes a Displayport cable in the box, which is what you want to use to get the most out of this monitor!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This monitor will let you get the most out of your new high-end gaming PC!
  • K55 Pro
    Click to Buy
    The Budget Gaming Keyboard –

    Corsair K55 RGB Pro

    $50
    Pick up a great keyboard at a great price with the K55. It offers IP42-rated dust and spill resistance, zoned RGB backlighting, dedicated macro and media keys, plus quiet keys with a tactile bump to provide great feedback with low noise levels!

    The Guru’s Tip

    You can control the RGB effects of this keyboard using Corsair's iCUE software.
  • Click to Buy
    The Pro Gaming Mouse –

    Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless

    $37
    Offering cutting-edge performance, there’s nothing like the Basilisk X for anywhere near the price. Ultra-sensitive sensor, Razer’s awesome HyperSpeed wireless system, and perfect ergonomics. It’s a great mouse!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Whether you're using your PC from a desk or the couch, this is the perfect mouse!
  • Click to Buy
    The Budget Wireless PC Headset –

    ‎SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

    $74
    SteelSeries has made a name for itself in the gaming headset world with its no-nonsense focus on performance. The Arctis 1 follows in this tradition with high-end drivers, lossless 2.4 GHz wireless for ultra-low latency wireless connectivity on both PC and PS4/PS5, a detachable bidirectional microphone, and 20 hours of battery life.

    The Guru’s Tip

    We figure if you're building a small PC, it's very likely going to be tucked far enough away from you that using a wired headset will be a no-go!

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