The Best $1500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – September 2024

By Ari Altman | Published August 22, 2024 | Updated August 22, 2024

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 by AMD and Nvidia!

For September 2024, this build features the Ryzen 5 7600X six-core, 12-thread CPU, which is the perfect choice for a compact gaming-focused system, thanks to its top-notch performance and incredible efficiency. While AMD has recently launched the updated 9600X, it’s a bit of a flop from a gaming point of view, and much more expensive, so we stick with what works, the 7600X! It’s supporting the awesome Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB video card, which is a solid 15% faster than the original 4070 and by far the most powerful video card ever released that can fit in an ultra-compact system like this one.

Also on the build list is 32GB of speedy DDR5-6000 RAM, along with a quick 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive. The build comes together in the compact SilverStone SG16 chassis and uses a 120mm liquid cooler to maximize 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.

Parting Thoughts

We list 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

  • CPU

    AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

    $210
    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 include a cooler, so make sure to pick up the model we list later in this guide.

  • Motherboard

    Gigabyte A620I AX

    $130
    This affordable AM5 board allows you to jump into AMD’s latest CPU ecosystem at a great price. It offers built in 802.11ax (WiFi 6E), a Gen 4 M.2 slot, a Gen 4 video card slot, plus six USB ports (including a Type-C). The key difference between the A620 chipset on which this board is based and the B650 chipset on boards costing twice as much is slots and ports, but for an ITX board, that has little impact. There’s only so much space for these things in a compact form factor anyway, so for mini-ITX, A620 is a perfect match!

    The Guru’s Tip

    The A620 chipset doesn't support manual overclocking, so we go with the pre-overclocked 7600X CPU above!

  • Video Card

    Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Super Twin Edge 12GB OC

    $610
    The RTX 4070 Super offers amazing performance and amazing efficiency, making it the perfect GPU for any high-end gaming rig! This model’s dual-slot, dual-fan cooler will keep temperatures in check and noise levels down, without filling up your system. This card also a factory overclock to give it an extra boost out of the box!

    The Guru’s Tip

    While many RTX 4070 Super models will not fit in the case we recommend, this one, at 9.2" long, will have plenty of room to spare, as the case has 10.8" of clearance.

  • Memory

    TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Create DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO

    $92
    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 T-Create kit is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the enhanced 30-36-36-76 AMD EXPO timings.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This DDR5 kit is a perfect match for the motherboard we recommend.

  • Solid-State Drive

    TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0

    $57
    The MP44L PCIe 4.0, which blows past previous PCIe Gen3-based drives by harnessing the power of the PCIe Gen4 interface, is an absolute bargain of a high-end drive. It can hit up to 5,000MB/s in sequential operations!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Remember to install this drive before you install the motherboard in the case!

  • Case

    SilverStone SG16

    $92
    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.

  • 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.

  • Power Supply

    SilverStone SST-SX650-G

    $140
    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!

  • CPU Cooler

    Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3

    $44
    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 the case we recommend is perfectly designed for 120mm liquid cooling!

  • Operating System

    Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg

    $139
    Windows 11 built on everything people loved about Windows 10, and then took 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! Note that we’re linking to Newegg, because Amazon long ago stopped selling this physical USB version of Windows, which is the most convenient one to use.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 11 gets all the latest updates and features, and will be supported far longer than Windows 10, so it's what you want on your new DIY PC!

Optional Products

  • The 27" 1440p 180Hz Gaming Monitor

    Acer XV271U

    $200
    Acer has been in the high-end gaming monitor market for years, and always offers out-of-this-world value! This model packs in a big 27″ 2560 x 1440 IPS panel, a whopping 180Hz refresh rate and FreeSync Premium for ultra-smooth framerates, a Displayport 1.2 port and dual HDMI 2.0 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 and HDMI cables in the box!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This monitor will let you get the most out of your new high-end gaming PC!

  • The Budget Gaming Keyboard

    Logitech G213 Gaming Keyboard

    $50
    Pick up a great keyboard at a great price with the G213. It’s quick, quiet, and responsive, and it also has sweet RGB backlighting, of course!

    The Guru’s Tip

    The settings on this keyboard can be controlled using the Logitech GHub software.

  • The Pro Gaming Mouse

    Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed Wireless

    $60
    Offering cutting-edge performance, there’s nothing like the Basilisk V3 for anywhere near the price. Ultra-sensitive 18K sensor, mechanical switches, Razer’s awesome HyperSpeed wireless system with up to 285 hours of battery life, 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!

  • The Budget Wireless PC Headset

    ‎SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless

    $95
    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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