The Best $1500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – August 2023
Serious 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 Intel and Nvidia!
For August 2023, this build gets a massive upgrade in gaming power, moving to the ultra-fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 12GB video card, by far the most powerful video card ever released that can fit in an ultra-compact system like this one. It’s supported by Intel’s formidable Core i5-12600K ten-core, 16-thread processor, which has been discounted to make it an unbelievable value.
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 500W 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
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CPU –
Intel Core i5-12600K
$180 The Guru’s TipThis hot-running CPU does not come with a cooler, so of course we recommend a powerful model later in this guide.
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Motherboard –
ASRock Z790M-ITX
$200 The Guru’s TipThis board uses DDR5 RAM, which is what we recommend in this guide.
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Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Twin Edge12GB Spider-Verse
$550 The Guru’s TipWhile most RTX 4070 models will not fit in the case we recommend, this one, at just 9.7" long, will have room to spare!
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Memory –
G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C36
$90 The Guru’s TipThis DDR5 kit is a perfect match for the motherboard we recommend.
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Solid-State Drive –
WD_BLACK SN770 1TB NVMe
$51 The Guru’s TipRemember to install this drive before you install the motherboard in the case!
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Case –
SilverStone SG16
$84 The Guru’s TipThis case is also available in a sleek white finish, which is listed on the same product page.
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Case Fan –
Scythe Kaze Flex II 120mm Fan
$16 The Guru’s TipYou'll be mounting this fan to the front of the chassis to provide cool intake air to the motherboard, RAM, and CPU.
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Power Supply –
SilverStone SX500-G
$115 The Guru’s TipWhile 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!
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CPU Cooler –
Thermaltake TH120 Black
$64 The Guru’s TipMount 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!
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Operating System –
Windows 11 Home (Download)
$130 The Guru’s TipIt 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
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The 27" 1440p 144Hz Gaming Monitor –
Sceptre E275B-QPN168
$200 The Guru’s TipThis monitor will let you get the most out of your new high-end gaming PC!
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The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –
Razer BlackWidow V3 Clicky
$100 The Guru’s TipYou can control the RGB effects of this keyboard using Razer's Synapse software.
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The Pro Gaming Mouse –
Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed Wireless
$70 The Guru’s TipWhether you're using your PC from a desk or the couch, this is the perfect mouse!
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The Budget Wireless PC Headset –
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
$65 The Guru’s TipWe 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!
Total Cost: $1519
The DIY Build
- CPU – Intel Core i5-12600K ($180)
- Motherboard – ASRock Z790M-ITX ($200)
- Video Card – Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Twin Edge12GB Spider-Verse ($550)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 C36 ($90)
- Solid-State Drive – WD_BLACK SN770 1TB NVMe ($51)
- Case – SilverStone SG16 ($84)
- Case Fan – Scythe Kaze Flex II 120mm Fan ($16)
- Power Supply – SilverStone SX500-G ($115)
- CPU Cooler – Thermaltake TH120 Black ($64)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (Download) ($130)