The Best $2000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – September 2024

By Ari Altman | Published August 24, 2024 | Updated August 24, 2024

Small Footprint, Big Performance!

This system is designed for gamers who want a compact system but aren’t willing to sacrifice performance to get it. The $2,000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build has all the power of a full-blown desktop gaming PC, packed into a compact, stylish case that’s dwarfed by standard towers. Amazingly, there’s no price premium to pay to get such a unique PC, making this PC a pretty good value too.

This Month’s Build, Powered by AMD and Nvidia!

For September 2024, the $2,000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build features AMD’s blazing-fast Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-core, 16-thread CPU, the best gaming CPU on the market. Particularly notable for this build is the 7800X3D’s incredible efficiency, which allows this system to run cool and quiet despite the system’s small dimensions. The 7800X3D will have no trouble maxing out our GPU of choice, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB.

Just as important as all the computational firepower used in this system is the case, which truly defines this build. The NR200 from Cooler Master brings high-end capabilities down to a compact size and a very reasonable price. With competitors only available from boutique manufacturers at over twice the price, the NR200 stands alone. Inside, you’ll be installing 32GB of fast DDR5-6000 RAM, a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive, and a 120mm tower cooler from Scythe. Keeping the system running is a compact 700W Gold-rated SFX power supply, which will have more than enough power for all the gear in this build.

Parting Thoughts

To see recommended accessories for this build, just scroll down to the bottom of this page, or check out our dedicated Monitor Buyer’s Guide and Peripherals Buyer’s Guide. Throughout this guide, you’ll see direct links to Amazon for US readers, and our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers in the UK, Canada, and parts of the EU, with automatic reginal substitutions made where necessary. To support continued development of these guides, please use these links when you’re ready to buy your ITX machine!

The DIY PC Build

Click to Buy

CPU –
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
$419

AMD has done it again with its 3D cache technology, turning an average CPU, the 7700X, into the 7800X3D, the best gaming CPU ever released! This CPU can take on any CPU, regardless of price, when it comes to gaming, thanks to its advanced stacked cache design. It also has a leg up on Intel by offering the latest connectivity standards thanks to the AM5 platform.

The Guru’s Tip
This CPU does not come with a cooler, so don't forget to pick up the high-powered cooler we list later in this guide!
Click to Buy

Motherboard –
Gigabyte B650I AORUS Ultra
$250

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 (one Gen 5, one Gen 4), 2.5Gbps LAN, built-in 802.11ax wireless networking with Bluetooth, the premium ALC4080 audio codec, and seven USB ports, including a Type-C port.

The Guru’s Tip
This board requires DDR5 memory, so make sure to follow our RAM recommendation in this guide.
Click to Buy

Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB Trinity
$790

The RTX 4070 Ti Super improves upon the 4070 Ti by using the GPU behind the impressive 4080. That means it gets 16GB of VRAM and a robust 256-bit memory bus, plus more GPU cores. Translation: it beats last gen’s king-of-the-hill RTX 3090 Ti while using far less power and at a far lower price. And this model from Zotac uses three fans for excellent performance and low noise.

The Guru’s Tip
With a cooler that's just 307mm long, this model is an easy fit in the case we recommend, while most other models are simply too big.
Click to Buy

Memory –
TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Create DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO
$94

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 RAM is the perfect match for the motherboard we recommend.
Click to Buy

Solid-State Drive –
TeamGroup MP44 2TB PCIe 4.0
$117

The MP44 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 7,400MB/s in sequential operations, practically maxing out the Gen4 interface!

The Guru’s Tip
We recommend that the first thing you install on the motherboard is the SSD. This will ensure you have access to the M.2 slot.
Click to Buy

Case –
Cooler Master NR200
$76

This amazing case is one of a kind. Coming in at 18 liters, it has space for just about every component you could imagine, and looks fantastic too! That includes a huge GPU, a variety of powerful cooler options, and an SFX-class PSU.

The Guru’s Tip
Note that there is a ver. 2 of this case, but it's completely different, and is only compatible with liquid cooling. This system relies on a tower air cooler, so stick with the original NR200 case.
Click to Buy

Power Supply –
SilverStone SX700-G
$133

Offering an impressive 700W of power output and Gold-rated efficiency in an ultra-compact package, the SX700-G is a fantastic choice among high-end SFX power supplies. It features a 92mm fan with fluid dynamic bearings, along with fully-modular cables.

The Guru’s Tip
This PSU will have plenty of power for this system, which will draw under 450W at load.
Click to Buy

CPU Cooler –
Scythe Mugen 6 Black (Dual Fan Edition)
$55

The Mugen is legendary in low-noise circles, and yet, things can always get better. So while the Ver. 6 Black Edition still offers class-leading silence, it gets a huge boost in performance, catapulting the Mugen past all of its competitors. That’s thanks to not one, but two Wonder Tornado fans. These beauties are the very best heatsink fans ever released, and alone are worth nearly the asking price of this entire cooler. Of course you also get a smartly-designed heatsink, with tightly-spaced fins, 6 heatpipes, and an offset design that allows it to sit just 154mm tall, while offering unlimited RAM clearance. Basically, this is the perfect 120mm-class cooler!

The Guru’s Tip
This is the perfect match for the case we recommend, maxing out the height limit while providing exceptional cooling!
Click to Buy

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
Win 11 is absolutely the OS you want on a modern PC.

Optional Products

Click to Buy

The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –
Corsair K70 RGB Pro MX Red
$120

The Corsair K70 set the standard for mechanical gaming keyboards and is still the benchmark by which all others are judged. With its solid aluminum construction and detachable wrist rest, it’s a truly premium option. It features Cherry’s classic MX Red switches, PBT Doubleshot keys for durability, a magnetic soft-touch palm rest, and 8,000Hz hyper-polling for amazing responsiveness. And yes, it also is fully blinged out with RGB!

The Guru’s Tip
Once you go mechanical, you won't go back!
Click to Buy

The Ultimate Wireless Gaming Mouse –
Razer Basilisk Ultimate HyperSpeed
$100

Razer is legendary in the gaming mouse market, and the Basilisk Ultimate, now discounted from its original introductory price, is an ultra-high-end bargain! Featuring a 20,000dpi sensor, Razer’s awesome HyperSpeed wireless system, and a perfect ergonomic design, this model can’t be beat! And in addition to its 100-hour battery life, it’s also incredibly light, at just 107g!

The Guru’s Tip
No other mouse offers ultra-high-end performance at such a low price!
Click to Buy

The 34-inch Gaming Monitor –
Asus TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A
$250

Are you ready for serious big-screen gaming? Then feast your eyes on this 34″ monitor from Asus, which breaks new ground in terms of features and performance per dollar. It has an ultra-wide 3440 x 1440 curved VA panel, a fast 180Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync Premium technology to keep your frames running smoothly. It also offers a height-adjustable stand (unusual at this pricepoint), plus the Extreme Low Motion Blur option.

The Guru’s Tip
You'll have no trouble taking advantage of the full resolution of this monitor with the $2,000 ITX Gaming PC Build!
Click to Buy

The Deluxe PC Headset –
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless
$132

PRIME DAY DEAL – SAVE $25 TODAY! From humble beginnings as a mousemat manufacturer, SteelSeries has come to absolutely dominate the gaming headset industry. And that’s because it’s not rocket science, it’s audio science! SteelSeries took a careful look at what gamers needed and and then applied all the proven techniques to get them everything they wanted. That includes ultra-high-fidelity audio, 360-degree surround sound for immersive gaming, dual audio streams for simultaneous connection to a PC and a smartphone, multi-platform support, and amazing 38-hour battery life plus quick-charge over USB-C, providing a 6 hour boost in 15 minutes! It also has among the best microphones in business, providing clear audio for everyone you’re talking to!

The Guru’s Tip
This headset easily beats similarly-priced models from the popular "gaming" brands.