The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $2000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – February 2023

The Best $2000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – February 2023

By Ari Altman | Published January 23, 2023 | Updated January 23, 2023

CoolerMaster NR200 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 February 2023, the $2,000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build features AMD’s blazing-fast Ryzen 5 7600X 6-core, 12-thread CPU, a gaming specialist like no other CPU on the market. It’s the perfect processor for an ITX gaming system, thanks to its impressive power and efficiency. It’ll have no trouble maxing out our GPU of choice, Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB, which matches Nvidia’s older 3090 Ti at a much lower price, and with far lower power consumption!

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 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive, and a 120mm tower cooler from Scythe. Keeping the system running is a compact 650W 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 or Newegg 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

  • AMD Ryzen 7600X
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

    $244
    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 pick up the liquid cooler we list 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 memory, so make sure to follow our RAM recommendation in this guide.
  • Zotac RX 4070 Ti
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB Trinity

    $800
    The RTX 4070 Ti does the impossible, matching the previous king-of-the-hill RTX 3090 Ti while using far less power and at a far lower price. And this model from Zotac is fitted with a powerful, stylish cooler, with sweet RGB lighting for a custom look!
    The Guru’s Tip

    At 307mm long, this is an easy fit in the case we recommend.
  • G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x16GB Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO

    $180
    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 Trident Z5 Neo kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the extraordinary 30-38-38-96 AMD EXPO timings.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This DDR5 kit is the perfect match for the motherboard we recommend.
  • WDBlack SN770
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    WD_BLACK SN770 1TB NVMe

    $90
    WD knocked it out of the park with its ultra-high-performance, bargain-priced SN770 PCIe Gen 4 drive. Optimized for excellent real-world performance thanks to WD’s years of SSD development, it easily keeps up with much more expensive drives. This 1TB model can provide sequential read speeds of 5150MB/s and write speeds of 4900MB/s.
    The Guru’s Tip

    While you don't really need Gen 4 speed for gaming, the amazing price on this drive makes it irresistible!
  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    Cooler Master NR200

    $103
    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

    This case can fit GPUs up to 330mm long, and we've confirmed that the GPU we recommend will fit!
  • SilverStone SX650
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    SilverStone SST-SX650-G

    $125
    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

    This PSU has plenty of headroom for the high-powered components in this system, which will pull about 500W at load.
  • Scythe Fuma 2
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Scythe Fuma 2 Rev. B

    $66
    Offering amazing performance thanks to its big heatsink and dual 120mm fans, along with excellent compatibility thanks to its offset design and 155mm height, this is our favorite cooler at any price. The latest Rev. B version swaps out the “classic” grey fans with more on-trend black models, and ups the RPM level from 1200RPM to 1500RPM. To keep noise in check, the new Kaze Flex II fans use a specially-designed fan frame to minimize turbulence on heatsinks and maximize static pressure.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This is the perfect match for the case we recommend, maxing out the height limit while providing exceptional coooling!
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home USB

    $139
    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!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Microsoft took its sweet time releasing Win11 to retail after announcing the upgrade version in 2021, but it's here now and it's what you want on a modern PC.

Optional Products

  • Corsair K70 RGB
    Click to Buy
    The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –

    Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire

    $148
    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. And for the very fastest gameplay, there’s nothing better than the Rapidfire version, which uses Cherry’s unbeaten MX Speed switches. Their short throw give you amazing response and feel.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Once you go mechanical, you won't go back!
  • Click to Buy
    Mouse –

    Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE

    $70
    Offering up awesome functionality, a sleek design, and an ultra-fast 18,000 DPI sensor, the Dark Core Pro simply has no competition at its pricepoint. This “SE” version can be easily charged with an Qi-compatible charging pad!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Sync the mouse's lighting using the Corsair iCUE software!
  • AOC CU34G2X
    Click to Buy
    The 34-inch Gaming Monitor –

    AOC CU34G2X

    $340
    Are you ready for serious big-screen gaming? Then feast your eyes on this 34″ monitor from AOC, which breaks new ground in terms of features and performance per dollar. The Nitro packs in an ultra-wide 3440 x 1440 VA panel with a 1500R curve, a fast 144Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync technology to keep your frames running smoothly. It also offers a height-adjustable stand (unusual at this pricepoint), plus a 3-year hassle-free warranty for screen defects!
    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 –

    Corsair Virtuoso Wireless Headset

    $174
    Combining ultra-high-end performance with incredible comfort, this wireless headset from Corsair is the ideal all-day companion for listening to the latest market news. This headset also has an audiophile-grade microphone, perfect for teleconferencing. Free free to check out our full review right here!
    The Guru’s Tip

    We've used these since they were released in late 2019, and they have never let us down.

Pin It on Pinterest