The Best $750 Small Office Compact PC Build – November 2023
Important Note: we’ve retired this build for 2024. We recommend you instead check out our $750 Small Office Mini-ITX PC Build!
The Perfect Small Office PC!
Want to build the best home or small office PC possible with a budget of around $750? Then this is the guide for you! Our Small Office Mini-ITX PC Build is compact, powerful, quiet, and expandable!
This Month’s Build, Featuring Intel!
For November 2023, this system features Intel’s Core i5-13400 processor, which features 6 Hyperthreaded performance cores and 4 additional efficiency, for a total of 16 threads. The math is complicated, but the result is clear: this CPU is a productivity powerhouse! Plus, it has capable Intel graphics built in, so you don’t need to worry about adding a video card.
Supporting the Intel CPU are 32GB of DDR5-6400 RAM and a fast 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive. Giving this system its sleek profile is the ultra-compact SilverStone ML11 micro-ATX case, which supports various drive options, multiple low-profile expansion cards, and uses an ultra-compact 300W TFX power supply.
Parting Thoughts
Any PC needs a good set of peripherals to get the most out of it, so definitely scroll down to the end of this guide to see our favorite accessories, or check out our dedicated Monitor Buyer’s Guide, Keyboard & Mouse Buyer’s Guide, and Headset & Speakers Buyer’s Guide. Throughout all of our guides, we provide direct links to Amazon US, which will auto-convert for our readers in the UK, Canada, and the EU, with regional substitutions made automatically as necessary. If you decide to purchase any of the products listed below, please use the links provided, which helps support continued development of this guide.
Required Components
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CPU –Intel Core i5-13400
$207The Guru’s TipThe 13th-Gen “Raptor Lake” CPUs build upon the breakout success of the 12th-Gen models, Intel’s most impressive release in a decade. The Core i5-13400 is an absolutely productivity powerhouse, thanks to packing in 6 performance cores and an additional 4 efficiency cores, for 10 in total. It can easily beat any AMD CPU anywhere near its pricepoint in productivity and content creation.This CPU includes a cooler, and to keep costs down, we suggest you use it for this build.
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Motherboard –Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
$140The Guru’s TipThis bargain-priced board is packed with features. It offers has three expansion slots, two M.2 slots, 6 USB ports (including a Type-C port), and built-in WiFi 6E. It uses the modern DDR5 memory standard to get the most out of the latest processors.This motherboard has HDMI and dual DisplayPort outputs, allowing you to run three ultra-HD monitors simultaneously!
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Memory –G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 CL32
$104The Guru’s TipFor the ultimate in speed, you must go with DDR5 RAM, but not just any DDR5 RAM, because you need high-frequency DDR5 to blow past DDR4 RAM performance. And that’s what you get with G.Skill’s Ripjaws S5 kit, running at DDR5-6000 with timings of 32-38-38-96 at 1.35V. This is the real deal when it comes to DDR5 performance!The speed of this RAM will accelerate not just the CPU, but the built-in GPU as well, which uses system RAM for texture storage.
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Solid-State Drive –TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0
$57The Guru’s TipThe 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!With 1TB of capacity, this small office system will have a huge amount of space for apps and data!
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Case –SilverStone ML11
$73The Guru’s TipSilverStone does the impossible with the ML11, allowing the use of a micro-ATX motherboard inside a case that is far smaller than most mini-ITX cases at just 10.35 liters. If these acronyms and numbers don’t mean anything to you, just take our word for it: this case is both compact and very expandable! It can also be placed horizontally or vertically, offering a lot of versatility in where you place it in your work space.The key to this case's small proportions is its use of the TFX power supply standard - make sure to use the unit we recommend below.
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Power Supply –SilverStone TX300
$69The Guru’s TipThis unique power supply uses the TFX form factor, which means its incredibly compact, and yet still packs in 300W of Bronze-rated power. It uses an 80mm fan to keep cool and quiet.We've selected a case to use this specific ultra-compact type of power supply.
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Operating System –Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg
$139The Guru’s TipWindows 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.Windows 11 is the OS you want on a modern PC using Intel's advanced hybrid CPU architecture!
Optional Products
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Solid-State Drive –Silicon Power 2TB SATA
$93 The Guru’s TipThis is a great addition to the system if you need more storage than the main SSD in the build provides. This will slip right into the case's 2.5" mount.
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The 24-inch Small Office Monitor –Sceptre E248W-19203R
$70 The Guru’s TipWe recommend connecting this monitor to your PC with an HDMI cable, which will provide both display and sound.
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The Basic Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo –Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo
$28 The Guru’s TipThis combo uses a single USB receiver to communicate with both devices, meaning you have plenty more USB ports left over!
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Webcam –Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam
$70 The Guru’s TipIf you don't have speakers already, you'll need to buy the ones above to use for video conferencing.
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The Basic PC Speakers –Creative Pebble 2.0
$17 The Guru’s TipDespite their name, these are definitely larger than a pebble!
Total Cost: $779
Required Components
- CPU – Intel Core i5-13400 ($207)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX ($140)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x16GB Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000 CL32 ($104)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($57)
- Case – SilverStone ML11 ($73)
- Power Supply – SilverStone TX300 ($69)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
Optional Products
- Solid-State Drive – Silicon Power 2TB SATA ($93)
- The 24-inch Small Office Monitor – Sceptre E248W-19203R ($70)
- The Basic Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo – Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo ($28)
- Webcam – Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam ($70)
- The Basic PC Speakers – Creative Pebble 2.0 ($17)
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The TBG DIY PC Build Guides
View all of TBG’s DIY PC Build Guides! This is where you’ll find all the best PC builds on the ‘net, from ultra-compact home office PCs to massive gaming towers.
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The Monitor Buyer's Guide
Upgrade the view for your PC with a new monitor - we list the best in our buyer's guide!
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The Wireless Networking Buyer's Guide
Upgrading your PC? Don't forget to upgrade your router to get the most out of it!
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The Headsets/Speaker Buyer's Guide
Upgrade your audio experience with one of our recommended speaker kits or headsets!