Buying one of today’s best desktop PCs is especially smart given the supply issues in recent times with PC parts, graphics cards especially. But most pre-built PCs go for a standard ATX form factor, but what if you want something smaller? Mini-ITX PCs are a bit of a niche, but there are still some pre-builts out there that will satisfy your hunger for performance and space-saving.
Console Sized: MSI Trident 3
Staff pick
The MSI Trident 3 is a full-fat gaming PC stuffed into the form factor of a console. It utilizes an ITX form factor to achieve this, but doesn’t skimp on the hardware in the process. Inside you find a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU paired with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB NVMe SSD and an NVIDIA RTX 3060 12GB graphics card. Creature comforts including Wi-Fi 6, USB-C are present and correct and the icing on the cake is an attractive price. This is a small PC with big value.
Technically this isn’t a Mini-ITX PC, but it does come in the form factor you’d expect an ITX build to be in and it’s so remarkable it’s worthy of inclusion. The Razer Tomahawk utilizes Intel’s NUC 9 platform to squeeze an entire Intel Core i9 PC into something smaller than a graphics card. The added bonus is that the Tomahawk case is large enough for not only a decent power supply, but also today’s biggest dual-slot GPUs like the NVIDIA RTX 3080, which you can spec in yours if you wish.
The EVO Mini is a more traditional ITX build, in so much as CyberPowerPC builds it from standard parts using a fairly normal mini-tower case. There’s also a lot of flexibility when it comes to designing your build, with each of the pre-built specs customizable to your own desires. You can keep the cost down and opt for an RTX 2060 and Ryzen 5 combination, or you can go wild with an RTX 3070 and an Intel Core i9, and many different ways in between. Just avoid the GT 1030 build; you don’t want one of those.
The NZXT H1 is available as a small form factor case to build your own ITX dream machine, or you can buy one already full of glorious PC goodness. Get it in black or white with an Intel Core i7-10700K and an RTX 3060 inside, AIO liquid cooling, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD. The 650W power supply means you have some headroom to upgrade down the line, which of course, you can do since these are all standard, off-the-shelf PC parts. Buying it this way just takes some of the initial headaches out!
If you’re shopping on a tighter budget but still want a small PC then this might be a perfect choice. It’s put together using standard parts, including a stylish Inwin case, so you have a clear and easy upgrade path in the future. Out of the box, you’ll be getting a Ryzen 7 2700 8-core CPU, an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super, 16GB of RAM, and a 500GB SSD. It looks good, it won’t break the bank, and it’s a solid Mini-ITX budget gaming PC.
If you’re looking for a tiny pre-built PC with mad performance, it’s hard to look past the Stratos Mini. There are three specs available, but even the “lowest” pairs a Core i9-11900KF CPU with an NVIDIA RTX 3070 and a whopping 64GB of RAM. If your budget goes further you can step up the GPU to an RTX 3080 or even an RTX 3090. In a Mini-ITX PC! It’s fairly pricey but if you’re searching for the ultimate power from your Mini-ITX pre-built PC then this is probably everything you could ever want.
Mini-ITX PCs are a bit of a niche but there’s a lot to be said for having a space-saving machine. Unless you’re in need of multiple PCIe expansion slots you lose nothing in the way of performance by having a slimmed-down build.
There are some great ones to choose from, too, and buying a pre-built PC is a smart way to go right now. The MSI Trident 3 is, on balance, the smartest recommendation. It comes from a known, trusted brand, it’s a clever design but still uses standard parts so you can upgrade, and it doesn’t cost the earth.
There is also a fascination with how much hardware you can squeeze inside an ITX case, and as the technology has advanced, in particular power efficiency and cooling, we’re now in a position that a games console-sized PC can house the biggest, baddest graphics card on the market today.
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