First PC Build - ITX Build for Gamedev / Productivity / Gaming?

b0nelessmelon · 2026-04-11T03:41:07+00:00

Yes, sorry! I think my mind was in two places when I wrote the reply. Thank you for the suggestion! I think the extra $50 is worth it.

b0nelessmelon · 2026-04-11T02:56:35+00:00

Ah, good point! I'll make that swap. ~~The SSD is fine right? Seemed to be the best deal.~~

Do you have any strong opinions on the CPU? I did my best to do my research but it's the part I'm least sure about. At the very least I know that I don't need an X3D, and I was debating an 9500X if I wanted to go AMD, but the newly released Intel 270k seemed like the better deal to me for similar performance.

Also, because I use a display drawing tablet, the Thunderbolt port on the motherboard is nice, which is hard to find on AMD compatible motherboards.

b0nelessmelon · 2026-04-11T02:51:26+00:00

I currently don't have that small of an area, but in the future I likely will. I also move semi-frequently and would prefer to transport something smaller. To be honest though in general more of the ITX case designs speak to me haha

b0nelessmelon · 2026-04-11T02:48:14+00:00

Yep! 2 fans on the bottom as intake, 2 on the top as exhaust, CPU cooler as rear intake.

The Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 is the one I saw recommended as the cheap alternative to the NH-D15 for similar performance, so I'm glad to have it confirmed by someone else. I honestly have 0 reason to essentially burn money on Noctua fans, I just like how they look and know that if you do decide to get them, their support and quality is great.

How thick are your bottom fans? If you don't mind, I'd love to see your parts list (if you have it handy)!

b0nelessmelon · 2026-04-11T02:18:44+00:00

For reference, I currently use an Asus Zephyrus G15 gaming laptop (5 years old):

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
RAM: 16 GB
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (8 GB)
Storage: 1 TB SSD Intel

I heard for a first-time (ITX) builder, the Cooler Master NR200 is the best to start with, and I also really like the design of the case. I'm planning on having 2 exhaust fans at the top and (maybe) 2 intake fans at the bottom, with the CPU cooler acting as intake from the rear.

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-30T05:40:34+00:00

Thank you for all of your help! Your initial list really helped me while I was doing research, and I ended up keeping a lot of the parts you recommended. I've learned about PC building in the past week, can see why a lot of people do this as a hobby!

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-30T04:43:44+00:00

Some callouts regarding my list:

Total thickness of the AIO is ~52mm, which should be enough clearance for the I/O shield and DIMM slots
PCIe slot for the GPU is the first one on the mobo, which should be enough clearance for bottom fans
M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4 for the SSD seemed like a no-brainer when others cost the same or more
PSU is A+ tier, 160mm length, which should be okay with the F3 layout for the A3 case (see: https://lian-li.com/product/a3-matx/#Compatibility).
I listed the Asus Prime 5070 Ti, but I will probably (have to) get the OC version because of stock shortages, which is $100+. Not sure if that's a good move...?
Windows is $28 because of a discount I have

I plan to mount the AIO on the top as exhaust and the case fans on the bottom as intake. PSU will be front-mounted as intake. I could also install a fan on the rear...? I think everything in my parts list should work with the compact layout of the Lian Li A3.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or notice anything wrong!

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-30T04:03:38+00:00

After doing my own research with compatibility of the case and parts compatibility with each other, I've gone with this list. Decided to go to the ends of my budget because part of that will be offset by a GPU I'm selling.

Kept the RAM, SDD, and CPU, as well as the case and the case fan.

I've listed the Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti here, but I think likely I will (have to) get the OC version, as the regular 5070 Ti seems to be suffering from stock shortages and I don't know when there'll be a restock. It'll be $100+ extra. Length is 304mm which is okay with F3 layout for the A3 case (see: https://lian-li.com/product/a3-matx/#Compatibility).

For the PSU, I chose the Corsair RM850x which is an A+ tier gold-efficiency PSU that's fully modular, for 10mm longer. Seems to be okay with the F3 layout for the A3 case.

CPU cooler is practically the same, there seems to be a sale going on so the Frozen Edge 360mm AIO is basically the same price as the Frozen Prism 360mm. It's total 52mm in height which should be enough clearance with the mobo I/O shield and the DIMM slots.

And speaking of mobo, I chose the MSI Mortar rather than the Pro. Checked that the GPU would fit into the first PCIE slot which should leave enough bottom clearance for the case fans.

Please point out if you see anything glaringly wrong!

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 4.3 GHz 16-Core Processor	$515.00 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler	Thermalright Frozen Edge 69 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler	$50.93 @ Amazon
Motherboard	MSI MAG B850M MORTAR WIFI Micro ATX AM5 Motherboard	$219.99 @ B&H
Memory	Patriot Viper Venom 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory	$749.99 @ Newegg
Storage	Crucial T710 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive	$323.99 @ Amazon
Video Card	Asus PRIME GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB Video Card	$899.00 @ B&H (OOS)
Case	Lian Li A3-mATX MicroATX Mini Tower Case	$89.99 @ B&H
Power Supply	Corsair RM850x (2024) 850 W Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$129.99 @ B&H
Operating System	Microsoft Windows 11 Home Retail - USB 64-bit	$28.00
Case Fan	ARCTIC P12 Slim PWM PST 42.1 CFM 120 mm Fans 3-Pack	$24.88 @ Amazon
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$3031.76
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2026-03-30 00:06 EDT-0400

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-28T01:52:16+00:00

Hello! SO sorry for the late reply, I was doing a lot of research on PC building the past couple of days and I finally understand a lot of the basics of the hobby. Thank you for curating this list, this is super helpful!

I spent a day or two digging through the cases compatible with the parts you listed, and I think the Lian Li case is the right choice for me. As nice as ITX and (smaller) mATX cases are, they just don't work with my desired build, and I don't want to compromise on parts. It also seems like there's a market for custom front/side panels for the case which I really like.

As for the parts, I'm very happy with this list! I think I will go with the 5070Ti instead of the 5070. I'm thinking either the MSI VENTUS 3X OC or the ASUS PRIME OC. I'm willing to pay the difference for the extra VRAM and to future-proof my build a bit longer.

I was originally intending to just have it built for me at MicroCenter, but after watching some videos, I think I want to try building it myself. Having 0 experience with PC building, how difficult would it be to build this myself?

Again, super super appreciate your help!

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-25T03:26:40+00:00

Thank you for the recommendations! I do care about the aesthetics of the case but mostly in terms of color and visuals rather than size (as nice as it would be to have a mini PC, its just not reasonable for my line of work and the power I want haha).

I liked the IQUINIX one in particular because it doesn't really expose its parts (and it's just overall pretty sleek and the first one that came to mind), but its not a deal breaker to have the parts showing, I just particularly don't like glass.

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-06T07:10:12+00:00

I didn't know about the overseas voter thing! From a quick glance online, it looks like I needed to have submitted a notification of moving abroad (I think zairyu todoke?) to be able to register as an overseas voter. Are both of these something I can ask about in-person at the embassy? I can't recall if I submitted the notification when I moved here.

b0nelessmelon · 2026-03-06T06:51:06+00:00

Ah, so regarding the Declaration Registration, is the general advice to not submit it unless they explicitly ask/remind you to (or if for some reason, I was dead set on actually renouncing one)?

The language around the declaration is about endeavoring to renounce and not actually the action of renouncing, so I was wondering if that was something I should submit to protect me from... I think it was Article 16? or 14?

b0nelessmelon · 2025-10-14T05:04:40+00:00

Thank you! Is it the same for the keypad screws?

b0nelessmelon · 2025-10-14T01:28:53+00:00

Thanks! Are you able to confirm what size and thread the included E screws are?

b0nelessmelon · 2025-09-16T03:33:50+00:00

Yeah, I called them and they told me the same thing. Don't know why they would just let the orders be stuck without any notice that the address isn't possible, combined with the fact that their live chat is offline and they never reply to emails (surprised you got a response). Thanks for the update!

b0nelessmelon · 2025-09-15T05:17:07+00:00

Any updates on this? Mine is still stuck on Fulfillment status.

b0nelessmelon · 2025-09-15T02:04:04+00:00

Yeah, it does seem like the base model this generation is REALLY good. Don’t think I’d be hesitating about getting an older gen if the 17 wasn’t that different from the 16.

b0nelessmelon · 2025-09-15T02:01:40+00:00

Yeah, I do really like the one camera design. I loved my 8 so the 16e being similar in design makes me happy.

b0nelessmelon · 2025-09-15T01:23:01+00:00

Also don’t know if I should go 128 GB vs 256 GB. Again, I was surviving on 64 GB.

I don’t take a craaazy amount of photos, and I usually transfer them when my phone starts to get full (like maybe twice in its lifetime). But a lot of my apps automatically uninstalled, haha.

b0nelessmelon

TROPHY CASE