Make your own compact casual gaming PC using GIGABYTE Mini-ITX mother

If you want an environment where you can comfortably play the latest 3D games, as well as creative uses such as photo and video editing, music, illustrations, and CG creation, a desktop PC with high CPU and graphics performance is the best However, in general, notebook PCs are more popular, even if their performance is somewhat inferior, they can be easily moved and used, and they can be installed anywhere.

However, in addition to performance, desktop PCs have a charm that notebook PCs do not have. One of them is that you can build your own PC. The biggest advantage of building your own PC is that you can get a PC with the specs you like and the appearance you like. When you buy a ready-made PC, this model lacks memory, that model has a CPU, and so on.

BTO PCs can handle minor changes in specs, but whether the appearance of the case, etc. suits your taste is another matter. Also, in many cases, even the manufacturer of the parts could not be specified, and even if it had the ideal specs, it would not be the ideal car, which was a problem. On the other hand, if you build your own PC, the advantage is that you can choose all the parts yourself. Not only the CPU, but also the fans, cables, and even a single screw, if you want to stick to it, you can pursue it.

Of course, if you're talking about a ready-made PC that doesn't have enough memory, it's reasonable to think that you can increase the memory yourself, even if you don't bother to build your own PC. But think about it. This part of "expansion by yourself" is the same as stepping into a self-made PC. In self-made PCs, this target spreads not only to memory but also to all the parts that make up the PC.

Although it has become like a sophistry, this is actually the important part. It also means that even if you can't get the ideal configuration from the beginning, you can upgrade your PC later, such as replacing the CPU, adding storage such as SSD or HDD, or adding a video card.

It is difficult to improve the performance of a notebook PC after purchase, but with a self-made PC, it is possible to upgrade it simply by replacing parts. Because the performance can be improved at a low cost, it will be a PC that can be used for a long time.

It sounds difficult to build your own PC, but the work itself is not that difficult because all you are doing is assembling parts. Of course, there are some things to be careful about, such as Intel's CPU not working on AMD's Ryzen motherboard, but as long as you follow the combination that works, you won't fail. Therefore, in this article, let's aim for a PC that even people who are unfamiliar with building their own PC can make.

Be clear at the beginning what kind of PC you want

The important thing about building your own PC is to first think about the specs you want and the parts you want to use, and clarify what you can and can't compromise on. to leave It's easy to think of a specific image, so let's call it a "compact casual gaming PC" this time.

The first point is to ensure the performance that the game can play. With video cards in short supply and prices soaring right now, it's not the right time to buy one. Therefore, for the CPU, we selected the Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G, which has a built-in graphic function that allows you to play light games. Since it has 8 cores / 16 threads, the CPU performance is naturally high, and it can be used for many purposes.

If you have to worry about it, is it the Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G, which also has built-in graphics capabilities? This has 6 cores / 12 threads, so the CPU performance is slightly reduced, and the graphic performance is also slightly inferior. However, the price is about 14,000 yen cheaper, so if you want to focus on cost performance, you should choose this.

It is also ant to choose "Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G" if cost performance is important. This CPU is sold in bulk without the outer box. Requires a separate CPU cooler

Choose a Compact Mini-ITX Motherboard

Once you have a choice of CPU, let's choose a motherboard that will be the key. The size of the motherboard and the layout of the interface are standardized and called the form factor. The main form factors are "ATX", "micro ATX", and "Mini-ITX" in order from the largest.

ATX is often used in large PCs above the middle tower. It has many expansion slots and is useful when you want to install and use many boards. In particular, products for high-end PCs are substantial.

Micro ATX is commonly used in mini tower PCs. Although it is not as large as ATX, it has about 3 expansion slots, and it is attractive that it can achieve both miniaturization and high expandability. Inexpensive models and high-performance models are often prepared, and there are many types of products.

Mini-ITX has only one expansion slot and few memory slots, so expandability is inferior. Instead, it is very compact, about 170mm square, and is ideal for making your own small PC.

If you are aiming for a "compact casual gaming PC" like this time, choose this Mini-ITX motherboard.

Once the form factor is decided, it's time to choose the actual product, but before that, there's one more thing I want to decide. That's what the chipset to be installed is. The CPU is AMD's Ryzen, so it's definitely an AMD chipset, but there are quite a few types.

The role of the chipset is to be a functional hub for connecting the CPU and other devices. You want to choose carefully, as the supported CPU will change, as well as the functional aspects such as the available PCIe generation, number of lanes, USB and SATA.

If you are going to buy it now, I recommend the one with X570 or B550 that supports PCIe 4.0. The Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G does not support PCIe 4.0, but it will be possible to use it if the CPU is replaced in the future, so it is a choice in anticipation of that.

Since the X570 is for high-end PCs, it will be more expensive, and Mini-ITX has few products, so it is better to choose a motherboard equipped with the B550.

GIGABYTE's "B550I AORUS PRO AX" is one such motherboard. Despite its compact size, it has a high degree of attention to detail, and features such as an 8-phase power supply circuit that can stably operate a high-performance CPU, two M.2 SSDs that can be mounted on the front and back of the board, high-speed communication of 2.5GbE and Wi-Fi 6, and support for high-resolution audio. It is attractive that it is fulfilling.

The "B550I AORUS PRO AX" is a motherboard with a small form factor of Mini-ITX, but with a full range of functions and a thorough heat dissipation design.

Equipped with a large heat sink for the power supply circuit, chipset, and SSD. Designed to withstand heat and provide stable performance even during high-load operation

Ingenuity to mount M.2 SSD on the back. This is a nice point, as small PCs often struggle with where to install storage.

The interface is also enhanced, equipped with Type-A / Type-C compatible with USB3.2 Gen2. In addition, the communication function is excellent, and a wired LAN of 2.5 Gbps and Wi-Fi 6 of up to 2.4 Gbps are standard equipment.