Ever wondered what you need to create the gaming PC of your dreams? Then look no further.
Our ‘’Anatomy of’’ series focuses on what goes into different gaming systems, showcasing what components meet the different form factors, along with the benefits and drawbacks.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at Micro-ATX gaming PCs.
What is a Micro-ATX Gaming PC?
A Micro-ATX gaming PC will typically utilise a Micro-ATX motherboard, hence the name.
With a Micro-ATX PC, you don’t have to compromise on aesthetics or performance – it is the best of both worlds. Whilst the case may be smaller than hefty full towers, there is still plenty of space for all the latest hardware, cooling, and customisation options.
Smaller cases, such as a Mini-ITX, won’t be able to house Micro-ATX hardware. However, large cases, such as mid or full towers, will. This means you do have some limitations, such as not being able to build a super tiny PC, but you will still have plenty of options for hardware and casing.
Advantages:
- Medium-sized form factor
- Popular choice for gamers
- Still include all the desirable aesthetic features – such as RGB lighting and tempered glass side panels
Disadvantages:
- Limited options for custom water-cooling, especially when compared to full tower PC cases
Micro-ATX Compatible Hardware
To help you build the ultimate Micro-ATX PC, we’ve highlighted a few of our favourite product recommendations.
This includes a Micro-ATX motherboard, ATX PSU, and a 240mm AiO CPU cooler. However, to ensure all of your hardware is compatible with your chosen Micro-ATX case, it’s crucial that you check the case specifications or the manufacturer’s website.
PC Case
Kolink Citadel Mesh ARGB Black Micro-ATX Case:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- Supports vertical GPU configurations
- Two pre-installed ARGB PWM fans
- Mesh front panel
- Hinged tempered glass side panel
Lian Li Lancool 205M Mesh Black Micro-ATX Case:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- GPU clearance of up to 305mm
- Two pre-installed ARGB fans
- Mesh front panel
- Tempered glass side panel
- All black design
Motherboard:
ASUS Prime Z790M-Plus DDR4 Micro-ATX Motherboard:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- Compatible with Intel 12th and 13th gen CPUs
- LGA 1700 socket
- PCIe 5.0
- DDR4 RAM
Gigabyte B650M Gaming X AX (Socket AM5) DDR5 Micro-ATX Motherboard:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- Compatible with AMD Ryzen 7000 series
- AM5 socket
- PCIe 4.0
- DDR5 RAM
Power Supply:
be quiet! SFX-L Power 600W 80 Plus Gold Modular Power Supply:
- 600W power capacity
- SFX-L form factor
- 80 Plus Gold rating
- Modular
Kolink Regulator 850W 80 Plus Gold Modular Power Supply:
- 850W
- 80 Plus Gold rating
- ATX 3.0
- PCIe 5.0
- Modular
CPU Cooler:
Lian Li Galahad II Trinity RGB 240mm AiO CPU Cooler:
- AiO CPU cooler
- 240mm radiator
- Two 120mm ARGB PWM fans
- Intel and AMD compatible
Corsair Hydro H100i Elite XT 240mm AiO CPU Cooler:
- AiO CPU cooler
- 240mm radiator
- Two 120mm PWM fans
- Compatible with Corsair iCUE RGB software
- Intel and AMD compatible
The Other Finishing Touches
To complete your dream Micro-ATX gaming PC, you’ll need a few finishing touches. This includes reliable, high-speed memory, a powerful CPU, a dedicated graphics card, and plentiful storage for all your favourite games.
RAM:
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 Dual-Channel RAM Kit:
- 16GB (2x8GB) RAM capacity
- DDR4 standard
- 3600MHz RAM speed
- Dual-channel configuration
TeamGroup Delta RGB 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 Dual-Channel RAM Kit:
- 32GB (2x16GB) RAM capacity
- DDR5 standard
- 7200MHz RAM speed
- Dual-channel configuration
CPU:
Intel Core i7 14700K CPU:
- Intel 14th Gen
- 20 cores and 28 threads
- 3.40GHz base clock speed
- Up to 5.6GHz boost clock speed
- 125W TDP
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU:
- AMD Ryzen 7000 series
- 8 cores and 16 threads
- 4.50GHz base clock speed
- Up to 5.4GHz boost clock speed
Graphics Card:
MSI GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB GDDR6 PCI-Express Graphics Card:
- NVIDIA RTX 40 Series
- NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture
- 7168 CUDA cores
- 2520MHz
- 12GB GDDR6X video memory
Sapphire Radeon RX 7700 XT 12GDDR6 Graphics Card:
- AMD Radeon RX 7000 Series
- 3456 streaming processors
- 2544MHz
- 12GB GDDR6 video memory
Storage:
Samsung 980 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD:
- 1TB storage capacity
- 3500MB/s read speed
- 3000MB/s write speed
WD Blue SA510 1TB 2.5’’ SATA SDD:
- 1TB storage capacity
- 560MB/s read speed
- 520MB/s write speed
Building your own gaming PC can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve put together the Overclockers UK Ultimate PC Building Guide.
Our Favourite Micro-ATX Gaming PCs!
If you don’t want to build your own gaming PC, we have a great range of pre-built and configurable Micro-ATX gaming PCs, jam-packed with powerful hardware and complete with stunning aesthetics.
Refract Gaming Jade Pre-built PC
The Refract Gaming Jade PC has been designed for mid-tier gaming and budding content creators.
Built within a Kolink Citadel Glass SE Micro-ATX Case, this system utilises cherry-picked, high-quality hardware. Including an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU. Enjoy effortless multitasking and intelligent workload management, which is perfect for both work and play! What’s more, with built-in support for Real-Time Ray Tracing and AI DLSS, unlock enhanced Ray Tracing and AI capabilities, for an immersive gaming experience. In addition to all of this, the Refract Gaming Jade comes equipped with a three-year warranty, which covers parts and labour, for extra peace of mind.
Refract Gaming Jade
- Pre-built gaming PC
- Includes AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
- 1TB SSD
- Comes with a three-year warranty which covers parts and labour
OcUK Gaming Tanto PC:
Built within a Kolink Citadel Mesh Micro-ATX case, the OcUK Gaming Tanto PC comes packed with all the gaming hardware you need to play the latest AAA titles. This includes a powerful Intel Core i3 12100F CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3060 graphics card. Unlock seamless performance in single- and multi-threaded tasks, ultra-fast speeds, and photo-realistic visuals. The OcUK Gaming Tanto is a configurable PC. This means you can adjust the base hardware specification, including opting for a Wi-Fi adapter and additional storage drives.
OcUK Gaming Tanto
- Configurable gaming PC
- As standard comes with an Intel Core i3 12100F CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3060
- Up to 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Flexible storage options
8Pack Comet MK2 Extreme Overclocked PC:
Designed by legendary overclocker, 8Pack, the Comet MK2 packs plenty of cutting-edge hardware into a stunning custom-made Micro-ATX cube case. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4090, both with pre-configured overclocks, achieve superior performance, blisteringly-fast speeds, and hyper-realistic visuals in all your favourite AAA titles, and intensive workloads. What’s more, with 64GB of powerful DDR5 RAM, wave goodbye to pesky slow loading times and zero input lag, with speeds of up to 5600MHz.
What’s more, to keep all these critical components cool, the 8Pack Comet MK2 features a custom water-cooling loop. Designed with high-quality hardware from the likes of EK Water Blocks and Corsair, this hefty thermal solution will keep your PC performing at optimum temperatures. Whilst the stylish all-blue liquid coolant, completes the interstellar blue and silver aesthetic.
8Pack Comet MK2
- Designed by 8pack
- Custom Micro-ATX case
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and NVIDIA RTX 4090, both with pre-configured overclocks
- 64GB DDR5 RAM
- Custom water-cooling loop
Our ‘Anatomy Of’ Series!
Whether you are a complete beginner or a veteran PC builder, our ‘’Anatomy of’’ series has everything you need to help you touch up on your PC knowledge.
Mini-ITX
ATX
E-ATX
In the meantime, be sure to show off your incredible Micro-ATX PC set up and let us know why you love it so much over on Twitter or Facebook.
*Prices correct at time of writing and PC specs are subject to change.
- 7 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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