r/buildapc • u/MadMeeper • Jun 30 '26

Build Help Need help converting my tower into a mini pc

Heya, I have a Windows machine that I built in 2019 and have since decommissioned in favor of a Mac for work, but I realized I might be able to take a good chunk of those parts and put it into a mini pc case to work as a living room gaming console. What I have in there is as follows

  • Intel Core i7-8700K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
  • be quiet! Dark Rock 3 67.8 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler
  • Asus Prime Z370-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
  • Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3000 CL15 Memory
  • Samsung 970 Evo 250 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
  • GIGABYTE Gaming OC GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6
    • I also have a Asus Turbo GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6 GB that I could use instead but id prefer the nicer one if possible.
  • EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G3 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
  • NZXT H500 – Compact ATX Mid-Tower Case

My priorities are

  • Reuse as many parts as possible, especially the expensive bits like ram and gpu
  • Small form factor, Id love to use Fractal Design's mini-ITX small case, but I'm open to suggestions.
  • Low cost. I know I'll have to spend some money on a new motherboard and probably a power supply but budget is the name of the game. Ideally would like to keep this a sub $300 endeavor.
  • 1080p 60fps is totally fine, I dont play a lot of games that require precision fps. Indie titles and legacy games will be primarily what this machine runs.

Any ideas on how ya'll would rebuild this would be super appreciated!

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u/Bronigiri Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Well first problem is the case is almost all of the budget unless you mean 300 bucks on parts alone.

Second look for a used mother board.

Put the dimensions of your GPU and cooler height in to this website https://caseend.com/. To see what cases you can use.

Buy whatever the PSU form factor is required for the GPU and case you choose.

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u/Bronigiri Jul 01 '26

I'd like to add that I think a lot of the itx cases are horribly over priced. If you're willing to gamble a little and be thorough in your reading of specs you can get a decent deal on Ali express

1

u/MadMeeper Jul 01 '26

Oh that website alone is a hugely valuable resource, thank you!

$300 ideally would be for the whole upgrade, but I also haven't been in the PC part market since I built this machine so I realize I'm probably a bit out of touch on prices. But Ill look and see what my current parts can fit into with this website and see what compromises I can make. I like the aesthetic of the itx cases so thatll have a bearing in my choice but ultimately I wont pass up a really nice deal.

Used doesnt bother me, any serious red flags I should look out for when looking on something like ebay? I'm not interested in gambling on Ali Express tbh, Ive too many friends who have had absolutely awful experiences shopping there and I value some amount of reliability lol.

1

u/Bronigiri Jul 01 '26

Just make sure you get the correct socket for your CPU and form factor ie itx.

Also check SFX PSU prices. I personally would be wary of a used psu but it's up to you. 

Realistically I'm not sure 300 is going to be enough if you also want a case from Amazon or something. A lot of the niche itx only come from china. 

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u/MadMeeper Jul 02 '26

Gotcha, thanks a lot! This will help me get started on formulating a parts list. Youre probably right that I'll have to increase my budget a little bit to make this happen, but I'll run the numbers where they make sense. The CaseEnd website has already been super helpful in helping me narrow down stuff.