We built an AMD Ryzen 9-powered gaming PC with the NZXT H1

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NZXT H1
NZXT H1 (Image credit: Rich Edmonds / Windows Central)

The usual method of building a gaming rig includes a mid or full tower case, but it's entirely possible to put together an equally capable machine with a compact ITX case. The H1 from NZXT not only looks the part, but can handle the heat output of a 12-core CPU and power-hungry GPU.

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NZXT H1
NZXT H1

NZXT H1

Case

This compact ITX case is capable of packing a punch with full-size GPU support, included 650W PSU, and AIO cooler that can handle an Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 CPU.

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AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

CPU

This CPU is likely going to be overkill for most builds, but if you want to do other tasks like video editing or streaming, the 12 cores and 24 threads can really lend a hand.

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Corsair Vengeance 32GB Kit

Corsair Vengeance 32GB Kit

RAM

This 32GB kit from Corsair rocks two 16GB 3,000MHz modules with considerably good speeds. Because we're using a Mini-ITX motherboard, fetching a kit with two high capacity RAM sticks is a must.

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Zotac RTX 2060 Super Mini

Zotac RTX 2060 Super Mini

GPU

Zotac's RTX 2060 Super Mini is perfect for 1440p gaming with settings turned up in a variety of games. GTA V, The Witcher 3, Stellaris, PUBG, everything looks great.

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Seagate FireCuda 520 NVMe

Seagate FireCuda 520 NVMe

SSD

The Seagate FireCuda 520 is an impressive NVMe SSD, rocking solid speeds, an aggressive price, and a compelling warranty. With transfer speeds of up to 5,000MB/s, it's ideal for an OS and game library drive.

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Building a compact gaming PC

Packing all this into such a small chassis is impressive, but so too are the thermal readings and noise. Because the H1 only uses a single 140mm fan for the AIO cooler, you don't hear much when using the PC for various tasks, but gaming can push considerable heat through the chassis.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X can handle even more demanding tasks, and the RTX 2060 Super is first-class for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The H1 allows you to configure your desk any way you want and it looks smart enough to be shown off to those who won't believe what's contained inside.

This is one build I wouldn't mind having as a main rig.

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.