I was tasked with building a fast, small Windows 7 PC for an important client recently with reliability and performance the main concerns. I chose the Mini-ITX form factor for obvious reasons and an ASUS Z97I-PLUS motherboard, Intel Core i5 4460 CPU, along with other quality components including a Corsair Obsidian 250D case.

The result was one of the best PC’s I have ever built with amazing speed (almost instant computing) and rock-solid performance. If you’re thinking of building a Mini-ITX system, I can vouch 100% for this combination of components.

Enjoy!

ASUS Z97I-PLUS Core i5 Mini-ITX Client Build Parts List

1. ASUS Z97I-PLUS Mini-ITX motherboard
2. Intel® Core™ i5-4460 Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz)
3. Corsair Vengeance CML8GX3M2A1600C9 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 RAM/Memory
4. Corsair CX-500 (500 watt) Modular 80+ Bronze PSU/Power Supply
5. Samsung 840 EVO Series 250GB SSD (system drive)
6. Western Digital WD Black WD7500BPKX 750GB (data drive)
7. LG CH12NS30 12x BD-R Blu-Ray DVD Combo Drive
8. Corsair Obsidian 250D Mini-ITX Case
9. Windows 7 64-bit OEM