Steve and Marcel specified and built this PC through The IT Guy Bournemouth before Elements launched. This is a record of that customer project, not a prebuilt Elements model or a current fixed-price specification.
Start with the games and the desk
Jamie described the games he enjoyed, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2, and the ultrawide 1440p display he planned to use. He wanted a small, understated machine without RGB lighting. We compared two possible specifications with his budget in mind, then he chose the NCore 100 Max route.
That decision was about more than looks. The compact case made sense for the space, while the graphics card and processor were chosen around his games and display. We also discussed practical connections and the possibility of future changes before the parts were ordered.
What went into Jamie's PC
The agreed September 2024 specification was:
| Case | Cooler Master NCore 100 Max, dark grey |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7600X |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT |
| Motherboard | ASRock A620I Mini-ITX |
| Memory | 32 GB DDR5 |
| Storage | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Cooling | Case-integrated 120 mm sealed AIO liquid cooler; later fan replacement |
| Power | Case-integrated 850 W Gold-rated SFX supply |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro OEM |
The case includes the cooler and power supply, so those were part of the overall space and compatibility decision. A sealed AIO is different from the hand-built water loop in our other customer story. The parts and 2024 price should not be read as a current quote: availability and costs change, and we specify each new machine afresh.
Quietness became the real test
After collection, Jamie noticed a noise that appeared as a fan ramped up. He sent the team a short video and marked-up reference image so we could help identify where it was coming from. We discussed the case fans and cooler, then took the PC back to check it in person.
Steve and Marcel replaced the troublesome stock fan with a quieter Noctua fan and ran the system again. Jamie confirmed after collecting it that the noise had gone. The useful lesson is that a compact gaming PC is only finished when it feels right in the customer's room. A parts list cannot tell you whether a particular fan will be acceptable at the desk where the machine is used.
What we would ask you
If you are planning a small gaming PC, tell us the games or software you use, your screen resolution and refresh rate, your available desk space, your budget and how much fan noise matters to you. A compact case can be a great answer, but its tighter clearances and cooling choices need checking against the actual components. Our custom PC build guide explains those decisions in more detail.
We build for customers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with collection by arrangement from our Bournemouth office. We do not currently ship completed PCs. If you want a machine like Jamie's, we'll discuss a fresh specification and quote based on today's components and your own brief.
From Jamie's build to EMBER4.0
Our EMBER4.0 concept explores the same tall NCore case in a bronze finish, with a new proposed specification. Jamie's dark-grey 2024 machine is the real customer build; EMBER4.0 is a starting point for a build tailored to someone new.