First build, love the idea of small but is mini-ITX going to kick my ass?

Hey all,

About to kick off my first solo build, really excited for it. Going for a budget but capable gaming rig. It isn't finalized yet but I know it will be built around the RX 480 (I already ordered the MSi RX 480 4GB Gaming X), likely a Ryzen CPU (if the hype turns out to be real), and an SSD + HDD combo.

I love the idea of a small build. I live in NYC, in Manhattan, space is limited, and I'm a minimalist. The idea of a portable badass gaming PC is really tempting. That said, some mini-ITX builds look pretty tricky:

1. Do I have the right GPU - many chosen for mini-ITX seem to be reference cards with back-blowing fans, which isn't the style of my GPU.

2. Is trying to build in the cramped quarters of a mini-ITX going to be a bitch for a guy who doesn't know what he's doing and has a way of losing screws in hard to reach crevices?

3. Is heating going to be an issue and potentially require custom solutions (which I'm crap with)? This includes having to really know how to manage cables.

Do you guys think it makes sense to go for a mini-ITX build straight out the gate, or no? If so, do you have any cases you think are both affordable, user friendly, and stay true to the mini-ITX "keep it small" style? If not, what other solutions would you recommend for a guy that is not at all interested in a massive bulky tower?

Thanks in advance, looking forward to your opinions.

Q