Intel and Asus Reach Deal to Ensure Future of NUC Mini-PCs
What a difference a week makes. Following Intel’s announcement that it was exiting the NUC business, which disappointed fans of small form factor PCs, the chip maker has reached a deal with Asus that not only ensures the NUC line’s future, but opens up gaming possibilities, too.
Earlier this month, Intel announced that it would cease production of NUCs. The chip maker cited a lack of market demand as the reason for its decision, and it was a particularly unkind cut for NUC fans. Small form factor PCs are a great choice for numerous use cases, such as point of sale, digital signage, and office machines.
Thankfully, Asus will now sell and support 10th to 13th Gen NUC product lines. The partnership will also see the creation of a new business unit called Asus NUC BU, which sounds like a Harry Potter spell and stands for ‘business unit.’ (We checked.)
Potential for Asus to Develop a Gaming NUC
This is great news for the market, as NUCs really do have a wealth of potential. However, what’s really got me excited is the potential for Asus to develop a gaming NUC.
Asus and NUC gaming
Gaming and NUCs have traditionally been incompatible, thanks to GPU cooling requirements. However, with its expertise in small form factor PCs, I’m confident that Asus could overcome this challenge.
Imagine if Asus were to create a bespoke graphics card, like an RTX 4070 Ti. We’ll call it the 4070 Ti NUC. With a TDP of around 285W, the 4070 Ti NUC would be a perfect match for a quad-core 10th Gen NUC processor. Of course, Asus could opt for a higher TDP, but I see no need to do so as a quad-core chip will provide more than enough grunt.
With its engineering expertise, Asus could design a unique PCB and cooler around the 4070 Ti. It might take a similar approach to the RTX 3070 Ti Gaming Board and incorporate a tower cooler and a 14cm fan. This would allow for more efficient heat dissipation and quieter operation.
This GPU redesign could lead to the creation of an Asus mini gaming PC, which would be a console competitor and attract a large customer base. With the ability to create a bespoke GPU and PCB, Asus could design a system that’s more efficient, upgradable, and quiet.
Asus and NUC Future
Asus’ involvement ensures that the NUC line will be in good hands for years to come. We can rest assured that the existing use cases for NUCs will still be supported. Personally, I’d also love to see Asus cater to gamers who want NUCs.
Thanks to Asus’ knowledge of small form factor PCs, the NUC BU has a lot of exciting potential. If Asus can overcome the GPU cooling challenge, the sky’s the limit. The creation of a gaming NUC would mark a positive step forward for the market, as it would give gamers another choice when it comes to mini PCs.
While we wait to see what the future holds for the NUC, check out our best mini PC list for other great small form factor options.
