Mini PCs have a devoted following. Rely me amongst them! When information got here that Intel was handing over the reins of its NUC (Subsequent Unit of Computing) enterprise to Asus, I used to be positively intrigued by the probabilities. Shoppers aren’t the one marketplace for NUCs although, as Asus is courting industrial and enterprise purchasers with customized NUC units designed for all kinds of use circumstances.
The Register spoke with Asus senior vice chairman Jacky Hsu, who outlined plans Asus has to develop customized machines for numerous industrial prospects. This consists of embedded, industrial and utility particular use circumstances throughout such numerous roles as digital signage, point-of-sale, cloud, AI or warehouse and manufacturing facility functions, every of which have their very own environmental issues.
Once we consider NUCs, we’d consider a cuboid model machine or giant guide sized type elements. Asus is planning to shake that up a bit, with numerous type elements designed for various use circumstances. It’s going to do that by designing customized options with completely different I/O issues and motherboards to create NUCs that match into a particular space.
The customized I/O half is fascinating. One can think about Asus designing NUCs with completely different Ethernet requirements, SFP connections, D-SUB, Serial, DIN or another kind of connection you possibly can consider, relying on what’s required. If I needed 10,000 NUCs with FireWire connections, Asus may most likely oblige.
Gaming NUCs have been round for a few years—together with this one with an Intel i9 13900K and RTX 3080 Ti. Asus hasn’t revealed concrete particulars on its plans for gaming NUCs, however KW Chao, the overall supervisor of Asus’s NUC enterprise unit, has mentioned ROG branded NUCs are into consideration.
With the information that Intel’s Meteor Lake household will not be coming to the DIY market, however seemingly is in some type of embedded, AIO or NUC options, a Meteor Lake ROG branded NUC sounds very fascinating certainly.
Asus may theoretically take one of many increased tier Meteor Lake laptop computer chips, configure its TDP to higher go well with the NUC type issue and cook dinner up a gaming NUC with a excessive efficiency graphics card and a CPU that is comparatively near the efficiency of a desktop Raptor Lake chip. That’d provide you with a really succesful tiny gaming rig with out the compromises (and noise) wanted to chill a 125W+ desktop CPU.
Add some RGB and increase! You’ve got bought a really marketable little laptop with efficiency that leaves consoles within the mud, doubtlessly in a good smaller type issue. Asus would not be the primary to promote excessive efficiency mini-PCs. MSI’s Trident PCs spring to thoughts, however there are few examples of pairing a laptop computer chip with a desktop class GPU.
It looks like the way forward for the NUC is in good arms with Asus. If sufficient large purchasers soar aboard and the enterprise unit makes some good cash, then some ROG NUCs ought to come quickly. I will be ready!