Next Unit of Computing

Coffee Lake-U-based Bean Canyon Intel NUC (NUC8i5BEK2)
Motherboard of a 6th generation NUC (Model NUC6i3SYH), extended with two 8GB RAM modules

Next Unit of Computing (NUC) is a line of small-form-factor barebone computer kits designed by Intel. It was previewed in 2012 and launched in early 2013.[1] The NUC has developed over ten generations, spanning from Sandy Bridge-based Celeron CPUs in the first generation through Ivy Bridge-based Core i3 and i5 CPUs in the second generation to Gemini Lake-based Pentium and Celeron CPUs and Kaby Lake-based Core i3, i5, and i7 CPUs in the seventh and eighth generations. The NUC motherboard usually measures approximately 10 × 10 centimetres (4 × 4 in),[2] although some models have had different dimensions.[3]

The barebone kits consist of the board, in a plastic case with a fan, an external power supply, and a VESA mounting plate.[4] Intel also sells bare NUC motherboards, which have a built-in CPU. However, (as of 2013) the price of a NUC motherboard is very close to the corresponding cased kit; third-party cases for the NUC boards are also available.[5][6]

In July 2023, Intel announced that it would no longer develop NUC mainboards and matching mini PCs.[7] They subsequently announced that NUC products will continue to be built by ASUS, under non-exclusive license.[8]

  1. ^ "Intel® NUC Kit DCCP847DYE Product Specifications". ark.intel.com. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Halfacree, G (March 2013). "Intel's Next Unit of Computing". Custom PC (116). Dennis Publishing: 14–15.
  3. ^ "Intel® NUC Board NUC8CCHB Product Specifications". n.d. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  4. ^ Intel NUC product specifications "Intel NUC", accessed June 10, 2013.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference geek was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference akasa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Mantel, Marc (July 11, 2023). "NUC: Intel gibt seine Mini-PCs auf". heise.de (in German). Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  8. ^ Hannaford, Thomas (July 18, 2023). "Intel and ASUS Agree to Term Sheet to Take Intel NUC Systems Product Line Forward". intc.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.