ASUS simply unveiled the NUC 15 Professional+, an impressively highly effective mini PC that might make for a incredible house media server, small-footprint gaming PC, or AI testbed.

As its identify suggests, the NUC 15 Professional+ is basically simply an upgraded model of the usual ASUS NUC 15 Pro. It is in a barely bigger 0.7-liter chassis (up from 0.48 liters), and it comes with some higher-end Core Extremely Collection 2 processor configurations, however that is actually the extent of the variations. Storage, RAM, I/O, wi-fi connectivity, and different specs are an identical between the 2 fashions.

Anyhow, let’s begin with the CPU choices. The unique NUC 15 Professional will be configured with a variety of Cora Extremely Collection 2 processors, probably the most highly effective possibility being the Core Extremely 7 255H. ASUS’ new NUC 15 Professional+ helps the upgraded Extremely 7 265H processor in addition to the high-end Extremely 9 285H CPU, which boasts 5.40GHz speeds and most 99 TOPs in AI processes. The Extremely 9 285H’s built-in Arc 140T GPU can be fairly good, but it surely’s featured in a number of different variations of the Core Extremely Collection 2 processor, so it is not notably notable when evaluating totally different NUC 15 Professional+ configurations.

Opening the NUC 15 Professional+ for upgrades is a breeze—simply twist the spring-loaded lever on the underside of the machine and draw back the panel. Underneath the hood, you will discover two reminiscence slots with help for as much as 96GB of DDR5-6400 RAM, plus an M.2 2280 and M.2 2242 slot (each linked by way of 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes) for a most 4TB of storage. Once more, the essential NUC 15 Professional matches these specs.

As for connectivity, the NUC 15 Professional+ packs a pair of USB 3.2 Kind-A ports and a single USB 3.2 Kind-C port on its entrance panel. The bottom of the machine comprises a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, two Thunderbolt4 ports (each with DP Alt Mode video connectivity), a USB 3.2 Kind-A port, a slower USB 2.0 port, and a 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack. It additionally helps Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, which is nice to see, plus Bluetooth 5.4.

In line with ASUS, the NUC 15 Professional+ helps as much as 4 4K shows via its HDMI and Thunderbolt 4 ports. It additionally helps VESA mounting and, like the usual NUC 15 Professional, has a complicated thermal administration system. Thermal efficiency could also be barely higher on the NUC 15 Professional+ as a result of it has a roomier chassis, although the principle profit right here could also be diminished noise throughout some intensive duties, somewhat than elevated energy (though the Core Extremely 9 configuration most likely advantages from higher cooling—it ships with a beefier energy provide than the opposite configs, by the best way).

I am type of thrown off by the dearth of a headphone jack, which is a reasonably frequent characteristic on mini PCs. That stated, numerous pc screens have headphone jacks, and the NUC 15 Professional+’s two Thunderbolt 4 ports can accommodate a big hub or docking station, so it isn’t a giant deal. The one Ethernet jack, whereas quick, could also be a much bigger concern for individuals who need an overpowered house server or a desktop PC with cutting-edge networking performance (although, once more, it is a minor drawback that may be solved by a USB accessory).

ASUS will promote each pre-loaded and barebones variations of the NUC 15 Professional+. North American pricing and availability have not been introduced by ASUS, however some retailers are already itemizing the barebones NUC 15 Professional+ with costs beginning at $570. To reiterate, we do not know when this mini PC will truly go on sale, it is merely listed on some retailers’ web sites.

Supply: ASUS