NUC mini-computers

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Diggs

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I thought the NUC mini-computer was an Intel only thing. (I have an old one.) Then I see Asus coming out with NUCs but still Intel inside. (I think Asus bought the NUC division from Intel?) Now Nvidia has come out with an inexpensive NUC (of course without Intel and Windows inside) aimed at Linux applications that require big data crunching done small and inexpensively. (I see Jensen doesn't call it a NUC in this clip but I've seen it in a few other places called the Nvidia NUC.) Added to that I stumbled on the NUC page on Aliexpress that just takes the NUC into all kinds of shady iterations and (gasp) AMD processors. Don't get me wrong. I like AMD stuff but in a NUC? Hmmm.....

 
The way I see it is NUC is a Intel label. There's dozens of options out there that are similar/the same in performance as a NUC. Including nearly identical form factors.
 
NUC has followed the same path as Frigidaire, Kleenex, Jello, Hoover (in parts of the world), etc., in that it's become the generic term for (in the words of How To Geek): "a small box-shaped computer that often won't measure more than a few inches across or deep, containing an entire system crammed into its miniscule chassis."

Intel invented the form factor and its name, but it's escaped the confines of Intel as a descriptor.
 
My Intel NUC with i7 7800, 16GB Ram, 512GB SSD, Linux Mint 22 "Wilma" with Cinnamon desktop has been running 24/7 for about 3 years now. I glued the unit and its PSU to the back of an ASUS 27" monitor, as well as a 1TB Samsung 2.5" External HDD for Timeshift backups.
I have it in the kitchen to stream a friends gameplay, play Left 4 Dead 2 (when my game PC is broken) watch content on Freetube, internet searches, talk ChatGPT's ear off asking all sorts of questions, watch TV with Hypnotix, chat on Signal and listen to music on VLC. (http://jenny.torontocast.com:8142/stream/1/)
It's also in my Boinc "pool."

I love it!
 
Like Brian said above...Intel coined the name. Much like Xerox is a generic term for a copier. Or Jet Ski is a generic term for a personal water craft (JetSki is actually models patented by Kawasaki....but people still call Yamaha WaveRunners "jet skis", or Sea Doos, etc).

There are many..many different el cheapo (and some OK) copies of NUCs by other brands. Zotac is a big maker of them.
 
NUC's are expensive little things, I tend to just use a Pi5 though depends on your use mine is just a media server and Retro Games System.
 
Blues said:
Valve's Steamdeck is an AMD based handheld system so not really a true statement.
Click to expand...
The comment was a bit "tongue-in-cheek" as I was having a dig at AMD and their renowned high operating temperatures.

With AMD's track record of their CPU's running much hotter than Intel's it is a true statement.

AMD doesn't produce NUC's but several manufacturers like Beelink, ASUS and Simply NUC use AMD Ryzen CPU's (known for their high operating temperatures).

Valve's Steam Deck is a different designed beast altogether, using an AMD Aerith APU specially designed for the Steam Deck. So...:)
 
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