ASUS Launches Its First ROG NUC, A Tiny Gaming PC With A Big Price
It took a few months, but ASUS has officially launched its first ROG NUC, which it's offering up in two configurations—one with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor paired with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 (RNUC14SRKU9189AUI), and a less pricey setup that pairs a Core Ultra 7 155H processor with a GeForce RTX 4060 GPU (RNUC14SRKU7168AUI).
To be clear, this is not the first NUC device overall from ASUS, but it is the first one to feature its Republic of Gamers (ROG) branding, which is reserved for enthusiast-level and gaming-oriented products. And in case you missed it, it was right around this time last year when Intel exited the first-party NUC business and teamed up with ASUS to "manufacture, sell, and support" 10th to 13th Gen NUC devices, as well future generation models.
The first wave of ROG NUCs fall into that "future generation" category, as both the Core Ultra 9 185H (16C/22T, up to 5.1GHz, 24MB L3 cache) and Core Ultra 7 155H (16C/22T, up to 4.8GHz, 24MB L3 cache) are based on Intel's newest Meteor Lake architecture. They're also officially considered "1st Gen" Core Ultra parts, and unofficially are 14th Gen products. Call it whatever you want, but these are the latest mobile CPUs from Intel. They also both feature an onboard NPU for AI chores.
Outside of the CPU and GPU combination, the remaining specifications are the same between the two base models. They include 16GB (2x8GB) of DDR5-5600 RAM in SO-DIMM for), 512GB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, Killer Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 + Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity, and a host of ports all shoved into and around a 2.5-liter chassis measuring 270mm x 180mm x 50mm (10.63 x 7.09 x and 1.97 inches) and weighing 2.6kg (5.95 pounds). Those dimensions take into account the vertical stand, as the ROG NUC can stand up or lay flat horizontally.
As for those I/O ports, the front of the ROG NUC offers up a single SD card reader, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Around back, users will find a Thunderbolt 4/USB4 port (supports DisplayPort 2.1 and fast charging), two more USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a single HDMI and two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, a 2.5Gbps LAN port, a Kensington Lock slot, and a DC-in for the 330W power adapter.
It's a solid setup for a mini PC, and one that ASUS is pitching as having a "modular design," which in this instance simply means it's easy to pop open to upgrade the memory and storage, and to clean out any dust bunnies that might take residence. As it applies to the former, users can install up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM (2x32GB) and have access to three M.2 slots to expand the base storage.
We spotted one of the ASUS ROG NUC configurations show up at a European retailer a few month ago, but today marks the device's formal launch. That means wider retail availability should follow in short order. These won't come cheap, however—the product page and ASUS estore listings have the Core Ultra 5 155H + RTX 4060 model priced at $1,629, while the Core Ultra 9 185H + RTX 4070 config carries a $2,199 price tag. Neither are in stock at the moment, but there is a 'notify me' button.
