Intel Preps First Xeon-Based NUC Codenamed Quartz Canyon

It appears as though Intel is readying a new next unit of computing (NUC) mini PC, this time time with a Xeon processor option. Codenamed "Quartz Canyon," a leaked slide indicates Intel is targeting entry workstation tasks, including content creation, CAD and manufacturing design, financial services, and other similar chores.

Assuming the slide is real, the Quartz Canyon NUC will be configurable with up to an 8-core Xeon E or 9th generation Core i7 vPro processor. The slide also indicates support for high-end desktop graphics cards (possibly NVIDIA GeForce RTX or Quadro GPUs), ECC and Optane memory modules, dual Thunderport and dual Ethernet connectivity, and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) integration.

FanlessTech spotted the Quartz Canyon NUC entry as part of a leaked PDF presentation on a Russian website. The chassis in the slide above looks similar to the Ghost Canyon NUCs that were also highlighted in a leak, albeit last year—those models are supposedly headed to retail sometime in early 2020.

Some sort of active cooling solution is highly likely for a workstation NUC, particularly one with high-end graphics underneath the hood. According to the slide, it will draw power from an internal 500W power supply. There is no mention of the actual dimensions, only that it will ship in a "game-changing compact size."

The slide does not indicate when the Quartz Canyon will be available or how much it will cost.