Intel Broadwell NUC NUC5i7RYH With Iris Graphics Mini-PC Review

by Marco Chiappetta — Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 12:43 PM EDT

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Introduction and Specifications

In addition to ushering in a tidal wave of new notebooks and mobile devices, Intel’s Broadwell microarchitecture has also found its way into a plethora of recently introduced small form factor systems. We have already taken a look at a couple of them, like the excellent Intel NUC NUC5i5RYK and Gigabyte Brix S BXi7H-5500.

The low-power characteristics of Broadwell simply make it well suited to the tight spaces and constrained thermal envelopes of small form factor systems. But another side benefit of Broadwell is that it also allows manufacturers to cram higher performing parts into the same (or smaller) spaces than previous-gen, Haswell-based parts.

Take the Intel NUC5i7RYH we’re going to show you here, for example. This mini-PC is packing a Core i7-5557U processor with Iris graphics, which makes it the most powerful NUC released to date. Check out the full list of specifications below and then we’ll dive a little deeper on the pages ahead...

Intel NUC5i7RYH Small Form Factor System

Specifications & Features

Processor

Intel 5th Generation Core i5-5557U (3.1 GHz up to 3.4 GHz Turbo, Dual Core , 3 MB Cache, 28W TDP)

Memory

Dual-channel DDR3L SODIMMs
1.35V, 1333/1600 MHz, 16GB maximum

Graphics

Intel Iris Graphics 6100
1 x mini HDMI 1.4a
1 x mini DisplayPort 1.2

Audio

Up to 7.1 surround audio via Mini HDMI and Mini DisplayPort
Headphone/Microphone jack on the front panel

Peripheral Connectivity

2 x USB 3.0 ports on the back panel
2 x USB 3.0 ports on the front panel (1 x charging capable)
2 x Internal USB 2.0 via header
Consumer Infrared sensor on the front panel

Storage

Internal support for M.2 SSD card (22x42, 22x60, or 22x80)

Networking

Intel 10/100/1000Mbps Network Connection
Intel Wireless-AC 7265 M.2 soldered-down, wireless antennas (IEEE 802.11ac, Bluetooth* 4, Intel® Wireless Display)

Enclosure

Silver with Black Top and Diamond Cut around the Top
Aluminum and Plastic
Dimensions : 115mm x 111mm x 48.7mm

Power Adapter

19V, 65W wall-mount AC-DC power adapter
Multi-country plugs (IEC types A/C/G/I)

Additional Features

Support for user-replaceable 3rd party lids
NFC and AUX_PWR headers
OS certs: Windows 8 & 8.1 Logo
VESA mount bracket and mounting hole support
Low-acoustics active cooling design
Kensington lock support
Integration Guide
12-19V DC Power Input
3-year Advanced Warranty Replacement

Price

$535 (apx.) - Find It At Amazon.com

The NUC5i7RYH’s specifications are impressive considering the machine's size. There’s a 5th-gen Core i7 CPU inside the rig (dual-cores, quad-threads) that can turbo up to 3.4GHz, Iris 6100 series graphics, support for dual-channel memory, M.2 and 2.5" SSDs, 802.1ac and USB 3.0.

Like most other NUC systems, this particular model is a barebones unit, so it must be built up with a drive and memory before it can be used. It includes a processor, WiFi, the motherboard and enclosure, but you’ll need RAM and storage. The NUC5i7RYH is one of the somewhat taller NUC systems that can accommodate both M.2 and 9.5mm 2.5 drives though, so you’ll have plenty of flexibility when it comes to configuring your storage setup. Both the M.2 port and SATA port can be used simultaneously.

Although we didn’t receive a full-retail ready package, we should also mention that the Intel NUC5i7RYH includes a basic accessory bundle: there’s some documentation, a VESA mount, and a power-brick in the box. Intel also includes an array of tips for the power adapter for multiple regions. Some previous NUC systems didn’t even ship with power cords (they had to be bought separately, depending on the region), so Intel has solved that problem with this generation of NUC systems.