EXCLUSIVE: 35W desktop Alder Lake

We are partial to 35W desktop CPUs. They offer amazing performance and the latest bells and whistles in a fanless-friendly thermal enveloppe (although last generations run way hotter than they should). Here's Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake T-series that should be available early 2022.  

i9-12900T 16 (8+8) 24T 30MB L3 up to 4.9GHz UHD Graphics 770
i7-12700T 12 (8+4) 20T 25MB L3 up to 4.7GHz UHD Graphics 770
i5-12600T 6 (6+0) 12T 18MB L3 up to 4.6GHz UHD Graphics 770
i5-12500T 6 (6+0) 12T 18MB L3 up to 4.4GHz UHD Graphics 770
i5-12400T 6 (6+0) 12T 18MB L3 up to 4.2GHz UHD Graphics 730
i3-12300T 4 (4+0) 8T 12MB L3 up to 4.2GHz UHD Graphics 730
i3-12100T 4 (4+0) 8T 12MB L3 up to 4.1GHz UHD Graphics 730

EXCLUSIVE: Jasper Lake NUC

The good news is that an affordable Jasper Lake-powered NUC is in the works. We were really pleased with Gemini Lake and we can't wait for the next generation. The not-so-good news is that global chip shortage is still a thing, and Atlas Canyon won't be available until Q1 2022.

For the first time ever, the entry-level NUC is ditching the 2.5" drive for a slim M.2 version only. The NUC 11 Essential is actively-cooled, although fanless cases are probably a given considering the low TDP. It will be available as a Window 10 mini PC, as a barebone kit (add RAM and storage) and as a board only.

Update: The J6005, J5105, and J4505 are most likely the N6005, N5105, and N4505 released early this year.

✓ Pentium Silver J6005 (NUC11ATKPE) up to 3.3 GHz (4C / 4T)
✓ Celeron J5105 (NUC11ATKC4) up to 2.9 GHz (4C / 4T)
✓ Celeron J4505 (NUC11ATKC2) up 2.7 GHz (2C / 2T)
✓ Dual-channel DDR4-2933 SODIMMs, 16GB max
✓ 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (HDCP 2.2 support)
✓ Supports 2 x 4K displays
✓ M.2 22x80 key M slots for PCIe x4 NVMe and SATA SSDs
✓ Select SKUs with 64GB eMMC Storage
✓ 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
✓ Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX101 m.2 card + Bluetooth v5.2
✓ 2x front USB 3.1, 2x rear USB 3.1, and 2x rear USB 2.0
✓ Up to 7.1 multichannel digital audio via HDMI
✓ 3.5mm front stereo jack / 3.5mm mic
✓ 19VDC 65W power supply

✓ External 9-pin front panel header
✓ Microsoft Windows 10 / Linux compatible
✓ Three Year Product Life Cycle
✓ Three-Year Warranty

✓ 135 x 115 x 36 mm

EXCLUSIVE: Noctua's fanless cooler

Here's an exclusive look at Noctua's upcoming passive CPU cooler. Its final design is slightly different from the Computex 2019 prototype, with maybe thinner cooling fins and more perforations. Definitely our most anticipated product of 2021. Stay tuned.

EXCLUSIVE: Jasper Lake lineup

Not your daddy's Atom. The low-power Jasper Lake family will use Intel's brand new 10nm Tremont architecture and offer significant performance improvement over Gemini Lake. Jasper Lake processors will power entry-level / affordable laptops and fanless mini desktops early 2021.
DESKTOP SKUs (10W TDP)
✓ Pentium Silver N6005, 4C/4T @ 2.0GHz up to 3.3GHz (max quad core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.
✓ Celeron N5105, 4C/4T @ 2.0GHz up to 2.8GHz (max quad core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.
✓ Celeron N4505, 2C/2T @ 2.0GHz up to 2.9GHz (max dual core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.
MOBILE SKUs (6W TDP)
✓ Pentium Silver N6000, 4C/4T @ 1.1GHz up to 3.1GHz (max quad core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.
✓ Celeron N5100, 4C/4T @ 1.1GHz up to 2.8GHz (max quad core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.
✓ Celeron N4500, 2C/2T @ 1.1GHz up to 2.8GHz (max dual core burst), UHD Graphics, 4M L2 cache.

EXCLUSIVE: Tiger Lake NUC

Panther Canyon AKA NUC 11 Performance will feature 28W Tiger Lake U processors (i3, i5, and i7 options), Intel Xe graphics, dual channel DDR4-3200 SODIMMs (64GB max), M.2 22x80 key M slot, PCIe x4 Gen4 NVMe, Intel Optane Memory M10 ready, HDMI 2.1 port, Mini DisplayPort 1.4 port, quad display, 8K support (front and rear Thunderbolt 3 ports), Intel 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps Ethernet port, Intel Wireless-AX 201, IEEE 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.

Panther Canyon will launch in H2 2020, and is definitely the one we're most excited about.

Phantom Canyon AKA NUC 11 Extreme is the successor to Skull Canyon and Hades Canyon but will not feature 45W H-series CPUs. Instead this new gaming-oriented NUC will rock 28W Tiger Lake U-series processors (i5 and i7 options) and TBD 3rd party discrete graphics (with 6GB, 8GB graphics RAM).

Also onboard are HDMI 2.0b port, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, dual channel DDR4-3200 SODIMMs (64GB max) M.2 22x80/110 and M.2 22x80 key M slots, PCIe x4 Gen3 NVMe, Intel Optane Memory M10 and H10 ready, front and rear Thunderbolt 3 ports, Intel 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps Ethernet port, Intel Wireless-AX 201, IEEE 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. Phantom Canyon will also launch later this year.

March 5th, 2020 update: The NUC roadmap. According to our source, this roadmap precedes the coronavirus outbreak that will almost certainly impact production.

December 1st, 2020 update: Phantom Canyon has been pushed back to Q1 2021. Panther Canyon is still on track for this month.

January 13th, 2021 update: Phantom Canyon in the wild.

Panther Canyon too !

EXCLUSIVE: AMD's "NUC" is coming soon

For the past seven years, the question has been "Will AMD launch its own NUC?". Technically speaking, 4"x4" AMD motherboards are already here with ASRock launching the Ryzen Embedded 4X4-R1000V, 4X4-R1000M, and 4X4-V1000M this month.

We can exclusively confirm that the project is well underway. Yes, an AMD "NUC" is coming soon. Since NUC is registered as an Intel trademark expect a brand new name. Please note that the final product will not be powered by Ryzen Embedded processors. Stay tuned.

JULY 2020 UPDATE: Ryzen-powered Asus PN50 announced.

EXCLUSIVE: Gemini Lake Refresh

Skyhawk Lake will have to wait. Six new Gemini Lake SoCs are coming later this year, including the desktop Pentium J5040, Celeron J4125 / J4025, and mobile Pentium N5030, Celeron N4120 / N4020.

The new processors are still based on the 14nm Goldmont Plus architecture and feature the same Intel UHD graphics and cache, but offer substantially higher frequencies in some cases.

The top-of-the-line Pentium J5040 is clocked at 2.0GHz up to 3.2GHz (1.5GHz up to 2.80 GHz for the J5005). Gemini Lake Refresh motherboards and mini PCs will be on shelves early 2020.

October 22nd update:

EXCLUSIVE: Intel Ghost Canyon NUC first look

Intel's Ghost Canyon X will be an absolute beast. The system will be powered by a 45W Coffee Lake HR processor, up to 8-core / 16-thread. Also onboard are three HDMI 2.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, M.2 storage, and a PCIe x16 slot for a discrete graphics card.

The 5-liter chassis looks clean and elegant, but is subject to change. Ghost Canyon X is not expected until early 2020.

The system will almost certainly be actively cooled, although a third-party fanless case is always a possibility. Akasa Galactico did wonders with the 45W Skull Canyon NUC.

EXCLUSIVE: ALL Coffee Lake NUCs will feature eDRAM

As we exclusively reported last year, Intel is ditching 15W processors in the NUC for more capable 28W chips, and positioning its diminutive barebone as a legit desktop replacement.

Featuring the i3-8109U (2C/4T up to 3.60 GHz, 4 MB cache), i5-8259U (4C/8T up to 3.80 GHz, 6 MB cache), and i7-8559U (4C/8T up to 4.50 GHz, 8 MB cache) the Coffee Lake NUC will also rock Intel's Iris Plus Graphics 655 and 128 MB eDRAM. Clearly, Radeon graphics aren't a sustainable option for Intel.

Note that the i3 and i5 iterations will be also available as motherboards only (NUC8i3BEB and NUC8i5BEB), ready for third party fanless cases.

EXCLUSIVE: Four TURBOCHARGED NUC on the way

Just when we thought that Intel was gearing up for lower NUC TDP, Chipzilla is reinventing the NUC as a legit desktop replacement with powerful 28W chips. We're hearing that three "Coffee Lake U" models are in the works for Q2 2018.

✓ *th Generation C*re i3 Processor (CFL-U) 2c/4t 28W TDP
✓ *th Generation C*re i5 Processor (CFL-U) 4c/8t 28W TDP
✓ *th Generation C*re i7 Processor (CFL-U) 4c/8t 28W TDP

Additionally, the popular Skull Canyon gaming NUC is getting a sequel.

EXCLUSIVE: Akasa's Skull Canyon case (final)

The mothership has landed. After an initial concept, Akasa's fanless case for Intel's Skull Canyon NUC (NUC6i7KYK) went back to the drawing board.

Apparently the 45W i7 - including its Iris Pro Graphics 580 - requires extra cooling power, so Akasa is taking the design of its popular Plato to a whole new level.

Larger, and with a refined, aggressive look, this new chassis looks absolutely insane. We love it. Available in March.

EXCLUSIVE: Kaby Lake / Apollo Lake NUC specs

Baby Canyon will feature a 28W i7 with IRIS graphics, and regular 15W i5 and i3 processors. Interestingly, DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 3 will be offered through a USB-C port. Intel is also ditching the full SD for a Micro SDXC slot. Great news, HDMI 2.0 is finally onboard.

The Kaby Lake NUC is now listed as an early 2017 product.

On the low end, the most affordable NUC will rock a 10W quad-core Apollo Lake Celeron that will definitely offer more horsepower than previous 6W Braswell chips. Note the 3.5mm rear speaker / TOSLINK combo. Arches Canyon will be available as a barebone, or with Window 10, 2GB RAM and 32 GB eMMC.

EXCLUSIVE: Skylake-U lineup

The 15W U-series powers Ultrabook, MacBook Air, the entry-level iMac, and the NUC. Compared to Broadwell-U, Skylake-U looks streamlined and is easier to understand. Actually - aside vPro chips - there will be just one i7, one i5, one i3, one Pentium, and two Celerons available.

✓ Core i7-6600U (2.6-3.4 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 520 / vPro / 15W TDP)
✓ Core i5-6300U (2.4-3.0 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 520 / vPro / 15W TDP)

✓ Core i7-6500U (2.5-3.1 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 520 / 15W TDP)
✓ Core i5-6200U (2.3-2.8 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 520 / 15W TDP)
✓ Core i3-6100U (2.3 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 520 / 15W TDP)
✓ Pentium 4405U (2.1 GHz / 2C4T / HD Graphics 510 / 15W TDP)
✓ Celeron 3955U (2.0 GHz / 2C2T / HD Graphics 510 / 15W TDP)
✓ Celeron 3855U (1.6 GHz / 2C2T / HD Graphics 510 / 15W TDP)

Also coming early 2016, 28W SKUs with Iris Graphics...

EXCLUSIVE: The Skylake boost

Apparently, gone are the days of moderate improvement, Intel is gearing up for something big with Skylake. Graphics promise to be spectacular, especially in the low-power department (a 41% increase for the Y-Series, 34% for the U-Series). In raw CPU performance terms, a healthy 10% increase - bare minimum - is expected across the board.

EXCLUSIVE: Skylake NUC specs

The 6th Generation Core NUC is coming in Q3 (i3 model) and Q4 (i5 model). On the not-so-great news, mini-HDMI and mini-DisplayPort are here to stay, but (surprise!) SDXC card slot is now de rigueur. Already incredibly versatile, the NUC will be a serious option for photographers and content creators.

Out of the box, the Skylake NUC is actively cooled. But fanless cases from Akasa, HDPLEX, Streacom and cirrus7 are to be expected.

✓ Intel 6th Generation Core i3 / i5-6xxxU (15W TDP)
✓ Dual-channel DDR4 SODIMMs 1.2V, 1866 MHz (32GB max)
✓ Intel HD Graphics 6xxx
✓ 1 x mini HDMI 1.4a
✓ 1 x mini DisplayPort 1.2
✓ 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
✓ Internal support for M.2 SSD card (22x42 or 22x80)
✓ Internal SATA3 support for 2.5" HDD/SSD (up to 9.5mm thickness)
✓ SDXC slot with UHS-I support on the side
✓ Intel 10/100/1000Mbps Network Connection
✓ Intel Wireless-AC xxxx M.2 soldered-down, wireless antennas
✓ IEEE 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4, Intel® Wireless Display
✓ Up to 7.1 surround audio via Mini HDMI and Mini DisplayPort
✓ Headphone/Microphone jack on the front panel
✓ Consumer Infrared sensor on the front panel
✓ 19V, 65W wall-mount AC-DC power adapter
✓ OS certs: Windows 10, 8 & 8.1
✓ OS compatibility: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora, OpenSUSE

EXCLUSIVE: i7 Broadwell NUC to feature Iris Graphics

Great news for gamers and SFF lovers : Intel's highly anticipated i7 Broadwell NUC will make a seriously capable gaming box thanks to the powerful Iris Graphics 6100.

The NUC5i7RYH will feature an i7-5557U, dual-channel 1.35V DDR3L SODIMMs (1333/1600/1866 MHz, up to 16GB) one mini HDMI 1.4a, one mini DisplayPort 1.2 and four USB 3.0 ports (one charging capable).

The 28W TDP is much higher than the regular 15W and most fanless aftermarket NUC cases will not handle it. We're hearing that at least one supercase is in the works though.

Update: Scott Wasson from The Tech Report just confirmed the i7 / Iris Graphics NUC is coming next month.

EXCLUSIVE: Intel readying NUC 2.0

✓ Broadwell NUC officially moved to Q1 2015
✓ i5 version aimed at serious gaming (SteamBox anyone?)
✓ i5 and i3 versions aimed at content creation
✓ M.2 storage and 2.5" bay, or M.2 storage only
✓ Kisses external USB 2.0 ports goodbye
✓ Bids adieu to mSATA SSD
✓ Entry-level Braswell (Bay Trail's successor) available in Q2
✓ Braswell SKU to feature TOSLINK jack and SDXC card slot (nice)
✓ All compatible with 3rd party fanless chassis

EXCLUSIVE: Broadwell NUC roadmap

According to this exclusive slide (from February 18), the Broadwell NUC is still on track for Q4 2014. Once a side project, Intel's Next Unit of Computing is a solid success, and has moved centre stage.

With the socketed 5th Generation Core status still uncertain, the NUC could be the first (and only) Broadwell desktop this year.

Rock Canyon (mainstream)

✓ Next gen CPU/Graphics performance:
✓ Intel® Core™ i3/i5 Processor
✓ Power the big screen via miniHDMI
✓ 4k and triple display support via miniDP
✓ M.2 SSD & 2.5” SSD/HDD drive options
✓ USB 3.0 ports for faster data transfers
✓ Headphones/headset ready (audio jack)
✓ Wireless built-in (WiFi and Bluetooth)
✓ HTPC remote control ready (IR sensor)
✓ Replaceable lids for NFC, Wireless Charging

Maple Canyon (professional)

✓ Next gen CPU/Graphics/Turbo performance
✓ Remote manageability and security with
✓ Intel® vPro™ Technology & TPM hardware
✓ 4k and triple display support via 2x miniDP
✓ M.2 SSD and 2.5” SSD/HDD drive options
✓ Comprehensive I/O with audio and USB 3.0
✓ Replaceable lids for NFC

EXCLUSIVE: Intel's fanless NUC

Good news, the Intel-branded fanless NUC rumor is true. Bad news (at least for HTPC aficionados), it will be geared towards industrial use. Oh, and it will be Atom-based.

The Thin Canyon DE3815TYKHE kit will include an Atom E3815 (1 core @ 1.46 GHz, Intel HD Graphics @ 400 MHz, 5W TDP), 4GB eMMC internal storage, HDMI, VGA, embedded DisplayPort, LAN, and will support a 2.5" drive.

EXCLUSIVE: Nofan CR-80EH

Nofan Computer is finally coming with a new CPU cooler. The CR-80EH is a smaller, more affordable version of the popular (and fanless king) CR-95C.

Designed to handle 80W TDP, the cooler measures 113mm in height, 155mm in width, and weights only 300g. Unlike previous models, it should have no trouble fitting inside most chassis. The CR-80EH will be available in the coming weeks for about $60.