Recent years have been fruitful in predicting the death of the desktop computer. However, it actually started about 15 years ago - when there was talk that over time, laptops will push desktops into narrow niches, or even completely destroy them. Thus, nothing is new under the sun, and it is difficult to guess where technological progress will lead everyone in a few years. After all, a lot has been written about the “cannibalization of the laptop market” by netbooks - now there are a lot of fans with tablets, and just netbooks actually ordered a long life (at least in the form in which they were first presented to the mass user). One thing is for sure: we will not be bored. And, regardless of which class of devices becomes dominant, all sorts of shifts are also possible within the classes. So, for example, a few years ago monoblocks that seemed to have long since died in Bose found a second life. And in general - the modern desktop is very different.

What is usually invested in this concept? Stationary computer, devoid of "own" information display device. As a rule, having rich expansion options and maximum (among single-processor solutions) performance of all systems. Big, noisy and gluttonous - already as a consequence of the previous points. For many years this definition was correct, but far from yesterday, the integration and increase in performance of all computer components led to the transition of quantity into quality: it turned out that not everyone needs a classic desktop. And what you need? Relatively inexpensive, compact and quiet. At the same time, it’s not a monoblock or a laptop - it’s still supposed to be used with an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. But the internal expansion options, on the contrary, have ceased to be necessary - 99% of the needs of 99% of users began to be satisfied with "integrated" controllers.

So, there is a need for miniature substitutes for desktops. I was the first to think about it (as is often the case) Apple company, and (which is also traditional for her) even somewhat underestimated the demand. Or maybe I just didn’t quite understand it: with a “live” iMac and laptops that make up the lion’s share of the company’s assortment, Mac mini should have become the niche of the “cheapest poppy”, moreover, allowing the buyer to keep the old peripherals from the “pisyuk” and, thus , (relatively) inexpensive to join the world of "correct computers". And there, you see, grow up to a Power Mac, etc. Accordingly, the very first "minicom", which appeared back in the middle of the "zero" years of this century, was an iBook G4 with a weaker video part (Radeon 9200 instead of Mobility Radeon 9550) , devoid of a display and battery, but “repackaged” into a compact body measuring 16.5 × 16.5 × 5 cm and weighing 1.2 kg, while iMac has already moved to a 64-bit Power PC G5 processor, and in Power Mac could meet two of them at once. However, Mac mini turned out to be of interest not only to "switchers", but also to the broad masses of workers interested in a compact and relatively productive solution, and after the transfer of this line to Core Solo and Core Duo x86 processors, its representatives began to be bought for operation under Windows. In general, the demand turned out to be more than predicted, but the computer did not solve the tasks set, which is why Apple later cooled off to it. Continuing, nevertheless, the development of the line - including in the direction of compactness: the latest generations use cases with dimensions of 19.7 × 19.7 × 3.6, i.e. they have become slightly larger than the progenitor in terms of “width”, but noticeably thinner. Moreover, this is already with a built-in power supply, while the first generation (like most competitors) used an external one. And everything is not bad with their performance: some modifications on this moment are equipped with processors of the Core i7-QM series, i.e. quad-core eight-thread models (one of a kind). However, the production volumes of these systems were and remain limited, and price policy company is similar to the barrage: prices only start at $599 (and this is far from being in Russia).

Once it seemed that the problem could be completely solved by nettops, which were supposed to fit in 100-200 dollars, which is much lower than the cost of mini. However, the first generation of this technology quickly showed that what is cheap is cheap :) The fact is that the processors of the Atom line (which were mainly used there) still do not shine with performance, but graphics system these platforms for a long time was unable to cope not only with games (even the simplest and oldest), but even with video playback. In general, despite the cheapness and compactness (many models fit into cases with dimensions of 160 × 190 × 25 mm or so), these systems could not boast of versatility - even when using discrete video chips, which increased the price, but did not completely remove the problems due to for weaknesses of the central processor. New life was breathed into this market by the appearance AMD platforms Brazos: both performance is higher than that of Atom, and the video part is of a completely different level. True, this solved only the issues of playing multimedia content, and even the best processors of this family (such as the E-450 or E2-1800) can only work out of desperation - Celeron five years ago and then much faster. It cannot be said that this problem was unsolvable: there have always been models on the market based on notebook Celeron, Pentium and even Core i3, sometimes equipped with discrete graphics. These were capable of solving most problems, but they were expensive, and in terms of size they lost much to Mac mini, and, moreover, to the smallest nettops on surrogate platforms.

It is possible that these problems would have remained eternal, but ... There was no happiness, but misfortune helped. Thinking about the future of the desktop market, Intel decided to pay attention to the mobile and ultra-mobile segments. And suddenly it turned out that there were no big joys there either: Atom-based netbooks and nettops have low performance, “regular” laptops are too large, and there is no adequate platform for tablets at all. This one was taken up, giving birth to two at once: Atom received SoC-performance and migrated to entry-level tablets (as well as smartphones), and for top models it was decided to intensify the release of Core CULV models, since the development of a new technical process made it possible. It was also decided to use them in light and compact ultrabooks (restyled "classic" laptops with a reduced thickness), as well as in miniature desktop systems. Actually, the next surge in the market of the latter has already begun, so in the near future we will meet with a large number of very interesting models. But our today's hero is somewhat atypical, although extremely interesting.

Actually, everyone began to look closely at the NUC from the very moment of the announcement. Then we studied the preliminary specifications and tests. Now it turns out that new trend manufacturers of cases of the corresponding form factor are also ready to pick up. So let's see how the next generation of computers looks like from the point of view of the leader in processor building.

NUC - Next Unit of Computer

We did not make a reservation above - the company really considers such systems the future of computers, and not at all the next implementation of the concept of nettops or something like that. This is already in the name NUC, the decoding of which is given in the subtitle. Therefore, before climbing inside a cute little box, let's see what it is in global terms.

So, the main difference between the NUC and all other systems is a hard rejection of any mechanical drives. Any. Neither optical drives (the size of which limited the dimensions of nettops for a long time), nor hard drives are there and cannot be. Although it is theoretically possible to make a case that allows the installation of such, Intel does not focus on such a development of events: the next generation computer should be small and as “semiconductor” as possible. Accordingly, it is supposed to use an mSATA SSD as the main (and only) drive, and let's allow a cooling fan as the only rotating part (and some case manufacturers go even further and offer to abandon it as well).

But small does not mean low performance. No Atom - only "full" processors of the Core line. Over time, budget options for Pentium and Celeron will also appear (the DCP847SKE UCFF board with Celeron 847, potentially allowing the buyer to save about $ 120 when buying a NUC, is already on the Intel website), but not lower, i.e. the performance level will be noticeably higher than the nettops that have been common until recently (even the Pentium 957 was already a third faster than the AMD E-350 in terms of integrated performance), however ... This only concerns the processor component and disk system performance: discrete graphics are not supposed to be used. As well as other expansion options: only the use of external peripherals is possible (the only free internal Mini-PCIe slot in most cases will be occupied by a wireless network adapter), and even then in small quantities, since both currently released NUC modifications have only three USB ports. The older one, however, can also work with high-speed external devices, since it is equipped with a Thunderbolt port, but the range of peripherals supporting this interface leaves much to be desired and is mainly limited to external RAID arrays. But a computer is not supposed to have outdated interfaces, and even analog audio outputs went under the knife.

In general, in essence, the NUC (like the Mac mini) is a laptop (even, rather, ultrabook - times are changing) platform, but in a desktop version. But the computer is compact and (potentially) can cost less than an ultrabook - there is neither a display nor a battery, which makes it similar to nettops. Moreover, the current modifications are in many ways a test of strength and a technical demonstration of the possibility of existence motherboards new format: UCFF. But both models are, at the same time, normal commercial products, i.e. you can buy and use right now.

Design and communication with the outside world

Outwardly, the computer resembles representatives of the nettops of the Zotac ZBox Nano family we reviewed a year ago, but smaller and more concise. In particular, if Nano has a body height of 4.5 cm, then NUC is closer to Mac mini in this parameter - 3.9 cm. “Length” and “width” are generally reduced to 117 × 112 mm, which quite pulls on a record . Although not absolute: the "minicom" is equipped with a built-in PSU, so its almost "200 × 200" is all that will take up space on the table or behind the monitor. NUC, on the other hand (like mass nettops) uses an external power supply - which, however, has its advantages: if it burns out, you can simply buy a new one, and not start expensive repairs. The PSU itself, by the way, is produced by FSP and is a typical laptop model (that is, easily replaceable) with a voltage of 19 V and a maximum output current of 3.42 A. The total power, therefore, is 65 W, which is excessive for this machine - she has no chance to "gobble up" more than 25-30 watts. On the other hand, the stock may come in handy when more powerful models appear in the family.

When viewed from the front, the device looks very simple and concise. Top - power off button, front - USB port. And that's it. Which, in fact, is necessary and sufficient. Even more than necessary, since many models do without USB in the front, but the presence of one increases usability.

The rear surface is also not overloaded with interfaces: a power supply connector, two more USB ports, two HDMI connectors and gigabit Ethernet. Unfortunately, all three USB port support only an outdated version of the specifications, despite the fact that the chipset has an integrated USB 3.0 controller. The second potential limitation is the maximum resolution of the connected display device - only 1920x1200. Want more? You will have to buy an older modification of the NUC (on the D33217CK board), which, however, has its additional drawbacks - there is no wired network, and support for "large" monitors is ensured by the fact that an exotic Thunderbolt is installed instead of one of the HDMIs. Given the current specifics and limited range of TV peripherals, there is a feeling that the older NUC is designed to be used in conjunction with Apple Thunderbolt Display, so the rejection of Ethernet is quite logical - this monitor has a corresponding connector. On the other hand, it seems to us that if the owner of an Apple monitor (moreover, at a price of a thousand dollars in the United States, which in Russia generally turn into one and a half thousand) wants to purchase small computer, then with a 90% probability it will be just Mac mini: even though it is more expensive, it is more powerful than the NUC, and - most importantly! - made by Apple :) You can, however, use Thunderbolt as a Mini-DP to connect any monitor, but in this case, as mentioned above, we will be left without a wired network. And Wi-Fi is, of course, fashionable, stylish and modern ... however, despite all the tricks of the developers, at the very least it can compete only with the "old" 100Base-T in terms of the real information transfer rate. Yes, and the use of wireless networks in the NUC has its own characteristics, which will be discussed below.

In general, the current NUC lineup, in our opinion, leaves much to be desired. The older model has a limited scope (and in general - its target audience is not clear), while in the younger one (more precisely, in the younger ones: DCP847SKE and D33217GKE are similar in peripheral capabilities), the maximum resolution of the connected image device is limited to 1920 × 1200 (1080). You can, of course, call it nit-picking, but claims about the absence of at least one USB 3.0 port are definitely not like that. For a media player, however, or a computer for the general public, the current options are also suitable, but we would like to see another NUC: with USB 3.0 and a DisplayPort connector that replaces one of the HDMIs, but retaining Ethernet. Let's hope that wishes will be heard. Not by myself by Intel- so partners :)

Another claim of potential users to the NUC (appeared immediately after the first demonstrations of the computer) - complete absence"traditional" audio outputs (as mentioned above): both analog and digital. Sound can only be transmitted via HDMI, which is not a problem to use the NUC as an NTRS, but for desktop use you will either have to get a suitable monitor (many modern multimedia models contain a built-in DAC, so they can output sound both to their own integrated speakers and to an external acoustics connected to the audio outputs on the monitor), or an external sound card, or an appropriate set of acoustics. In general, there are actually a lot of outputs, but those who want to connect old equipment to a computer are certainly not very satisfied - somehow we are all used to the fact that two-hundred-tube computer speakers can be used anywhere. Nettops are no exception to their scope, but you can’t connect them to the NUC.

Internal filling

By unscrewing four screws, you can remove the bottom cover of the case - such simplicity is due to the fact that a considerable number of NUCs must be sold in the form of semi-finished products: for self-configuration by the user. Actually, everything that the latter can “configure” is hidden under this cover. The list is small - only four slots. Two are designed to install RAM in the form of SO-DIMM modules. Support for dual-channel mode (not available in many nettops on the same platform) is a strong point of the NUC: it practically does not give the processor anything, but the performance of the HDG 4000, no matter how low it may be in absolute numbers, is even worse in single-channel mode.

And in the upper part of the photo you can see the only two slots of the actual expansion: Mini-PCIe for installing half-length cards and a combined Mini-PCIe/mSATA for full-size ones. The specifics of the layout is such that they had to be placed one above the other in a “sandwich”, with the “short” hiding under the “long”. In practice, this leads to serious consequences, which we will talk about later - when we touch on cooling issues. For now, we only note that the “canonically correct” scheme for using slots is to install an mSATA SSD and a Wi-Fi adapter, the latter of which also has a pair of antennas (for two communication bands).

The antennas themselves are built into the top cover, which is quite logical.

All the most interesting is concentrated on the top of the motherboard, which can be reached only by pulling the board completely out of the case. Most of it, however, is covered by the casing of the cooling system, so without dismantling the latter, you can have fun looking for familiar chips: Intel 82579V (gigabit network controller, now popular among all motherboard manufacturers) and Nuvoton NPCE791C (hardware monitoring controller). Do you feel like something is missing? Yes - audio codec on board there is no. That is, the rejection of audio outputs is not the tyranny of the manufacturer, but a very clear policy, backed up by the element base. In fact, this is the end of a long process that started back in 1997, when the AC97 standard clearly separated the analog and digital parts of audio devices. Why did you have to wait so long? In 2004, AC97 was replaced by new standard- Intel High Definition Audio, but it immediately became clear that there are simply no standard digital outputs suitable for realizing all its capabilities in high-quality multi-channel sound on the market. Accordingly, audio codecs have become standard equipment for motherboards for a long time. However, HDMI is already actively used, where everything you need is there, so the analog part, in fact, has become a vestige of the era - you can do without it. Which is what Intel decided to do when creating the next generation computer.

And here is what is hidden under the cooling system - close-up. Pay attention to the dimensions of the chips (after all, the production technology is extremely important): the processor is on the left, and the chipset is on the right; their crystals are comparable in size but not in complexity. By the way, the QS77 is used as a chipset, which supports all the "goodies" of business platforms (up to VT-d, vPro, etc.), which, alas, are incompatible with the used Core processor i3-3217U. We note, by the way, that in the i5 family, not all models of the U and Y lines support the necessary technologies, but they still exist - this is another way for the further development of the NUC, after which the "box" will be of interest to corporate users. Yes, and enthusiasts remotely controlled HTPC can also be interested in what everything is ready for - only another processor needs to be soldered (which, by the way, according to our information, is included in the company's plans).

Temperature regime

As soon as the first copies of the NUC got to the testers, a small scandal immediately erupted: it overheats, they say. In the best traditions of the genre, we have two news for you - good and bad.

Let's start with a good one: the standard cooling system for the processor is more than enough. The device performed well in all our tests (including rendering or games where the GPU is actively involved) regardless of the fan mode. The automatic one selected by default is practically silent, but we managed to "warm up" the processor in it only to 71 degrees, which can be considered absolutely cold: the limit for this model is 105 degrees. For fun, we also tested the maximum rotational speed - in this case, the emitted noise is already very noticeable (which is understandable - just look at the size of the fan in the photo above), but regardless of the load, the processor temperature is still the same 41 degrees as in relative rest. Accordingly, you can either not touch the stock settings at all (they are quite suitable for the needs of practical use), or (if you want to tweak something) look for a compromise between noise and processor temperature.

As for overheating of other components, it is quite possible with this design, and this is bad news. The fact is that the SSD and the Wi-Fi adapter, as mentioned above, are located on the other side of the motherboard, and this compartment is not blown in any way in the original design. And the situation is aggravated by the fact that for compactness the slots had to be put in a “sandwich”, and having a longer SSD completely covers the network card. Accordingly, with active data transfer over the network, its chip may overheat, which colleagues received when trying to transfer a 5 GB file. Whether this problem can be solved by selecting some low-power adapters is still unknown. Similarly, the capabilities of the "alternative" UCFF cases announced by many manufacturers need to be checked. However, the reproducibility of the situation in situations closer to reality also needs it. Obviously, when using a wired connection (which has practically no alternative if you need to actively exchange information: rather than waiting for the file to be transferred via Wi-Fi, you can transfer it faster on a flash drive) there will be no problems at all. Although, of course, I would like them not to arise in other situations.

Performance

As mentioned above, we drove full set platform performance tests according to the full version of the methodology, equipping the device with two Kingston KVR1333D3S9 / 2G memory modules (4 GB in total) and a 256 GB Crucial m4 SSD. However, so far there is nothing to compare the results with (all previously tested compact systems have noticeably lower performance), so we will postpone their publication a little and devote a separate material to it. But, in principle, no discoveries were made during the testing process: the Core i3-3217U is certainly much faster than nettop and netbook platforms, but it is one of the youngest processors in the line, the frequency of which is almost half that of the desktop Core i3. Unless the graphics part is more powerful than most desktop models (and not only Core i3, but also Core i5), however, there is nothing unexpected in the performance of the HDG 4000 for us: this graphics core is not a full-fledged gaming solution, but with all other tasks is doing great. Yes, and attempts to play games will be somewhere twice as successful as in the case of the AMD Brazos platform, which has been the leader in this segment in terms of graphics for a long time, and boards based on APU Trinity with a TDP of 17 or 19 W are unlikely to be seen in the near future (their supplies are redundant it is difficult to name, so basically everything is bought up by laptop manufacturers).

Total

Let's start with a global question: now it's clear how one should understand Intel's statement about leaving the desktop motherboard market :) Apparently, the presence of a large laboratory in Israel affected the company's mentality, so it turned out to be a kind of "Jewish exit": but stay. Because what the next generation computer should be - we saw today: minimally configurable and maximally integrated. So why should the forces of an entire division (Desktop Motherboard Business) be spent on developing something that other manufacturers can easily compete with, when you can master a convenient and comfortable market segment and not strain? The UCFF format will certainly be in demand, since something smaller than Mini-ITX is often needed, and most nettop boards are not standardized at all ... So other manufacturers will join the implementation of the format, but this market segment is very easy to control, since most of the components is purchased from Intel, and in the finished configuration, only memory modules are the “weak point” - everything else is either already installed or can be purchased from Intel, without resorting to other manufacturers at all. In addition, due to the compactness of the boards themselves, a particular manufacturer will have nothing to stand out with. Is it possible to solder Wi-Fi somewhere, and put an audio codec somewhere. Or, on the contrary, save a lot by unsoldering the Celeron and one memory slot, and providing for the possibility of installing a “regular” hard drive in the case and, accordingly, a SATA connector on the board. That, in fact, is all - all computers in this design will be very similar to each other, and they will be purchased in ordinary consumer electronics stores. And most often in an already completed form, although with the current NUC delivery options there is also a little fuss - select memory and SSD.

Now, as regards these current options and the concept itself. I liked the concept very much. Yes, the system turns out to be somewhat more expensive than a "traditional" desktop, but small (it's no secret that the main component of budget desktop computers is air that fills 90% of the case volume) and quiet. In fact, even inconspicuous - you can simply screw it to a monitor or TV using the included bracket (they didn’t save on it - unlike the cable to the PSU, which you have to purchase on your own, since the sockets in all countries are different, and the places in the box not so much). And this is far from a nettop in terms of performance, but rather a fast computer - many still use slower ones.

But the price and performance are just determined by the specific filling, but at the moment there are a number of comments on it. The main drawback of all versions is the lack of USB 3.0 ports, despite the fact that they are supported by the chipset. And the older modification has an incomprehensible target audience - it lacks support for a wired network (which is currently the most problem-free way to switch the NUC with the outside world - do not forget), but it is equipped with a Thunderbolt port that is not too up-to-date. That is, to put it simply, we would like to see at least one more configuration option for external interfaces. Yes, and a slightly larger choice in terms of processor, too - the Celeron idea is great for budget modifications, but slightly more expensive options would be interesting: with Core i5, or even Core i7. Moreover, the prices of processors do not differ that much: the recommended price for the Core i3-3217U is $225, the one supporting vPro and faster due to Turbo Boost i5-3437U is the same $225, and the even more sophisticated i7-3667U is $346, so Intel has a certain freedom of maneuver. It is easy to see, of course, that the company in a certain sense still uses it now, practically “giving” the case and power supply to the user for free (just compare the cost of the NUC with the “official” prices of the processor and chipset :)), but this option is not the only possible .

So, as with any new concept, there is still work to be done with its specific implementations. However, what sets the NUC apart from so many of the concepts that we've seen over the years is that in its current form it is a real commercial product (even a product line) that has a very tangible market niche. In any case, there is no problem with the target audience: all those who need a relatively inexpensive, but productive (excluding 3D graphics) compact desktop computer. In addition, unlike mass nettops, it is also a standardized platform. Of course, with different options for peripheral connectors, so there will not be full case compatibility (this requires a larger Mini-ITX), but the number of options is limited, i.e. we will see a variety of cases for those who like to customize the "original" NUC, and versions of production systems not only from Intel, but also from the company's partners, many of which have already been announced at CES 2013.

In general, we really have something new and original. And capable of significantly changing the computer market, as well as the concept of "desktop systems" itself. What should be noted is our traditional award for such cases, which the company deserved without any reservations.

Intel is exactly the company that stood at the origins of the beginning of the development of personal computers, since the first successful mass-produced IBM PC computer worked on the Intel i8088 processor. Most of the servers, computers, laptops around the world are powered by Intel processors and, of course, the company is well aware of how a modern PC should look like and I’ll say right away that a modern PC does not have to be big. We are reviewing the Intel Next Unit of Computing mini-PC, and if abbreviated as the 7th generation Intel NUC based on Intel processor The Core i5-7260U is bundled with a 16 GB Intel Optane module and we will not only evaluate its performance, but also take a closer look at its design.

Characteristics

Packaging and equipment

Intel NUC comes in a bright cardboard box with high-quality printing and informative content on all sides. On the packaging you can see the appearance of the device, learn about the main supported technologies and characteristics of the device. It is also worth noting the emphasis on support for Intel Optane modules on three sides of the package, and such a frequent mention of the technology is quite justified, why - we will consider it in a separate review a little later.




As we can see, the package is small, but everything you need fits in it. The package includes:

• a set of instructions;
• a metal plate for installing the Intel NUC on a monitor with a VESA mount;
• a set of necessary screws and a bushing for installing an M.2 drive;
• power supply FSP065-10AABA;
• set of four interchangeable EU/UK/US/AU plugs;
• processor logo sticker.

Appearance and location of functional elements

The 7th generation Intel NUC received a slight change in appearance compared to the previous generation. The layout of the elements and the color of the case have changed quite a bit from silver to graphite. To start the review, it is immediately worth noting that the Intel NUC can be in two case options: a small one with dimensions of 115 × 111 × 32 mm without the possibility of installing a 2.5″ drive, and a large one with dimensions of 115 × 111 × 48 mm with the possibility of installing a 2.5″ drive. We are testing a “large” Intel NUC with the ability to install a 2.5″ drive.
The top cover of the Intel NUC is made of black glossy plastic and can be removed quite easily, but, unlike the previous generation, there is no possibility of customization by replacing the cover, which is even a little strange.
The base of the case is made of aluminum alloy, painted in dark gray. On the front side there are two USB 3.0, one of them is marked yellow and is designed to charge other devices without turning it on, a 3.5 mm four-pin Mini-Jack with the ability to connect both playback and recording devices, a power button. In addition to these elements, there is also a well-hidden infrared port and two microphones, which will come in handy for controlling a PC through voice assistants. After the power is turned on, the blue LED on the power button and the blue frame around the functional elements light up.
On the left side of the case there is a perforation for air intake, a MicroSD form factor card reader and a hole for a Kensington lock. The right side is occupied only by perforation, which is good, as it gives hope for good air circulation inside the compact case.
On the back side, the exhaust of the cooling system is clearly visible, the power connection connector, full-size HDMI, Ethernet, two USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3 compatible with USB type C.
On the metal bottom cover there is a sticker containing service information and trademarks, as well as four more rubber feet that prevent the mini-PC from sliding on the table and transmitting unnecessary vibrations, because this option can be installed HDD which can be quite noisy.
The Intel NUC is a device in which there is nothing superfluous in design and everything is to the point, at the same time, high-quality case materials are used, and you can’t find fault with the assembly. A photo with an Intel Core i5-8600K processor is shown below for clarity of dimensions.

Internal organization

Intel NUC can be found in several modifications: only a board, a board with a case, and a ready-made solution with installed RAM, a drive, and an operating system. It is for this reason that the Intel NUC Kit is disassembled without much effort. To start disassembly, you need to unscrew the four screws at the bottom of the case - this will allow you to effortlessly remove the bottom cover.

After removing the bottom cover, a slide immediately becomes available for installing a 2.5″ drive with a maximum thickness of 9 mm, however, now almost all SSDs and most HDDs are 7 mm thick.

To remove the sled, all you need to do is disconnect the power connector and the SATA connector. After removing the sled, access to two SODIMM slots is opened, so that the maximum amount of RAM is limited to 32 gigabytes. You can notice that I already have an M.2 module installed and this is the same Intel Optane, which we will return to a little later. The M.2 slot is designed to install both SATA and NVMe drives, as well as Intel Optane modules 42 or 80 mm long.

What if we look even further? This is not a problem at all, and even in the spirit of iFixit, we will give the Intel NUC Kit a maintainability score of 10 out of 10 in advance. Further disassembly is possible after removing the Intel Optane module and unfastening the power button and microphone cables. To dismantle the printed circuit board, all that remains is to unscrew the two screws and carefully remove it from the case.

Next, we'll take a look at the features of the Intel NUC PCB. Here we can see a soldered dual-band controller for wireless networks Intel Wireless-AC 8265 with the ability to work 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Since the board can also be installed in a custom case, for example, with passive cooling, on the printed circuit board there is a connector for connecting two case USB 2.0 and standard case wires.
Another interesting thing is the BIOS_SEC jumper used to reset the UEFI password, as well as the CEC connector, which is designed to connect external control panels.

On the reverse side, the first thing that catches your eye is the cooling system, the active element of which is the fan. Delta Electronics BSB05505HP-SM with 55mm impeller diameter. For heat exchange with the processor, a copper heatsink is designed, the quality of which is not satisfactory.


After dismantling the cooling system, you can look at the processor soldered on the board.
On the same side is a battery that maintains the safety of the BIOS settings. The ITE IT8987VG multicontroller is also soldered here.
The implementation of HDMI 2.0 is possible thanks to the MegaChips MCDP2800BC controller, so the Intel NUC is able to output 4K images up to 60 Hertz without any problems.

The Rialtek ALC283 codec is responsible for the sound and, of course, there is no question of shielding the audio path, and it’s hard to imagine it on such a small board.

The processor is powered by three power phases and this is enough, because the TDP of this processor is only 15 watts.

The last thing I decided to show you is the Intel NUC case with the board removed.

Testing

test stand

Intel NUC, in our case, was delivered without RAM and we used the proven and reliable memory modules from Kingston - KVR21S15S8 / 8, an overview of which.

The external and internal device is, of course, good, but we all love numbers and test results, especially when it comes to mini-PCs, because in addition to miniature dimensions, performance is also important for us.

The first benchmark we decided to run is Intel XTU, which is great for comparing the performance of Intel processors, and if you register on HWBot, you can compare your test results with those of other enthusiasts around the world.
The following PC Mark 10 benchmark performs real work tasks and provides an opportunity to evaluate performance in real conditions.
A fairly popular GeekBench 4 benchmark was also held for both CPU and GPU.

To evaluate the graphics accelerator, we used 3D Mark Sky Diver.
Render speed was evaluated using CineBench R15 and Corona Render.
Data archiving speed was tested using WinRAR Benchmark. For testing in games, we used World of Tanks and got the following number of frames in FullHD at medium graphics settings.
We checked the temperature regime at maximum load using the AIDA 64 stress test. The temperature in the room was ∼31°C, and the test was active for more than 10 minutes, during which time the processor warmed up to a maximum of 91°C and, given the initially high temperature, it's quite normal.

conclusions

When it comes to the Intel NUC, you need to understand that this device can "play with different colors", because the list of possible configurations is really large and starts from the "accounting" Celeron, and ends with the top mobile Core i7 and this allows you to use the Intel NUC in many scenarios . Personally, my Intel NUC in the tested configuration confidently took the place of the main working computer, I write review texts on it, edit RAW photos in Photoshop, and in my free time I can play and watch movies up to 4K resolution, and all this works without freezing in the case with with dimensions of 115 × 111 × 48 mm - isn't it a miracle? After using the Intel NUC, you involuntarily start to wonder, do I need a full-size PC? Personally, I felt some advantages from switching to the Intel NUC: less noise, less space, it has a nice appearance and works stably.

When choosing a mini PC, I recommend taking a closer look at the Intel NUC. According to the results of testing, the device receives an award - Editor's Choice!

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Introduction

Until recently, if you wanted the power and versatility of a desktop PC, you had to prepare a lot of free space on the floor or on the table to install a tower case. But today, compared to mini PCs like Intel NUC(Next Unit of Computing) even ultraportable laptops look big. These systems are fast enough to replace your main computer and small enough to fit anywhere. The $390 NUC5i5RYK features 5th Gen Intel Core i5 processors based on Broadwell architecture, supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and high-speed PCIe SSDs. We bought and installed our own set of RAM, storage, and operating system, which ended up costing $670 for our test unit. For that amount, Intel's new mini PC has a lot to offer.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Use cases

Intel NUC fast enough to replace the main PC for students, office workers and other users. By uniting Intel NUC with a high-resolution monitor (or two), you get all the benefits of a compact all-in-one, but with the option to keep your old monitor when you upgrade your hardware.

If you install a large capacity hard disk or connect it via USB, Intel NUC can easily cope with the role of a powerful home theater. And outlets can use Intel NUC at terminals or kiosks.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Design

Measuring 114 x 112 x 33mm and weighing 453g (with drive and RAM), the NUC5i5RYK is shaped and sized like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The unit is thin enough to fit even in miniature entertainment systems. It can easily be placed next to a keyboard on a desk, or attached to the back of a monitor using the included VESA bracket.

Most competitors in the mini PC segment are significantly larger, including the Mac Mini (36 x 197 x 197mm, 1200g), the ThinkCentre M83 Tiny PC (178 x 183 x 34mm, 1315g) and the HP Stream 200-010 Mini ( 146 x 145 x 53 mm, 635 g). Even the power adapter Intel NUC very small - only 45 x 83 x 23 mm and weighing 184 g.

Although Intel NUC can be easily placed on a shelf or tucked away behind the display thanks to its compact size and attractive design appearance it is unlikely to spoil the design of your office or living room if it is placed on a table. The main body of the case is made of aluminum in a matte silver color with a glossy black plastic lid and a matte black plastic bottom. On the sides and back are ventilation holes, and on the top cover is a neat silver power button.

The top cover can be easily removed without the use of additional tools. Intel itself does not produce replacement covers, but keeps their parameters freely available, so that any company or person can make a cover not only with their own design (including printing it for themselves on a 3D printer), but also with additional functionality. At CES 2015, the company showed several prototype covers, including versions with a TV tuner and NFC.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Connectors

With such small sizes Intel NUC has very wide communication capabilities. The front panel has a 3.5mm audio jack, an IR receiver and two USB 3.0 ports, one of which is designed to charge devices even when the system is in sleep mode. The rear panel has a power connector, a Gigabit Ethernet port, mini-HDMI and mini-DisplayPort outputs, and two more USB 3.0 ports. On the right is the Kensington lock slot.

Intel NUC can display the image on the monitor in Full HD resolution. With a combination of video outputs, the Intel Mini PC can support up to three monitors simultaneously. The DisplayPort connector supports the DisplayPort 1.2 protocol and is capable of outputting images to three displays with a resolution of up to 1920 x 1200 pixels through a special splitter or using a daisy chain connection. However, it's easiest to connect one monitor to each connector with mini-HDMI and mini-DisplayPort cables.

Wireless connection to the Internet is carried out using Intel cards 7265 that supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. In addition, the card can stream video to a set-top box using the Intel WiDi standard.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Required accessories and their cost

Intel sells Intel NUC in the form of a platform: without RAM, drive and operating system. So get ready to spend at least another $250 and some time to select and order the missing components.

The system has two DIMM slots that support 1.35V DDR3L SODIMM modules. You can install one or two sticks with a total capacity of up to 16 GB. 8 GB of this type of RAM will cost about $55, although in order to save money, you can buy a 4 GB stick for $28.

Although some configurations Intel NUC In addition to the M.2 slot is equipped with a 2.5" SATA drive bay, our NUC5i5RYK sample only has M.2. It is compatible with M.2 SSD 22 x 42, 22 x 60 or 22 x 80 with M or B + M key. The motherboard supports M.2 SSDs using SATA or PCIe x1, x2 or x4 bus. In this way, Intel NUC will work with almost any M.2 type SSD on the market.

Most of these drives work with the SATA bus, which has an upper speed limit of about 540 MB / s. A 250 GB drive can be found for $120. Alternatively, 120 GB solutions are available for up to $100.

More expensive PCIe x4 drives are sometimes twice as fast as SATA. For our tests, we used the Samsung XP941 256GB PCIe x4 interface, which costs around $250 but has a read speed of over 1000MB/s and a write speed of over 800MB/s.

If you want to install Windows, then the OEM version will cost about $100. Do not forget about the various free Linux options, such as Ubuntu.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Prices and competitors

If you buy a standard 256 GB SATA M.2 SSD, 8 GB of RAM and a copy of Windows, then a full-fledged computer from Intel NUC$390 will actually cost $670. If you limit yourself to 4 GB of RAM, a 128 GB SSD and a free OS, then the final price will drop to $490. However, Intel NUC has a lot of specification options, and if you take something inexpensive with a Celeron processor, the price will be noticeably lower.

In a situation with Intel NUC you pay for a combination of small size and high performance, especially if you use a PCIe x4 SSD. If you want to get a mini PC ready to go right away, you can find less expensive systems with much slower processors and no SSDs. For example, the HP Stream 200-010 mini costs $179 but is 220 grams heavier and about 2.5 cm larger. Intel NUC, in addition, it is equipped with a slow Intel Celeron processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 32 GB drive.

Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tiny Desktop is almost twice as big and three times as heavy Intel NUC, but comes immediately in a complete set for $483. It includes an Intel Core i3 processor fourth generation and a 500 GB hard drive. The version with Core i5, SSD and 8 GB of RAM will cost $1000 already. The MacBook Mini also looks big next to Intel NUC, and the price for the model with Core i5 and hard drive starts at $499. The SSD version costs $699.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Installation and setup

It takes no more than five minutes to install RAM and SSD. To get to the inside of the system, just flip it over Intel NUC and unscrew the bottom panel, which is secured with four standard Phillips head screws. After that, it remains only to install the RAM modules, insert the SSD into the M.2 slot and tighten the fixing screw.

Windows installation takes 10 to 20 minutes. The installer must be on a flash drive. Be sure to download the latest drivers from the Intel website.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Performance

The base clock speed of the Core i5-5250U (Broadwell) is 1.6 GHz, which can be increased to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost. With a relatively powerful Intel chip, the NUC5i5RYK is great for serious tasks like spreadsheets, web surfing, watching 4K videos, or even video editing.

During testing, it took just 1 minute and 8 seconds to transcode a 2:30 1080p movie trailer to 720p resolution. Windows Movie Maker, a 4K video was playing in another window at the same time. However, the platform uses a dual-core mobile processor, so the benchmark scores Intel NUC more comparable to ultraportable laptops than desktops, which use more power, have quad-core processors running at higher clock speeds.

Having a mobile processor has its advantages, even on desktop systems. During testing Intel NUC maintained a fairly low temperature, while the fan was very quiet.

Our test unit is equipped with 8GB of RAM and a fast Samsung XP941 SSD. On the Geekbench 3 synthetic benchmark, which measures overall system performance, it scored 5611. This is slightly below the average for all-in-ones (7013), but above the average for ultraportables (4037). The Dell XPS 13 with a 2.2GHz Core i5-5200U processor scored 5530, and the 2014 Apple iMac (5464) with a 2.7GHz Core i5-4570R chip scored almost the same. The Lenovo C560, equipped with a 2.9GHz Core i3 CPU, was ahead with a score of 6209.

Overall Performance (Geekbench 3) - CPU and Memory Speed ​​Test (More is Better)

Intel NUC with the Broadwell chip showed it was more than adequate for serious office tasks, completing our spreadsheet test (matching 20,000 names with addresses in Open Office) in just 5 minutes and 2 seconds. The result is identical to the XPS 13 and more than double the ultraportable average (10:17). It also outperforms the all-in-one average (7 minutes), but lags slightly behind the iMac (4:47).

Spreadsheet speed. Time spent matching 20,000 names with addresses in Open Office Calc (less is more)

NUC5i5RYK took only 12 seconds to cold Windows boot 8. Thanks to the incredibly fast PCIe x4 SSD, the mini PC completed the file transfer test ( File Transfer Test), which includes copying 4.97 GB files in just 16 seconds. That is, the speed was 308.8 MB / s - this is one of the fastest indicators we have ever seen on a PC. It far outperforms the average results for all-in-ones (58 MB/s) and ultraportables (120.5 MB/s).

File transfer test. MB/s (more is better)

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Graphics Performance

The power of the integrated GPU The Intel HD Graphics 6000 is more than adequate for watching 4K video, but in terms of gaming, don't count on anything more than casual video games. In the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic benchmark, which measures the overall level of graphics performance, Intel NUC scored 888 points. That's slightly more than the average ultraportable laptop (670.31) and the Dell XPS 13 (704). The average in the category of monoblocks was slightly higher - 1053 points.

3DMark Fire Strike is a synthetic test that measures graphics performance (more is better)

When we played World of Warcraft with automatic settings in a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, Intel NUC managed to maintain a frame rate of 37 FPS, but when the resolution was increased to 1080p, the figure dropped to 26 frames per second. It ends up being roughly on par with ultraportables, which averaged 33.7 and 31.5 fps, and close to the Dell XPS 13, which hit 33 fps at 1080p. But when we pushed the graphics quality settings to Ultra, the Intel mini PC was only capable of 16 and 17 FPS slideshows at the aforementioned two resolutions.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Options and configurations

AT model range 2015 Intel has several versions Intel NUC with different components. The base model costs $295 and is equipped with a 2.1GHz Core i3-5010U processor. The version, which has a 2.5" drive bay, is only 15mm taller and $5 more expensive. Our Core i5 system retails for $391, but there's also a 2.5" bay version called the NUC5i5RYH for $383.

Intel NUC with a Core i7 processor (NUC5i7RYH) will appear this year, but the price is still unknown. Each configuration is also available in a business version featuring Intel vPro control technology and two mini-DisplayPorts instead of mini-HDMI + mini-DisplayPort.

We highly recommend buying Intel NUC with a 2.5" drive bay because it allows you to use two drives: a high-capacity mechanical hard drive for file storage and a fast M.2 SSD for system and applications.

Intel NUC Mini PC Review | Summing up

Intel NUC It's high performance in a small, attractive package. For those who don't want to mess around with installing RAM, storage, and OS, there are larger, more expensive mini PCs like the MacBook Mini or ThinkCentre M83. Advanced gamers tend to prefer desktops or laptops with discrete graphics cards. But if you don't mind working with a screwdriver and need a small desktop system as your main PC or home theater system, then Intel NUC with Broadwell chips is the best option.

Advantages:

• Attractive compact design.
• High performance.
• Support fast SSD M.2.
• Interchangeable covers with additional features.
• Image output in 4K or on 3 monitors.

Flaws:

• comes without RAM, OS and storage.

Good day. This is my first review on this site.

A little information about myself, and why I decided to buy this Chinese mini PC.

I do video production. I work with Edius, Photoshop, Adobe After Effect.

Configuration of the previous computer:
Intel Core Duo E7500 2.93Ghz
Video card built-in
4GB memory
SATA screw

The performance of my PC is enough for normal work. Only one drawback of my computer - VERY NOISY. Recently, it has become very annoying, so I began to look for an alternative to it.

There were not so many alternatives and not all of them met my criteria.

First option.

Computer from the manufacturer Apple. Several times I tried to master the programs on this operating system, but it didn't work.

Second option.

Buy a laptop or netbook. I can't stand this form factor.

Third option.

Intel NUC, I think it's a bit overpriced.

These were the options I had. All of them did not quite fit my small needs.

While shopping on the alliexpress website, I came across interesting aluminum mini pc (Chinese equivalent of Intel NUC). The most important thing for me about these PCs was that they didn't make any noise!!!

Searches for reviews began on the Internet, but, unfortunately, there were very few of them. I found only two in Russian, and then they were not quite informative.

Since I was not interested in the latest developments in the computer industry, it was difficult for me to determine what Celeron, iCore 3, i5, etc. system is today. meets my requirements. They were very simple for me, the main thing is that the computer does not work slower than the old one.

I spent a lot of time looking for the information I needed, but I did not find it.

Then I decided to focus on the price. Set the price bar to 250 dollars. The PC was supposed to be with 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD screw. For the rest of the money, it was necessary to find a processor with a motherboard.

There were several options for Celeron 1037U, Core i5200u, Pen j2850 and others, but I chose the Core i3 4010U (4015) processor.

Several days were spent looking for the best seller and price. After correspondence with them, I chose this one (the link is at the beginning of the review), the price and responsiveness in the comments suited me.

Due to changes in customs rules in our country, the limit for one parcel without making a declaration is 150 euros, since the cost of the Chinese miracle was more, there was a small problem in processing the parcel. The problem was solved very simply, the seller wrote the cost of a mini pc a little less :) than it really is.

I asked to put 4 GB of Samsung memory and Win7. He sent the package via EMC courier. The track number on the official website was tracked only on the third day. After 12-13 days, the track appeared on the EMC website of the city of Kharkov.

Thank you for reading this far, now let's move on to the mini pc review.

I left out a few details in the text, so in addition you can see the review at youtube channel.

The package included:

White packing box.
Aluminium case.
Stand for computer.
HDMI cable
Power supply with euro plug.
WiFi Antennas

Let's start with the body.

It is made of thick die-cast aluminum with holes on the sides and top. The case thickness is 29mm. Dimensions 197*197*29mm. Very neat and pretty. Weighs about 1.2 kg.

Now let's go through the connectors.

2 x USB 2.0
4 x USB 3.0
Video outputs: HDMI, VGA
Ethernet port 1 Gbps
Audio input and output
Connectors for Wi-Fi antennas 150 Mbps (for an additional $ 3, the seller will make 300 Mbps)
Button on and off.

Now let's look at the stuffing.

Motherboard with Core i3 4010U processor
RAM DDR3L 4 GB Samsung and SSD 32 GB hard drive.
Built-in video card.
WiFi module

There are holes on the case cover for another SSD screw and for a special VESA mount. With this mount, the PC can be attached to the back of the monitor or to the wall.

If you ask the seller to insert bluetooth 4.0, he will do it for you for free. I, unfortunately, did not know this and therefore I had to buy a USB bluetooth for $ 3 in order to connect a mini keyboard.

After the first boot of the system was made, there was not so much free space as I expected. With Win7 installed by Chinese friends, there was 11.3 GB of free space. Having installed all the programs for work, only about 2GB remained, which is very, very small. Therefore, I decided to order another ssd screw.

For people who want to buy such a PC just because of the Internet and watching movies on-line, I think 11 GB is enough for normal operation.

Now let's see some screenshots of the system.

Test results.
I have never tested my computers, so I had to peep what other authors are testing, and here is the result.

I have been working on this computer for more than 1.5 months. At the moment, everyone is very satisfied. All the tasks that I need, he performs. As written on the site, the power consumption of the PC is 15 watts.

Such mini computers will find their buyer. I think this is a compromise between a desktop PC and a laptop. They will be in demand both in enterprises and for people who do not need large, powerful and noisy personal computers. One of these I.

So far I have not found any cons in this PC.
The pros are SILENCE and peace of mind (I work at night when my relatives are already sleeping). A small bonus is low power consumption.

I filmed the opening of the package on the video below.

If you have any questions or find technical inaccuracies in my review, please write them, I will try to answer them and correct the errors. Thank you.