Proper gaming power in a new NUC shape
The venerable NUC brand, now presided over by Asus rather than Intel (and open to several other PC OEMs, like MSI), is home to a host of appealing mini desktops for different use cases. Most are general-purpose or lower-power kiosk systems, but Asus is trying its hand at a gaming-centric take with the Republic of Gamers NUC 970 (starts at $1,399; $1,799 as tested). The ROG 970 is a very compact box—smaller than a laptop—that uses mobile CPU and GPU chips to jam in the power. Our test model touts an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and a GeForce RTX 4070 laptop GPU, which posted similar performance to full-size entry-level gaming desktops in our testing. That’s an appealing offer if you’re seeking a space-saving solution that, if not fully upgradable, at least allows memory and storage swaps. You can get more gaming bang for the buck with a traditional tower, but for small-form-factor shoppers, this is a highly capable package.Design: Compact Versatility
While the NUC 970 isn’t as configurable as a larger gaming desktop, it isn’t a one-model solution, either. Asus’ base version costs $1,399 and combines an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, 16GB of DDR5-5600 memory, a 512GB M.2 solid-state drive, and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4060 laptop GPU.
Our review unit raises the ante: For $1,799, it packs a Core Ultra 9 185H processor (configured to 65 watts), doubles the RAM and storage to 32GB and 1TB respectively, and steps up to a GeForce RTX 4070 laptop GPU (115 watts, plus 25 watts dynamic boost). In other words, it delivers a component set roughly equal to a high-end gaming laptop at about the same price.
Of the many small-form-factor PCs we’ve seen over the years, this is one of the smallest—a 2.5-liter chassis measuring 1.96 by 10.6 by 7.1 inches (HWD), with a vertical stand provided if you’d rather put the system upright. To repeat the obvious, this is possible only by using a mobile GPU rather than a full-size desktop graphics card; if that’s a non-starter for you, check out one of the many conventional gaming desktops we’ve reviewed.
The case is all black, but the top features a semi-obscured RGB logo, which we’ve seen on past NUC models when the brand was still under Intel’s care. There’s more connectivity than you might expect: The front edge is home to two USB Type-A ports, an audio jack, and an SD card slot. Around back are four more USB-A ports, a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 connector, HDMI and two DisplayPort video outputs, and an Ethernet jack. This is an impressive array, though I was surprised to find only one USB-C port.
As far as maintenance and internal access, the ROG NUC sports a pretty simple solution. A rear latch lets you slide the case cover open, exposing one captive screw, which you can then loosen.
