NUC Studio 12, the next mini-PC
Intel's Next Unit of Computing minicomputer series will soon celebrate its tenth anniversary on the market, and since the first small 4 x 4-inch box, it has continued to improve to become the benchmark in a segment that we like for its ability to offer a lot in a small space and its versatility for use in consumer desks, offices, or living rooms for home theater.
According to the Chinese media chip hell, which has had the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate it, the NUC Studio 12 will be the next in line. The number relates to the processing platform it will employ, the Alder Lakes, and is codenamed 'Wall Street Canyon.'
It will support 28-watt Intel processors and will be available for both consumer and commercial use, with vPro variants available.
The lineup comprises a half-dozen variants with up to a 12-core, 16-thread Core i7 processor and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics:
- Intel Core i7-1270P
- Intel Core i7-1260P
- Intel Core i5-1250P
- Intel Core i5-1240P
- Intel Core i3-1220P
As is customary, the new NUC Studio 12 (and NUC Studio 12 Pro) will have a remarkably small footprint of just over 11 cm and will be available in two height variants. A top cover with Qi wireless charging compatibility will be added to the chassis, allowing you to charge a smartphone or other mobile device simply by laying it on top.
Under the hood, there are two SODIMM slots that accept DDR4-3200 RAM with a total capacity of at least 64 Gbytes.
A solid-state drive can be linked to an M.2 2280 to PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, while the taller drive adds a 2.5-inch bay for greater storage space based on hard drives or SSDs connected via the SATA interface.
As usual, your connectivity will be quite complete with:
- 1 2.5Gbps Ethernet port
- An Intel AX211 module with support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
- 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports
- 1 HDMI 2.0b video output
- 1 DisplayPort 1.4 video output
- 1 x USB 3.2 Type-A
- 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A
- Front 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- Front one 3.5mm audio jack
According to Chinese media, the new NUC will not only outperform versions with eleventh-generation processors and older, but it will also be more efficient, and the upgraded cooling system will cause the fan to create less noise.
There is no information on the availability or price of these NUC Studio 12, which will be supplied in consumer and business versions with vPro CPUs and other hardware management and security functions.
Very nice way to commemorate the tenth anniversary of these NUCs, which have made a name for themselves in the minicomputer segment, but they are not the only ones available in an ever-expanding selection.
