Mini PC specialist Minisforum has launched two new super-slim Intel PCs. The new Minisforum NUCX15 and NUCX17 mini PCs both share a slim form factor. It seems that Minisforum has used Intel’s 11th Gen NUC laptop kits as their foundations, essentially gaming laptops without a screen.
We reported on the NUC laptop kits which we assume these systems are based upon back in September 2021, mixing Tiger Lake H CPUs and Nvidia Ampere graphics. Earlier this month, Intel refreshed its NUC laptop kits with 12th Gen CPU models, and have switched over to Intel Arc mobile graphics.
In the images shared with us by Minisforum it looks like the default orientation of the new NUCXI5 and NUCXI7 slim PCs is vertical. It looks somewhat unstable like this, alternatively laying it flat would use up previous desk space. Minisforum provide a stand which looks wide enough to prevent knocking over these PCs too easily
|
Minisforum |
NUCX15 |
NUCX17 |
|---|---|---|
|
CPU |
Intel Core i5-11400H |
Intel Core i7-11800H |
|
GPU |
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop 6GB |
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop 8GB |
|
Memory |
Up to 64GB DDR4 dual-channel |
Up to 64GB DDR4 dual-channel |
|
Storage |
Two M.2 PCIe 2280 slots |
Two M.2 PCIe 2280 slots |
|
Ports |
RJ45 2.5 Gb Ethernet Port ×1, HDMI ×1, Thunderbolt 4 ×1, USB 3.2 Type-A ×3, Headphone x1, SD Card Reader x1 |
RJ45 2.5 Gb Ethernet Port ×1, HDMI ×1, Thunderbolt 4 ×1, USB 3.2 Type-A ×3, Headphone x1, SD Card Reader x1 |
|
Software |
Windows 11 if bought with storage |
Windows 11 if bought with storage |
|
Dimensions |
80mm x260mm x394mm |
80mm x260mm x394mm |
The design lends itself both to the desktop and the living room. In vertical mode it can easily slip next to your monitor, taking up very little of your workspace. In the living room it wouldn't look out of place underneath your television, acting as home entertainment and PC gaming rig. With an RTX 3060 / RTX 3070 and an 11th Gen Intel CPU, you'll have plenty of power for 1080P based gaming.
If you like the idea of these slim desktops, you can gauge the performance that they are likely to offer by checking out laptop reviews with similar specs. For example, we reviewed the Alienware x15 laptop, with Intel Core i7-11800H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, last October. Tom’s Hardware ran a range of gaming and productivity benchmarks on the Alienware, and it was judged to offer strong performance at its native 2560 x 1600 pixel screen resolution.
In an email to Tom’s Hardware, Hong Kong-based Minisforum said that the NUCX15 and NUCX17 would be available in August 2022. Right now we have no idea on pricing, but Minisforum said they would notify us of pricing when the products are ready.
