Intel NUC: What Are Those and What Benefits Do They Provide?

Introduction


Since the start of computer technology, there always been a race to make computers smaller and faster. This is evident by how small our computers have gotten, from the age of huge, bulky computers to tiny pocket computers and smartphones today. One thing that has remained relatively unchanged is the desktop computer; the CPU boxes have almost always been the same size for decades; sure, there are a few slimmer versions, but typically they have been bulky enough not to be moved around. This is where Intel’s NUC computers and their latest variants such as Intel Skull Canyon and Skylake NUC come in.


 

What is Intel NUC


NUC stands for ‘Next Unit Computing’, which is a terminology Intel coined for their super portable pocket computers that offer the same computing power as a desktop computer. Often as small as a hard disk drive or even smaller, Intel NUC is full-fledged computing units that are used for computing tasks, generally for portable computing tasks. All you need is to attach a keyboard, mouse, display and you have a fully functional computer that is reminiscent of a desktop PC.

Components of Intel NUC


Intel has released many generations of NUC such as Intel Skull Canyon NUC and Intel Skylake NUC, although their interior arrangements have always remained the same. There will be a latest-generation processor in i3, i7 or i9 configuration, a RAM stick of variable configuration, a hard disk or SSD depending on their configuration, and media and Wi-Fi cards along with connectors embedded in motherboards for connecting various peripherals and devices.

The main benefit of an Intel NUC is its customization; they can be freely tweaked and configurations improved according to the needs of the user. Most buyers simply buy a bare-bones NUC with a good processor and upgrade the internal components one by one later, as it saves them money which they might have to pay upfront if buying a fully tricked out NUC system.

Use of Intel NUC


Intel NUC is full-fledged desktop systems that are great for light to medium tasks such as media viewer device for your home TV, watching videos and movies on computers, live streaming on YouTube, video editing and image processing. High-end NUCs can even do heavy tasks such as 3D model processing, video processing, heavy gaming, and graphic post-processing tasks. They can do almost all the tasks a regular desktop computer can do, but at a cheaper price and smaller, portable package. Intel NUC either comes with an operating system such as Windows/Linux or users can install one of their own choices.

Top Benefits of Intel NUC Computer


Intel NUC computer is really small and convenient. That means they don’t have to be confined to desks and can be easily carried from one place to another in pockets or handbags. One can easily carry them from home to the workplace and simply continue the task from where they were left off, needing only a display, mouse and keyboard to use.

Secondly, they are great as starter PCs for low-level computing tasks. If you want a computer for media streaming to TV or general media consumption but don’t want to pay a lot for a desktop computer, intel NUCs are the perfect choice for such applications.

There are many uses of an Intel NUC, with diverse applications in both low- and high-level tasks. What you do with your NUC is completely up to you.

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