Asus launches the first-ever ROG NUC with up to Core Ultra 9 and RTX 4070, prices start at $1,629

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The Asus ROG NUC gives you a tiny desktop gaming PC with a discrete GPU.

Asus ROG NUC hero image
(Image credit: Asus)

Asus is launching its first gaming mini-PC with the ROG NUC. This tiny PC weighs just 2.6 kg and comes in a 2.5-liter chassis that measures 270 x 180 x 50mm. Even though it has a diminutive form factor, you won't miss out on performance as it comes with either an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or a Core Ultra 9 185H. Both models also have a discrete GPU — an RTX 4060 for the Ultra 7 and RTX 4070 for the Ultra 9.

Intel left the mini-PC business in July 2023, licensing its NUC brand to Asus and allowing it to continue the line of tiny computers. Asus teased an ROG version of the NUC in January 2024, and after six months, it's finally ready to release a retail version of its first gaming mini-PC.

These are the specifications of the two Asus ROG NUC models:

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Model #RNUC14SRKU7168AUIRNUC14SRKU9189AUI
ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155HIntel Core Ultra 9 185H
Graphics CardRTX 4060RTX 4070
Memory [Upgradeable to (32GB x 2)](8GB x 2) DDR5-5600(8GB x 2) DDR5-5600
Storage [3x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 slots available]1x 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4
WirelessIntel Killer Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
LAN2.5G Intel LAN2.5G Intel LAN
AudioRealtek/ALC256Realtek/ALC256
Front I/O Ports1x SD Card Reader, 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack1x SD Card Reader, 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Rear I/O Ports1x Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Type-C port (with DP2.1 and 12V fast charging), 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DP1.4a port, 1x 2.5G RJ45 LAN, 1x DC in barrel jack port, 1x Kensington Lock slot1x Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Type-C port (with DP2.1 and 12V fast charging), 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DP1.4a port, 1x 2.5G RJ45 LAN, 1x DC in barrel jack port, 1x Kensington Lock slot
Power Supply330W power adapter330W power adapter
Price$1,629.00$2,199.00

Since this is also an ROG product, you get gaming-specific features, like ARGB lights on the ROG logo at the top or side panel (depending on how you orient the mini-PC). Asus even says that you have the option to create your own logo, although there's no indication yet of how to do that.

Although the ROG NUC is a tiny computer, it can accommodate up to four 4K displays via the HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB4 ports. However, we wouldn't recommend that configuration for gaming as an RTX 4070 might be a little bit hard-pressed to deliver that many pixels.

You can now see both devices on the Asus website, but they're marked as 'Temporarily Out of Stock.' Nevertheless, if you're looking for a tiny gaming PC, you can ask Asus to notify you when they become available. You should also prepare your wallet if you want this device with its high starting price. It does come with a discrete GPU, though, unlike other mini-PC designs, where you need an eGPU dock to enjoy high-quality graphics.

Jowi Morales
Jowi Morales
Contributing Writer

Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.

13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • TechyIT223
    Damn expensive tho
    Reply
  • Notton
    I checked amazon US, where it's in stock, but from a 3rd party seller and not Asus themselves.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7M6X5GC/
    I find it odd that Asus doesn't have the product listed themselves. They are all over that sort of stuff on amazon.
    Bestbuy doesn't have a listing, which I think is more telling.
    Reply
  • ThomasKinsley
    North American brands are missing the mark with NUCs. They sell them at a premium in small enclosures that end up throttling performance, so you wind up with a more expensive product and less performance than if you bought them in a normal sized tower. Chinese manufacturers have the right idea: performant laptop SoCs with liberal amounts of RAM and storage for a cheaper price than a laptop. The enclosure is more than able to handle the heat and you get more value than if you purchased a PC or a laptop. The problem is Chinese manufacturers ship with a modified BIOS/custom Windows preloaded with one manufacturer shipping with a keylogger preinstalled. Disastrous.

    Why can't a proper name brand figure this out? Intel was forced to sell the entire NUC business. Now ASUS is making the same mistake.
    Reply
  • Notton
    ThomasKinsley said:
    North American brands are missing the mark with NUCs. They sell them at a premium in small enclosures that end up throttling performance, so you wind up with a more expensive product and less performance than if you bought them in a normal sized tower. Chinese manufacturers have the right idea: performant laptop SoCs with liberal amounts of RAM and storage for a cheaper price than a laptop. The enclosure is more than able to handle the heat and you get more value than if you purchased a PC or a laptop. The problem is Chinese manufacturers ship with a modified BIOS/custom Windows preloaded with one manufacturer shipping with a keylogger preinstalled. Disastrous.

    Why can't a proper name brand figure this out? Intel was forced to sell the entire NUC business. Now ASUS is making the same mistake.
    The only NA brand formerly selling NUCs (because they invented it) was Intel
    All other brands selling NUC-likes are Taiwan or Hong Kong based.
    Taiwan: Asus, Asrock, Geekom
    HK: Zotac, minisforum
    China: AZW (Beelink, Kamrui, Acemagik, Trigkey, etc.)

    Downsides of the AZW OEM rebranded mini-PCs is BIOS support. It'll likely get none, so don't expect any hardware level security flaws to be patched.
    Reply
  • Morbius2007
    Here is another take, while this is a nice package, its super limited long term. A better Option would be the Minisforum AtomMan X7 TI, same CPU, cool form factor, Onboard 4 Inch Touch Screen "yes gimmicky, but still fun" External GPU dock so you can run basically Any card you want, and complete with windows 11 Pro for $899.00, its going to be an interesting summer. While I have had past experiences with Minis forum hardware, some good some less so, this new system shows that Asus missed the mark with the new Enthusiast NUC.

    They needed to provide something that allowed both upgrades and kept the ability to add your own onboard full size GPU as an upgrade. The INTEL NUC Enthusiast 12th Gen systems were fantastic, until then killed them off in favor of that Xe based mess, the 13th generation got too big and became a mini tower, nothing original there.

    The largest these things should have gotten is about the same size as the dragon canyon systems that are shoebox size.

    IMO anyway.
    Reply
  • ThomasKinsley
    Notton said:
    The only NA brand formerly selling NUCs (because they invented it) was Intel
    All other brands selling NUC-likes are Taiwan or Hong Kong based.
    Taiwan: Asus, Asrock, Geekom
    HK: Zotac, minisforum
    China: AZW (Beelink, Kamrui, Acemagik, Trigkey, etc.)

    Downsides of the AZW OEM rebranded mini-PCs is BIOS support. It'll likely get none, so don't expect any hardware level security flaws to be patched.
    I meant brands with an established following in North America. My error. Intel made a license agreement with ASUS to produce NUCs, so they are passing the legacy on, but their business model (and Asrock's model) is still like Intel's - overpriced. The rest of the list appears to be from China, including Geekom. While their website claims they have a research and development team in Taiwan, their parent company, Shenzhen Jiteng Network Technology Co., Ltd., is based in China.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    I've always felt like there should be a happy medium between no support mini PCs from China and Intel's premium priced models. Every once in a while there are some decent deals, but it's typically in the lower-mid range or when they're on clearance.

    The biggest price issue I have is that you can buy a laptop with identical specifications for the same or lower price. If you look for equivalent, but not identical, specifications you can often find them for less money.
    Reply
  • dwd999
    I would like to see some real world tests of these units to see how much heat they can dissipate. I use a full sized HTPC with an 11900K, Z590, no gpu and a Noctua NH-D12L double fan cooler in a Silverstone GD11 case and it can barely handle the heat produced by 4K UHD movies. If these nucs can play 80 Mb/s UHD movies without excessive fan noise and throttling then I can see using one in a home theater setup.
    Reply
  • thestryker
    dwd999 said:
    I would like to see some real world tests of these units to see how much heat they can dissipate. I use a full sized HTPC with an 11900K, Z590, no gpu and a Noctua NH-D12L double fan cooler in a Silverstone GD11 case and it can barely handle the heat produced by 4K UHD movies. If these nucs can play 80 Mb/s UHD movies without excessive fan noise and throttling then I can see using one in a home theater setup.
    Why isn't your system using hardware acceleration for decode?

    Generally speaking you want to leverage hardware decode for the twin reasons of much lower power consumption and you don't need a powerful CPU. This is what I'm referring to with regards to HTPC: https://www.anandtech.com/show/21409/geekom-a7-minipc-review/7
    Reply
  • dwd999
    thestryker said:
    Why isn't your system using hardware acceleration for decode?

    Generally speaking you want to leverage hardware decode for the twin reasons of much lower power consumption and you don't need a powerful CPU. This is what I'm referring to with regards to HTPC: https://www.anandtech.com/show/21409/geekom-a7-minipc-review/7
    Most the time I'm using Media Player Classic - Home Cinema which now has MPC Video Renderer built in or occasionally VLC. I don't think either one supports that type of hardware acceleration or maybe its built in and I don't know it.
    Reply