Intel has announced its latest computer designed for high-end gaming, the Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit. The new product, codenamed ‘Beast Canyon’, is a ‘highly modular’ PC running on Core i7 and Core i9 10nm Tiger Lake processors. What’s interesting about this product is that the high-end hardware has been crammed into an 8-litre case and comes with features usually found in larger machines.
Despite this machine being ideal for high-end gaming, it doesn"t come with an operating system installed by default so you"ll also have to set aside at least $139 for a copy of Windows 10. If you"re content with a more slender game library, you could opt for Ubuntu or Linux Mint which are free to use. It also ships without a GPU, which you will have to shell out extra for.
Commenting on the new product, Intel said:
“Compact Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kits are designed to provide powerful, immersive gaming experiences. For performance, connectivity, and modularity, the Intel NUC 11 Extreme kit delivers massive performance with a small footprint.”
The complete specifications for the Intel NUC Extreme Kit are as follows:
| NUC11BTMi9 | NUC11BTMi7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 11th Generation Intel Core i9-11900KB 3.3 GHz - 5.0 GHz Turbo, 8 core, 16 thread, 24 MB Cache, 65 W | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11700B 3.3 GHz - 4.9 GHz Turbo, 8 core, 16 thread, 20 MB Cache 65 W |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics, 350 MHz - 1.45 GHz PCIe x16 Gen4 slot, up to 12" card length, dual-slot capable | |
| Memory | Dual-channel SODIMM slots DDR4-3200 64 GB max | |
| Storage | Four M.2 key M slots: 2280 CPU-attached PCIe X4 Gen4 NVMe, Two 2242/80 PCH-attached PCIe x4 Gen3 NVMe or SATA3 SSD, RAID-0 and RAID-1 capable, CPU-attached 42/80/110 PCIe X4 Gen4 Intel Optane Memory M10, H10, H20 and Intel Optane SSD ready | |
| Other Features & Technology | HDMI 2.0b port, Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, Intel 2.5GB Ethernet port, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 and Bluetooth 5.2, Eight USB 3.1 Gen2 ports, SDXC slot with UHS-II support, Supports up to three 4K displays, All-around customisable RGB lighting with user-replaceable RGB-backlit front logo, 3.5 mm front stereo headset jack, Kensington lock ready, 3-Year limited warranty | |
| What"s Needed | Memory, Storage, Operating System | |
If you’re thinking about picking up the new Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit you’ll be able to find it on sale from the third quarter. Pricing for the computer starts at $1,150 for the Intel Core i7 kit and $1,350 for the Intel Core i9 kit.