Andrew Cunningham
The new Skylake NUC.
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Intel’s “Next Unit of Computing” (NUC) mini desktops started off as interesting curiosities, experiments to see just how much computer could fit in a desktop PC that you could hold in your hand. Each subsequent generation has refined the overall concept and added other niceties, making it more and more like a solid consumer-ready computer (albeit one that makes you provide your own RAM and SSD and OS).
We looked at Intel’s fourth-generation NUC based on its still-relatively-new Skylake processors. On the outside, less has changed than ever before—Intel has settled on a “look” for the NUC and it’s not messing with the design much. On the inside, you get enough cool upgrades that you can almost forgive Intel’s CPU performance for improving so little in the last three or four years.
Model breakdown
| Specs at a glance: Intel NUC NUC6i7SYK (as reviewed) | |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 x64 |
| CPU | 1.8GHz Core i5-6260U (Turbo Boost up to 1.9GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB 2133MHz DDR4 (supports up to 32GB) |
| GPU | Intel Iris 540 (integrated with 64MB eDRAM) |
| HDD | 256GB Samsung SM951 PCIe SSD |
| Networking | 867Mbps 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Gigabit Ethernet |
| Ports | 4x USB 3.0, 1x mini DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 1.4b, headphones, SD card slot |
| Size | 4.53” x 4.37” x 1.26” (115 x 111 x 32mm) |
| Other perks | Kensington lock, swappable lids, IR receiver |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Price | ~$400 (barebones), about $755 as configured |
There are four Skylake NUCs as of this writing. Two include a Core i5-6260U with an Iris 540 integrated GPU, and two use a slower Core i3-6100U processor and a slower HD 520 GPU. Each processor comes in two cases: a taller one that makes room for a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD, and a shorter one that doesn’t. Otherwise, all models share the same basic design, port layout, and other features.
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