Asus is planning to launch custom NUCs

Intel NUC
Proper computing power now comes in puny packages (Image credit: Future)

After being awarded Intel partner status to build Next Unit of Compute (NUC) mini-PCs, Asus is reportedly preparing to offer custom NUCs.

The news comes from Asus SVP Jackie Hsu, who spoke with The Register about the company’s strategy to continue building NUCs for consumers and commercial customers.

According to the report, the Taiwanese computer maker has industrial clients and cloud service provider edge deployments in mind for its upcoming custom NUCs.

Asus will carry out Intel’s NUC dream

The news comes around two months after Intel announced that it would be pulling the plug from its own NUC projects, instead handing them off to third-party partners. Asus was the first to be crowned a partner by Intel.

Hsu explained to The Register that its NUC IP will allow the company to explore custom NUCs, which would have different I/O configurations as per the requirements of a wider customer base.

The company also alluded to other form factors that could be more suitable for industrial clients – current NUCs measure 4x4 inches.

Use cases for the emerging market of custom NUCs could include self-service kiosks, POS machines, driving digital signage, and warehouse operations, says Hsu. There could also be space for Asus’s custom mini-PCs in edge cloud deployments, where additional processing power is required to fuel artificial intelligence.

Earlier this year, Intel hinted at Asus’s expertise in this area of the market, and its decision to explore edge devices is another move to build on its existing experience.

Asus has already started working on the designs of its first NUC devices, and Asus’s NUC General Manager KW Chao suggested that they may be here are early as the end of this year, or the beginning of 2024.

More from TechRadar Pro

Via The Register

TOPICS
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

Read more
Asus NUC 15 Pro lineup
Asus teases new NUC mini PC ranges at CES 2025 – including a quirky updated Copilot-ready device
Asus NUC 14 Pro AI
This is the first mini PC compatible with Microsoft's Copilot+ requirements - and it does look like the Apple Mac Mini M4
Asus NUC 15 Pro+
Asus unveils its most powerful mini PC to date — but I don't think the Intel-powered NUC 15 Pro+ will compete with Strix Halo models
Asus NUC 15 Pro mini PC
This Asus Mini PC can do something spooky - automatically detect and wake itself up when someone's approaching
Image of Asus ROG NUC mini gaming PC
I'm patiently waiting for Apple to turn the Mac mini into a games console - could this Nvidia RTX 5080-powered Asus ROG NUC mini PC be the answer?
Cubi NUC AI+ Series
MSI launches two Cubi NUC AI mini PCs but I am still waiting for one with a Thunderbolt 5 port
Latest in Pro
Isometric demonstrating multi-factor authentication using a mobile device.
NCSC gets influencers to sing the praises of 2FA
Sam Altman and OpenAI
OpenAI is upping its bug bounty rewards as security worries rise
Context Windows
Why are AI context windows important?
BERT
What is BERT, and why should we care?
A person holding out their hand with a digital AI symbol.
AI is booming — but are businesses seeing real impact?
A stylized depiction of a padlocked WiFi symbol sitting in the centre of an interlocking vault.
Dangerous new CoffeeLoader malware executes on your GPU to get past security tools
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con up-close from app store
Nintendo's new app gave us another look at the Switch 2, and there's something different with the Joy-Con
cheap Nintendo Switch game deals sales
Nintendo didn't anticipate that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 'going to be the juggernaut' for the Nintendo Switch when it was ported to the console, according to former employees
Three angles of the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 laptop above a desk
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review roundup – should you buy Apple's new lightweight laptop?
Witchbrook
Witchbrook, the life-sim I've been waiting years for, finally has a release window and it's sooner than you think
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker
Amazon is experimenting with renaming Echo speakers to Alexa speakers, and it's about time
Shigeru Miyamoto presents Nintendo Today app
Nintendo Today smartphone app is out now on iOS and Android devices – and here's what it does