ASUS has announced the new ROG NUC 16, and while it looks almost the same as the previous ROG NUC 15, there are key upgrades and some minor aesthetic changes.
For one, the updated compact PC comes powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and can be configured with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, all packed inside a 3-litre chassis. The specifications are fairly absurd for something this small, if you think about it.
ASUS also says the ROG NUC 16 supports up to 128GB of DDR5-6400 memory alongside PCIe Gen 5 SSD storage, while also handling AI-related workloads with “up to 1,334 AI TOPS performance from the RTX 5080 GPU”. Clearly, the company is positioning this as more than just a tiny gaming PC, with the usual AI workstation and creator-focused messaging attached to it as well – as with almost every other PC makers.
The bigger talking point, though, is probably cooling. Small-form-factor gaming PCs have always struggled with heat and noise once you start stuffing flagship-class components into tiny enclosures. ASUS claims the ROG NUC 16 uses an upgraded triple-fan and vapour chamber cooling setup, alongside what it calls QuietFlow cooling that supposedly improves CPU thermal coverage by 12% compared to the previous model. ASUS also says the system can stay below 38dBA under load, although I’ll leave my judgement on that until we get our hands on a review unit.
I’ve already mentioned the design itself doesn’t look drastically different from the previous ROG NUC model, but what’s new is a removable stand that allows the mini PC to sit vertically or horizontally. There’s even a built-in G-sensor that automatically adjusts thermal behaviour depending on orientation. Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and support for up to five 4K displays simultaneously.
Colour-wise, there’s a new Moonlight White Edition alongside the standard black model.
Availability and pricing
The ROG NUC 16 will be available from Q3 onwards, with pricing and exact availability to be announced later.