Intel NUCs getting bigger to accommodate bigger GPUs

Intel has teased its upcoming NUC 13 Extreme PC, the latest addition to the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) family of small-form-factor computers and barebone computer kits. The PC codenamed Raptor Canyon was revealed at TwitchCon this past weekend, as reported by VideoCardz, and notably sports a significantly bigger design than its predecessor to support larger graphics cards.

A teardown of the upcoming PC was carried out on the convention floor, giving us an indication of its larger size compared to previous models within Intel’s NUC range. It confirmed that Raptor Canyon can support up to a full desktop Core i9 processor and up to 64GB of DDR5 memory. 2.5 and 3-slot graphics cards are also supported, with an unnamed Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series being installed during the presentation. There’s no mention that the system can support Nvidia’s recently released RTX 40 series, which brings a much chunkier design than previous generational GPU releases.

Intel has increased the size of the next-gen NUC Extreme from the 8L chassis on the previous generational release to a 13.9L chassis for the 13th-gen NUC gaming PC. This larger-capacity PC doesn’t spell the end for Intel’s typically minuscule form factor however, as the Extreme series is designed as a full-desktop replacement system, and less powerful models such as the NUC 12 Enthusiast and NUC 12 Pro series are still rocking the familiar pint-sized design.

At TwitchCon Intel said it would provide more detailed information for the NUC 13 Extreme in a “couple weeks.” Ahead of that, Mark Walton, EMEA Comms Manager at Intel confirmed to The Verge that Raptor Canyon supports 13th Gen Intel Core processors at 125W and triple-slot 12-inch graphics cards, as well as dual-channel DDR5 memory and Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E. Intel expects the first units to be available in the fourth quarter of 2022, with more rolling out through early 2023. As such, we can likely expect full specifications, pricing, and release date before the end of the year.