Intel is going through some tough times. Once the market leader and innovator, they have fallen rapidly from their perch and teeter precariously on the precipice of irrelevancy. One of their better designs (that sadly never really took off) was the NUC or Next Unit of Computing. The idea was to give businesses and home users with limited space a compact, modular system that could be upgraded relatively easily by swapping out the entire mainboard assembly when newer components become available. This is a concept picked up by Framework laptops to some acclaim. And a concept that ASUS has also picked up though more officially via a license agreement with Intel.



The unit sent to me was the top-of-the-line unit sporting one of the newer laptop design Core Ultra 185H CPUs. It is based on the older Meteor Lake architecture, but there have not been any reports of overheating and damage to the CPU as has occurred on 13th and 14th generation desktop CPUs. The GPU is a laptop powerhouse RTX 4070, which is designed to run at a lower TDP than its desktop sibling. Coupled with 8GB VRAM versus 12GB on the desktop version and a 128-bit memory bus vs 192-bit, it won’t perform as well as the desktop card but is still a GPU more than capable of pushing out high frame rates at 1440p and high to max settings. The system came with 32GB of SODIMM DDR5-5600 RAM and a 1TB M.2 NVME SSD.



Basically, the components are perfect for the 2.5l chassis, making for a compact system that is easy to setup and even easier to move around. The RAM and M.2 SSD are both upgradeable allowing you to extend the life of the system. Sadly, the modularity of the original NUC concept and designs is not present in this iteration, making this a bit less of a PC and more of a console in some respects.

As a gaming PC, the NUC is perfect as a 1440p monster; you can push certain titles to 4K, but don’t expect 100+ FPS in those games. I tested it using Doom Eternal and was able to hit a stable 60FPS at 4K at a mix of high and max settings, but we all know that game should be played at higher frame rates. I also tested out Cyberpunk 2077 both with ray tracing and frame generation on and off, and managed to get between 75 and 105 FPS, both highly acceptable frame rates especially when coupled with a VRR capable display.



In terms of noise pollution, the NUC isn’t the quietest system under load, much like a laptop. In Turbo mode, the highest power settings, the system can be noisy but that will max out the performance. Put it into Silent mode, and you will reduce the noise while performance only takes a slight hit. I ended up leaving it in silent as the performance hit in games was minimal.

The design aesthetic is suitably ROG with an RGB logo on top and a couple of cut corners. The chassis is a premium quality plastic that never feels cheap. The system is weighty, unexpectedly so for such a small system. When I pulled it out of the box I was surprised at how heavy it actually was. The weight is indicative of the density of the system design and the components stuffed into the chassis.

As a gaming PC, the NUC is perfect as a 1440p monster; you can push certain titles to 4K, but don’t expect 100+ FPS in those games.

The RAM is replaceable, being the SODIMM form factor, with three M.2 slots, one sporting the 1TB preinstalled SSD allowing for easy expansion. The system offers WiFi6E, giving you access to blazing fast internet and Bluetooth 5.3 for a stable connection for relevant peripherals.



The I/O is impressive as well, sporting two USB3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 slots, two DisplayPort 1.4a ports, a single HDMI 2.1 port, and a Thunderbolt 4 port which as a DP 2.1 allows you access to the CPU's Intel Arc iGPU, which is something you will probably never access given that the RTX4070 is soldered to the mainboard. These are all at the back; in front you have access to an additional two 3.2 USB ports, an SD Card slot and a 3.5mm combined audio jack.

The NUC 970 shines as a gaming PC, but if you stick it on your desk, you are limiting your options. I used it primarily as a lounge PC, playing games in Steam big picture mode, some emulated games and for a long time as an HTPC to access my PLEX server for movies and TV shows. In the latter use, it shined as a 4K streaming box. I have been looking at building a small form factor PC for the lounge to replace my ageing midi tower but would seriously consider this system. And as a gaming PC with rAge around the corner this may be the perfect LAN PC for anyone attending local gaming sessions. It fits in a backpack with the power brick and your peripherals, meaning the only awkward thing you will be carrying is your monitor.



I did say I am considering the system, but there is a massive factor giving me pause – the price. Local pricing is around R45k. Yes, that’s right, Forty. Five. Thousand. Rand. Now that looks to be very expensive, that is what I paid for my RTX 4090, but the build quality and the amount of work that ASUS has to go through to design the system makes the price understandable. You also have to consider that the ROG brand is targeted at the same person who likes to upgrade their phone to the latest Apple or Samsung device every year and who appreciates the industrial design of a premium piece of tech.

While the price seems prohibitive, if you were to build your own system of similar specifications you may save some money, but once you factor in your time and the cost of searching for components and finally building the system, an NUC makes sense. Despite the price, if you want a portable, compact system that has some upgrade options then consider the ASUS ROG NUC 970.