Intel NUCs have always been characterized as small desktop computers ideal for not very demanding tasks or for use in those environments where having a tower or other larger equipment was not of interest. Hence, many users saw it as a great work option and also as a multimedia center. Well, now come the first Intel NUC in portable format and watch out for them.
Intel NUCs arrive in portable format
Intel has introduced a new range of products within its family of NUC (Next Unit of Computing) devices, although this time they are moving away from the compact PC scheme hitherto known to the vast majority. Of course, that does not mean that they have released a tower like any other on the market.
What Intel has done is make a laptop. One that they are not going to sell directly, but the idea is to offer it to small manufacturers so that they pay for their brand and distribute it to all those interested users. Thus, it could be said that these would be able to compete with brands such as Dell, HP or Asus, among others, which account for a large part of the sales with very popular proposals.
Of course, beyond the strategy, what do these new Intel laptops offer? Let's see it. The new ones NUC M15 are very attractive at the design level. With an aesthetic of fairly straight lines, the general finish of the device seems to be at a very good level. Although the best thing is that it escapes from those riskier lines of gaming proposals and, above all, from all that extravagance that involves the excessive use of RGB lighting.
However, in aesthetic issues each one will have to assess what they think. Something quick just by looking at the images of the product itself. So let's move on to how interesting the specs are.
As NUC, the team seeks to maintain a good balance between performance and final price (although again it will depend on the brand that finally distributes it and not on Intel itself as such). To start we have a 15,6-inch screen with IPS technology and 1080p resolution. Little surprise here, it may be that for some FHD it is already a resolution that falls short, but it must be understood that a large number of current laptops continue to bet on this configuration.
Regarding the processor there are two options, on the one hand there is the InterCore i5-1135G7 and on the other the i7-1165G7. With both CPUs, a GPU or integrated graphics Iris Xe is bet that will share the 16GB of integrated RAM. In this way, it may not be the most capable equipment for certain types of uses, but it is powerful enough to perform in a wide variety of scenarios.
For the rest, the Intel NUC M15 has Wifi 6 and two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB A and another extra USB C that is accompanied by an HDMI output and the 3,5mm headphone jack. So nothing bad either in everything related to connections.
Intel sees the ears of the wolf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5sx0pjem3I
The Intel's new portable NUCs are a flashy propositionAlthough we cannot ignore if this is not a way to protect yourself from what is to come. That is to say, Apple has begun its transition from Intel processors with x86 architecture to its own Apple Silicon with RISC (ARM) architecture and surely it will not be the only one.
Microsoft has also been experimenting with ARM for some time, and its Surface Go could be the first of many more products to come. In addition, other manufacturers, especially mobile phones such as Huawei, could see how to bet on their own Apple-style software to offer an experience where the concept of a computer really changes as such.
It is difficult to anticipate, but it is clear that Intel with Apple has lost an important client and it could not be the last. The good thing is that a new world of possibilities opens up for the user.