ASUS NUC 16 Pro delivers 180 TOPS AI performance in compact mini desktop PC form factor

Meet the NUC 16 Pro, ASUS' Latest Mini Desktop PC - Phandroid

As mini PCs continue to thrive in their own lane within the confines of the desktop computing industry, we're seeing manufacturers constantly put out newer machines with some reasonably capable hardware -- take for example the new ASUS NUC 16 Pro, a 0.7-liter unit that according to ASUS can handle demanding AI and enterprise workloads. Designed for corporate and industrial IoT setups, the NUC 16 Pro is built around the Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processor, which packs a high-performance Intel Arc B390 GPU and a specialized Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 50 TOPS. On paper, ASUS says that this provides the necessary headroom for working with real-time edge AI, local Large Language Models (LLMs), and even advanced data analytics. The NUC 16 Pro is capable of offering up to 1.5X faster 3D graphics and a 20% boost in overall performance while consuming 50% less power than its predecessors. The computer can be configured with up to 96GB of LPDDR5x 8533MT/s memory, and users can easily access and upgrade the dual M.2 SSD slots without specialized equipment or tools. For connectivity, the NUC 16 Pro uses WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, while the rear panel comes with a number of physical ports including dual 2.5G LAN ports , alongside two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to quad-display setups. Meanwhile, the front panel offers three USB 3.2 Gen2 ports.

ASUS Debuts NUC 16 PRO With Intel Core Ultra X7 358H At $1600

The NUC 16 PRO mini PC will be available in various configurations and looks like it won't be cheap if you are considering the Ultra X7/X9 chips. Looks like the Ryzen AI Max-based mini PCs aren't the only ones that cost over $1500. With RAM and SSD shortages affecting almost every system, you can expect even higher prices for mini PCs based on the higher-end Panther Lake chips. ASUS has recently debuted its NUC 16 PRO mini PC 2026 edition based on these CPUs, and it will be available in various configurations, bringing different processor models, RAM, and storage capacities. The NUC 16 Pro will be available with up to the flagship Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, delivering the best possible computing performance through a powerful combination of CPU+NPU+GPU for various workloads. Another configuration involves the Core Ultra X7 358H processor, which is also a 16-core processor like the Ultra X9 388H, but offers slower clocks. However, the chip brings the same Arc B390 iGPU with 12 Xe3 cores. As per @realVictor_M, this configuration has been launched in China, featuring 32 GB RAM and 1 TB storage. This configuration costs 10,999 Yuan or US$1600, which is quite expensive, and according to the reporter, it's the most expensive iGPU NUC Mini PC by ASUS. The price is definitely competing with high-end Zen 5 chip-based mini PCs such as Strix Point and Strix Halo, but other configurations cost much less. For instance, ASUS launched the NUC 16 Pro Barebone Mini PC with the Core Ultra 7 356H at $999 on Newegg. It's also based on the 16-core Panther Lake CPU, but offers a much slower 4 Xe3-based integrated graphics. Since it doesn't have any pre-included RAM and storage, it's understandable why it costs $600 less. As far as the AI capabilities are concerned, the Ultra X7 358H edition will be much faster, delivering up to 180 TOPS of AI power through the CPU+GPU+NPU combination. The flagship model will also have similar AI performance, but should be slightly more expensive, but shouldn't touch $2000.

ASUS Introduces Next-Gen NUC 16 Pro Mini PC with Up to 180 TOPS AI Performance

Next-generation Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors with built-in Intel Arc GPU The NUC 16 Pro Mini PC easily tackles AI workloads. Featuring up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 processor with built-in Intel Arc™ B390 GPU and a 50 TOPS NPU delivering up to 180 Platform TOPS for real-time Edge AI inference and machine learning tasks. This compact Copilot+ PC is an Edge AI-ready system that enables secure, low-latency on-device intelligence to support AI-driven applications for videoconferencing, analytics, language translation, and enhanced team collaboration.