Intel’s new generation of Panther Lake processors naturally provides ASUS with the hardware to offer a new generation of NUC mini-computers with the NUC 16. However, the prices leaked by a source are causing concern. The version with a Core Ultra X7 supported by an Arc B390 and 32 GB of memory is priced at around $1,600 after conversion.
NUC 16: $1,600 for the version with Core Ultra X7, Arc B390 iGPU, and 32 GB of RAM!
As a reminder, NUCs are ultra-compact computers designed for office and even professional tasks (depending on the sector of activity). Their small size allows them to be mounted behind a screen using a VESA mount, for example.
In any case, the new generation is not expected to be cheap, as a leak reveals that the version equipped with a Core Ultra X7 358H with Arc B390 iGPU, 32 GB of LPDDR5X at 9600 MT/s, and 1 TB of SSD is priced at around 10,999 yuan. After conversion, that brings us to a price of around $1,600, give or take $10. Of course, the reasons for these high prices are likely related to the current memory shortages and their prices.
However, things are not as simple as that. In fact, to determine the European price, you have to add shipping costs, VAT (which differs between the EU and China), and the exchange rate. In concrete terms, it would not be surprising if this configuration ended up costing more than €1,600, especially with the surge in oil prices, which is likely to weigh heavily on shipping costs.
Finally, we wonder about the prices of the other models in the series. As for the launch, the NUC 16 series could well arrive in China on March 11, with a global launch shortly thereafter. That said, although this generation uses CPUs that promise to be powerful and versatile, we have some reservations about the price, which may be a deterrent.
