Asus ROG NUC 16 Packs RTX 5090 in Slim 5.6cm Gaming PC

Asus is pushing the boundaries of compact gaming with its latest Republic of Gamers (ROG) NUC, the ROG NUC 16 Edition 20. To celebrate ROG's 20th anniversary, Asus has crammed the mobile version of Nvidia's most powerful gaming GPU, the GeForce RTX 5090, into a chassis that's a mere 5.6 centimeters thin. This isn't just a GPU upgrade; it's paired with Intel's formidable 24-core Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, a mobile chip designed for extreme performance.

A Compact Powerhouse

The ROG NUC line has always aimed for a balance between performance and portability, but this latest iteration takes it to a new level. While previous ROG NUC 16 models maxed out at an RTX 4080, the Edition 20 boasts the RTX 5090. This upgrade brings a significant jump in processing power, with 10,496 shader cores compared to the previous 7,680, and a boosted 24GB of graphics memory. However, fitting such a potent GPU into a slim enclosure means Asus has to manage its thermal budget carefully, opting for the mobile variant of the RTX 5090 which is designed with a lower thermal envelope.

Mobile Tech for Desktop Power

Asus isn't stopping at the GPU. The CPU choice also leans into mobile technology for efficiency and power. The included Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is an Arrow Lake chip featuring 24 cores: eight high-performance cores and sixteen efficiency cores. This hybrid architecture aims to deliver robust gaming performance while managing power consumption effectively. The rest of the configuration is equally high-end, featuring 64GB (2x 32GB) of DDR5-6400 CSODIMM RAM, a 2TB M.2 SSD with a PCIe 5.0 interface, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and Windows 11 pre-installed.

Pricing and Availability Woes

This compact gaming beast is expected to command a premium price, likely well over 5,000 Euros. Unfortunately for gamers in Germany, the ROG NUC 16 Edition 20 won't be available initially due to an ongoing patent dispute with Nokia. While a purchase from another EU country might be possible if there's significant interest, the German market will have to wait.

Context:

The trend towards increasingly powerful, yet compact, gaming PCs is a significant one. With components like mobile GPUs becoming more capable, manufacturers are finding innovative ways to shrink desktop form factors without sacrificing too much performance. This is particularly relevant in the European market, where space can often be a premium, and consumers appreciate well-designed, high-performance hardware that doesn't dominate their living space. However, patent disputes, as seen with Nokia, can create significant hurdles for product launches in key markets like Germany, impacting availability and consumer choice.

What this means for you:

If you're a PC gamer looking for top-tier performance in a small form factor, this Asus ROG NUC is a tantalizing prospect. The inclusion of an RTX 5090 in such a slim machine is remarkable. However, be prepared for a high price tag, potentially exceeding €5,000. If you're in Germany, you'll need to be patient or explore options to import it from other EU countries. For everyone else, it's a strong indicator of the direction high-end gaming hardware is heading: more power, smaller packages.

What's still unclear:

• The exact launch date and final pricing for regions where it will be available.
• The specific performance differences between the mobile RTX 5090 in this NUC and its desktop counterpart.
• Whether Asus will resolve the patent dispute with Nokia to bring the product to Germany.
• The long-term availability and support for such a tightly packed, high-performance system.

Why this matters:

The Asus ROG NUC 16 Edition 20 showcases cutting-edge miniaturization in gaming hardware. This compact powerhouse redefines what's possible in small form factor PCs, pushing performance limits while battling thermal constraints.