Review: ASUS ROG NUC (2025) - A Mini PC with Massive Gaming Power 🎮
The ASUS ROG NUC (2025) redefines what a mini-PC can be, packing cutting-edge, high-end gaming components into an incredibly compact, 3-liter chassis. This particular configuration, featuring the Intel Core Ultra 9 (Series 2) ARL-HX CPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB NVMe SSD, is positioned as a direct competitor to full-sized gaming desktops, offering both portability and immense performance.
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| Review: ASUS ROG NUC (2025) - A Mini PC with Massive Gaming Power |
Design and Aesthetics ✨
Following the signature ROG aesthetic, the NUC sports an upright, futuristic design with odd, beveled angles and illuminated ARGB lighting elements, including an ROG logo and a light strip on the front fascia. Its diminutive size—just 282.4 x 187.7 x 56.5 mm—makes it smaller than popular consoles like the PlayStation 5, allowing it to fit effortlessly on a desk or next to a 4K TV. The vertical orientation is key for the internal cooling solution. While compact, the build quality is robust, meeting MIL-STD 810H standards.
Performance Powerhouse 🚀
CPU and Memory
The heart of this mini-PC is the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (Series 2) ARL-HX processor, featuring a 24-core (8P + 16E) hybrid architecture with boost speeds up to 5.4 GHz. This CPU offers a significant performance uplift over its predecessor, making it excellent not just for high-end gaming but also for demanding creative and AI workloads, thanks to its integrated NPU. Paired with 32GB of fast DDR5-6400 RAM, the system delivers short response times and seamless multitasking.
GPU and Gaming
The integration of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile GPU is perhaps the most impressive feat of engineering. Built on the Blackwell architecture and featuring fourth-gen Ray Tracing Cores and fifth-gen Tensor Cores, this GPU brings DLSS 4 and high-fidelity ray tracing to the compact form factor. Expect excellent framerates and smooth gameplay at 1440p and a stable 60 fps in most modern, modded AAA titles even at 4K resolution. The performance is widely considered to beat popular gaming consoles by a mile.
Cooling and Connectivity 🌬️
Maintaining performance in such a tight space is handled by an advanced cooling system featuring a triple-fan setup and a dual vapor chamber design. This solution is surprisingly effective at keeping the unit cool under load, though it's worth noting that the fans can get rather noisy when running resource-intensive games.
Connectivity is comprehensive and modern:
Rear Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C (w/ DisplayPort 2.1), 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 2x DP 2.1, 2.5G Ethernet.
Front Ports: 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack.
Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 and Bluetooth 5.4.
The Thunderbolt 4 port provides 40 Gbps data transfer, and the system can support up to five 4K displays simultaneously. Storage is also future-proof, with the 2TB NVMe SSD occupying a PCIe 4.0 slot, and the primary M.2 slot supporting an upgrade to a faster PCIe 5.0 drive.
Verdict ✅
The ASUS ROG NUC (2025) is a compelling option for those who demand desktop-class gaming performance without the physical footprint of a traditional tower. It’s a complete PC right out of the box, coming pre-loaded with Windows 11 Home and ASUS’s Armoury Crate software for system control.
While it is undeniably a premium product with a steep price tag and the fans can be loud during peak performance, the ROG NUC is a marvel of miniaturization. It successfully delivers an experience that is ideal for both the living room and the creator's desk, making it one of the best compact gaming PCs on the market today.