The Asus NUC 14 Pro is without doubt one of the most customizable mini PCs I’ve examined but, with a great deal of completely different configuration choices to satisfy quite a lot of workflows. You can select between a slim or a tall case and it’s additionally obtainable in a barebones configuration, together with a normal one the place you don’t have to purchase your reminiscence and storage individually. Regardless of which route you go, you then have 5 completely different Intel-based processor choices to choose from.
Despite the NUC 14 Pro’s completely tiny measurement (it’s even smaller than the Mac mini M4), Asus has managed to cram this mini PC stuffed with ports, although it’s lacking one significantly helpful one. It’s additionally one of many few mini PCs with not one, however two Thunderbolt 4 ports and should you go together with the tall case, you will get third-party enlargement brackets so as to add much more ports round again. Depending on the way you configure the NUC 14 Pro although, issues can get costly rapidly. Likewise, its fan generally is a bit on the noisy aspect when the system is beneath heavy load.
My Asus NUC 14 Pro evaluation will enable you resolve if that is the finest mini PC for you or should you’d be higher off shopping for one thing much less customizable however extra inexpensive.
Asus NUC 14 Pro: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A customizable mini PC that’s obtainable in a brief or tall chassis.
- Who is it for? Business customers or professionals that need a highly effective but small workstation that they will configure to their workflow.
- What does it price? The Asus NUC 14 Pro can price as little as $400 in a barebones configuration with out reminiscence and storage, however it may go all the way in which as much as $1,000 relying on which processor you select.
- What will we like? The port configuration, the additional M.2 or 2.5-inch drive bay, the wide selection of processor choices, and its very small measurement.
- What don’t we like? There’s no 3.5mm audio jack, its fan can get noisy beneath load, and relying on the way you configure your system, this mini PC may be very costly.
Asus NUC 14 Pro: Specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Asus NUC 14 Pro | Asus NUC 14 Pro (as examined) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $394-$899 (barebone), $848 (tall chassis, Core Ultra 5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $993 (tall chassis, Core Ultra 7, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) | $900 |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 3 100UIntel Core Ultra 5 125HIntel Core Ultra 5 135H with vProIntel Core Ultra 7 155HIntel Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with vPro | Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with vPro |
| GPU | Intel Graphics (Core 3)Intel Arc Graphics (Core Ultra) | Intel Arc Graphics |
| RAM | 16-32GB DDR5 | 16GB DDR5 |
| Storage | 512GB-1TB, 1 x M.2 slot | 512GB, 1 x M.2 slot, 1 x 2.5” bay |
| Ports | 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (entrance), Kensington Lock (aspect), 2 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A, 2 x HDMI, 1 x 2.5G Ethernet (rear) | 1 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A (entrance), Kensington Lock (aspect), 2 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A, 2 x HDMI, 1 x 2.5G Ethernet (rear) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Size | 4.6 x 4.41 x 1.45 (slim), 4.61 x 4.41 x 2.13 (tall) | 4.61 x 4.41 x 2.13 (tall) |
| Weight | 1.1-1.32 kilos | 1.32 kilos |
Asus NUC 14 Pro: The ups
The Asus NUC 14 Pro can simply be tailor-made for many workflows due to the quite a few configuration choices obtainable with a number of processors to select from. Despite its small measurement, it additionally packs loads of ports, together with a spare M.2 slot and even a 2.5-inch bay for a tough drive or SSD. There’s additionally a rear enlargement slot so as to add much more ports should you go for the tall chassis.
Configurations galore
Normally with most mini PCs, you may have a couple of processor choices to select from, together with two choices in your RAM (16GB or 32GB) and storage (512GB or 1TB). With the Asus NUC 14 Pro, not solely are you able to decide from 5 completely different Intel processors (one Core 3, 4 Core Ultra), you additionally get to decide on between a slim or a tall chassis. Alternatively, you should purchase a barebones model of this mini PC in both measurement and purchase your reminiscence and storage individually. If you’re upgrading from an older Intel NUC, you’ll absolutely recognize all of those choices. However, if that is your first mini PC, you is perhaps a tad intimidated by all the alternatives it affords.
The configuration of the NUC 14 Pro from Asus that I examined has a tall chassis, an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H processor with Intel Arc Graphics, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Even with simply 16GB of RAM, I’ve been capable of have dozens of Chrome tabs open in a number of home windows and rapidly edit photographs in GIMP. In reality, I used it as my important laptop whereas masking Black Friday and it by no means missed a beat.
As the Asus NUC 14 Pro is extra geared towards productiveness and designed for enterprise customers, the built-in Intel Arc Graphics aren’t actually for gaming. Still, in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, it managed to hit 36 fps at 1080p. You may be capable of play some older titles on the NUC 14 Pro, however if you’d like a mini PC from Asus primarily for gaming, the ROG NUC 970 is a a lot better, although dearer alternative.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Asus NUC 14 Pro | Acemagic F2A |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6.3 single-core | 2512 | 2271 |
| Geekbench 6.3 multi-core | 12368 | 11170 |
| 25GB file copy check (MBps) | 1502.38 | 1176.49 |
| Handbrake (Mins:Secs) | 4:28 | 4:41 |
A tiny multi-monitor workstation
Even although the NUC 14 Pro is definitely smaller than Apple’s new Mac mini M4, Asus didn’t skimp out on ports. On the entrance, you get two USB Type-A ports together with a USB Type-C port. The Mac mini M4 does have one port on the entrance that you just received’t discover on the NUC 14 Pro, however extra on that later.
Around again, there are two USB Type-A ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 2.5G Ethernet port, and an influence port for the NUC 14 Pro’s barrel jack energy connector. It’s price noting that you just get the very same port choice no matter whether or not you go together with the slim or tall chassis.
With twin HDMI and twin Thunderbolt ports, you possibly can truly run 4 of the finest displays off of this tiny little mini PC. That’s yet another than on the Mac mini M4, and since you may have HDMI in addition to Thunderbolt, you received’t want any particular adapters or a dearer monitor with USB-C enter to simply energy a twin monitor setup.
While I usually use an ultrawide monitor as my important show with a transportable monitor beneath it, I made a decision to do one thing completely different with the NUC 14 Pro to make the most of each HDMI ports. To the proper of my ultrawide, I arrange the LG DualUp monitor in order that I can have a vertical show subsequent to my important one to see full-size webpages and paperwork with out having to scroll.
Expandable storage and even ports
One of my favourite issues in regards to the ROG NUC 970 is that it has two spare M.2 slots. Despite being a lot smaller, Asus has executed one thing related with the NUC 14 Pro. However, the tall chassis is the higher choice should you plan on including a number of drives.
With the NUC 14 Pro’s slim chassis, you solely get one additional M.2 slot (2242). However, with the additional house within the tall chassis, you too can add a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD on the underside together with an additional M.2 SSD.
Opening the NUC 14 Pro may be tough the primary time, however when you get the hold of it, it’s pretty straightforward to do. You simply should be cautious with the ribbon cable that connects the two.5-inch bay to the motherboard. Asus claims the NUC 14 Pro has a tool-free design, however I discovered I wanted to make use of a coin or higher but, a flat-head screwdriver to get the case open.
Another attention-grabbing factor about Asus’ NUC line of mini PCs is that there’s an entire third-party ecosystem of equipment for them. For occasion, I discovered an organization known as GORITE that sells enlargement brackets and lid replacements that can be utilized so as to add additional USB ports and even antennas to the NUC 14 Pro with a tall chassis. This most likely received’t be for everybody, but it surely may very well be very helpful if you wish to configure this mini PC for extra specialised workflows after the very fact.
Asus NUC 14 Pro: The downs
The Asus NUC 14 Pro virtually has each port you’d want on the entrance and the again, but it surely’s lacking one port specifically that comes commonplace on each different mini PC. Likewise, its inner fan can get noisy when the system is beneath heavy load.
No audio jack
After making an attempt out the Mac mini M2 after which the Mac mini M4 proper after it, I actually got here to understand its entrance ports. Besides the 2 USB-C ports on the entrance, you additionally get a 3.5mm audio jack for rapidly connecting wired headphones. It took me some time to note as I both use my monitor’s built-in audio system or a pair of the finest laptop audio system related through USB, however on the NUC 14 Pro, there’s no 3.5mm audio jack on the again both.
While this received’t be a deal breaker for most individuals, it’s a disgrace that Asus determined to not add a headphone jack to the NUC 14 Pro. There’s a little bit of house subsequent to the USB-C port on the entrance or above the ability port on the again the place a 3.5mm audio jack would match completely. This can simply be fastened with a USB-to-3.5mm adapter, however one of many causes to get a Windows-based mini PC over one from Apple is so that you just don’t must take care of dongles.
Noisy beneath load
During the weeks I’ve spent testing the NUC 14 Pro, it’s been very quiet for essentially the most half. However, after I had a whole lot of packages open without delay or a really RAM-hungry Chrome tab, I did hear the fan spin up sometimes. It’s loud sufficient that it may be distracting, however as soon as once more, this isn’t a deal breaker by any means.
If you’re searching for a less expensive different and don’t thoughts the additional noise, the Acemagic F2A additionally comes geared up with an Intel Core Ultra processor. Unfortunately, its twin followers spin virtually continuously, and through testing, they acquired as loud as 55db. Meanwhile, the NUC 14 Pro’s single fan reached a max noise stage of 50db when beneath load.
Asus NUC 14 Pro: Verdict
The Asus NUC 14 Pro is a extremely customizable little workstation that delivers the place it counts. This mini PC is quick, comes geared up with loads of ports, and you may even add extra storage if want be. I actually like the truth that it’s obtainable with both a slim or tall chassis and even the bigger one isn’t all that huge at simply 4.61 x 4.41 x 2.13 inches.
Depending on how one can configure the NUC 14 Pro, it may price as much as $1,000 or as little as $400 should you go together with the barebones choice and a much less highly effective CPU. Still, it’s good to have choices, particularly if you wish to buy a number of NUC 14 Pros for a enterprise or an workplace. The third-party bracket and lid customization choices are additionally good to have, even when the inventory configuration is nice sufficient for most individuals.
If you need a highly effective and expandable mini PC from a extra well-known model for work and don’t wish to change to macOS, the NUC 14 Pro is a superb alternative. However, if that is your first mini PC, the entire choices is perhaps a tad overwhelming.
