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The NUC 9 Extreme NUC9i9QNX mini PC is set to
revolutionize what we know as compact form factor gaming computers, showcasing
Intel's latest cutting edge technology in a modular component form that makes
it easy to scale.
For those who have been in gaming for some time , the new NUC 9 Extreme is an evolution of the Skull Canyon of 2016 and Hades Canyon of 2018, which is why it has now acquired the name of Ghost Canyon.
Design and build
Modularity is Intel's great asset to this new NUC team, since while other compact computers have parts and components soldered on board, which restricts expansion options, the new NUC 9 is distinguished by standard components that are easy to interchange.
In fact, it is even possible to upgrade the
processor just by replacing the entire Compute Element with a more modern
version. The same is applicable to the GPU, which you can replace with
future generations of graphics that come out on the market.
Intel has had to resize its interior to accommodate
the new Core i5, i7 and i9 processors, using a five-liter capacity chassis for
all of them. As can be seen in the photograph, the grilles prevail
everywhere along with the skull graphic printed on its sides.
Visually, many might think that it is a conventional SFF (Small Form Factor) format PC but when you access it, you notice that the parts are divided between modules instead of the typical motherboard with CPU, RAM and graphics memory.
In fact, the Compute Element contains the CPU and
its cooling, along with slots to support M.2 SSD and RAM in SODIMM format, with
card for wireless connectivity and system ports. Everything is extracted
as a single unit.
The rest are expansion cards with the possibility of installing a maximum of two, since the chassis has one x16 and one x4 type slot, but limited to cards no more than 8 inches or wider than 2 slots. If you fill both slots, the x16 card will run at x8 speeds.
Finally, the connector allows you to install a
third M.2 SSD if you choose to install it next to the PCIe expansion
cards. Please note that this particular location only supports NVMe
drives. If you add an SSD drive, any card installed in the x16 slot will
go down to x8 speeds.
It highlights the fact that for any change you
carry out inside, you will hardly need tools. The main motherboard, power
supply, and power cables are pre-installed in the chassis without the
possibility of modification.
In essence, Ghost Canyon works as a hybrid computer, on the one hand, maintaining the advantages of having a customizable and expandable computer, and on the other, without losing the essence of compact mini PC computers.
In fact, Intel provides along with the equipment a kind of case like a backpack that acts as protection and facilitates the transport of the equipment as if it were a handbag. You can take it on your trips in the absence of a monitor and peripherals.
Specifications and ports
Here, the Compute element is the one that has the greatest prominence and weight. Inside, there are two M.2 SSD slots that support both NVMe and SATA storage drives. One supports 110mm length drives and the other 80mm length.
An additional M.2 NVMe SSD up to 110mm in length
can also be installed in the chassis, but if you want to mount a RAID 0 or RAID
1 configuration, you must install the two M.2 drives inside the Compute
Element. Compute Element also supports Optane Memory.
All versions of Compute Element support up to 64GB
of DDR-2666MHz RAM, but only the Core i7 and Core i9 variants support
overclocked RAM via XMP profiles.
In the connectors section, you will find on the back four USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type A ports, 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, 2 gigabit LAN ports, an HDMI 2.0 and a 3.5 mm audio and headphone jack. .
The additional graphics with which the NUC 9
Extreme is configured gives us additional video outputs such as DisplayPort,
HDMI 2.1 and DVI, expanding the possibilities of using multi-monitor
configurations.
If we look at the front of the equipment, in order to facilitate access, we find next to the power button 2 additional USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) type A ports, an SDXC card slot with UHS-II support and another headphone jack 3.5 mm.
At this point, it should be clarified that if you want to renew or expand any component of your NUC 9 Extreme equipment, you can use the compatibility tool developed by Intel to see which products are approved.
Performance
For the purposes of power and performance, we start
from the fact that the NUC 9 Extreme used in our tests comes with a Core
i9-9980HK processor, in the absence of Intel adding the possibility of using
the latest and most modern 11 Gen Intel Core processors.
It is accompanied by 16 GB of RAM and a 380 GB SSD that is accompanied by a secondary 2 TB. The graphics section is addressed by Nvidia's RTX 2070 graphics, which reinforces the power offered by the integrated UHD Graphics 630 chip.
We have used our regular tests with Cinebench,
3DMark and PCMark to obtain benchmarks on how the processor is able to handle
bursts of heavy use of its CPU and compare them with other equipment on the
market.
With the first one, the values amount to 8820 in
multi-core mode and 1199 on the side of a single-core. In the extended
PCMark 10 test we got a score of 8580. You can see the graph where we compare
it to other computers.
It is evident that it does not offer the same
performance that you can obtain with a full-box gaming computer, where it is
possible to deploy a more advanced cooling system when overclocking the system
safely.
You will not be able to push the components to the maximum, but you can get much closer than previous generations of Intel NUC equipment did, which is a big leap for the brand in terms of performance and volume of the equipment.
We also do not know PC systems of this format with
which you can achieve such high performance in games, which is a privilege to
have engines that roar so loudly inside in a format that you can take
anywhere.
In fact, the 8750 figure obtained in 3DMark allowed us to see how the performance is superior to gaming equipment, such as the ROG Zephyrus G14 from Asus or the Gigabyte Aorus 15.
Acoustics and cooling
In general terms, the solution is not particularly noisy, although the fact of using the advanced graphics makes the system have to use fans to dissipate it, which ends up producing extra noise.
It is the toll that must be paid to integrate so
much power within such a compact format. This is coupled with the fact
that the NUC 9 Extreme relies on massive grilles throughout its structure to
optimize temperature, which translates into greater outside noise.
This mini PC throws a lot of heat through said raised honeycomb-shaped side panels, which let air through efficiently, to which must be added its two 80mm air extractors mounted on top of the chassis.
Price
The price of a computer with a configuration of
this type and of a gaming cut is not exactly
cheap. Keep in mind that it is a system that performs like a desktop
computer, assembled with the most advanced components in a compact format.
Intel Compute modular components have their price,
being something dedicated from Intel, which causes the final price to be above
average. The configuration analyzed here with 32 GB of RAM memory amounts
to a price of € 3,048.99 if you purchase it through PcComponentes .
You can choose to reduce the price by eliminating the presence of the Nvidia RTX 2070 graphics , which will save you a figure close to € 650. However, it will depend on the graphics power of the integrated Intel chip, thus losing all its potential for games you run at 1080p quality.
Verdict
It seems clear that although the Intel NUC 9
Extreme uses standard components to expand RAM or NVMe M.2-type SSD storage, it
still has some dependency on Computer Element modules.
The more manufacturers join to support the new
technology, it is likely that we will have more alternatives of components to
choose from, which will mean that we can access more competitive prices.
Compared to a more conventional gaming PC ,
presented in a tower format, it has clear advantages when it comes to having a much
simpler and more feasible assembly for the average user that will not require
advanced knowledge.
However, the component extensions will not be as
numerous as they can be on a large format tower computer.
The NUC 9 Extreme takes a giant step towards the performance that a mini PC format computer should offer (waiting for what the use of the Intel Core 11 Gen processor generation can deliver), but it is something for which you will have than be willing to pay a high price.
Specifications
- Intel Core i9-9980HK Processor
- 16GB RAM
- 380GB SSD + 2TB SSD Storage
- Nvidia RTX 2070 Graphics
- 500 W power
- Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
- Connectors: 6 USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, 2 Thunderbolt 3 USB C
ports,
- MicroSD slot and 2 Gigabit Ethernet
- Video connectors: 2 HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI
- Windows 10 Home operating system
- Dimensions 238 x 216 x 96 mm (5 liters)
- Weight 4.1 kg
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