GAMING WITH THE NUC 13

WITH THE SYSTEM UP and running and ticking over exactly how we wanted it to, now's the time to start loading it up with our favorite gaming applications so we can get the most out of it.

As we already noted, the NUC 13 visually looks more like a console than a typical gaming PC.

The subdued aesthetics help the case fit into a variety of setups. While there's nothing particularly exciting going on with the design here, that minimalistic look means there aren't many interiors that it wouldn't suit. Now, we know looks aren't everything, but if you were to use this as an overkill console, then it would need to either sit within a TV unit or look fairly discreet in that environment.

However, the PC isn't the only important thing you'll need to get going, of course. To make the most of your new mighty small powerhouse, there is a whole range of applications and peripherals you can add to the mix to take this thing to the next level.

AOC AGON AG275QX 27-INCH $350

If you're specifically choosing a display based on this Intel NUC 13 Extreme RTX 4070 Ti build, there are a few things to look out for. In our benchmarking, we suggested that QHD would be a better option than outright 4K gaming so that would be our first choice.

With monitors usually located on your desk, the difference between QHD and 4K won't be as noticeable as the difference in frames per second. QHD means that detail will be great and you'll be able to crank up the in-game settings more than if you were running at 4K.

There's no point playing games at higher frame rates if your monitor can't match it, so we'd recommend a display with at least a 144Hz refresh rate and a response time of 1ms, so input delay will be at a minimum. Use a DisplayPort cable from the GPU to your display.

For out-and-out performance, the best color range, and the highest refresh rates and lowest response times, the AOC Agon AG275QX is a great shout. It's a 1440p 27in QHD monitor with a 1ms response time, 170Hz refresh rate, and a contrast rate of 1,000:1.

www.aoc.com