When Intel released the NUC 11 Pro (see issue 322, p54) with an 11th generation W mobile Core processor inside, we weren't blown away by its speed. We pointed to mini PC rivals based on faster AMD Ryzen chips, plus the larger but far more powerful Mi Mac mini (see issue 318, p54). But with the 12th generation Core, Intel regained its mojo - and this makes the NUC 12 Pro a far more attractive proposition.
It still offers all the usual benefits of Intel's "next unit of computing" Pro design. First, its sheer compactness.
Thanks to its 117 x 112mm footprint, you could squeeze almost four of these machines onto this page, and at 33.4mm tall I've seen thicker gaming laptops.
Support for the VESA 100 standard means you could easily attach it to the rear of a monitor, too. My only caveat is that you'll need to find a home for the external power supply.
Despite its tiny form, the NUC 12 Pro packs a real punch. Our system is based around the popular Core 17-1260P processor, which hits the sweet spot thanks to four P-cores that race up to 4.7GHz and eight E-cores that both sweep up background tasks in Windows 11 and add extra threads when apps need them.
This story is from the February 2023 edition of PC Pro.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2023 edition of PC Pro.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Key things to look for when buying a mini PC
Buying a mini PC isn't like buying a laptop or a fully fledged desktop PC, but a pitfall-laden experience that sits somewhere in between
BRANDS YOU CAN TRUST
Whenever you buy something in the coming year, why not draw on the experience of thousands of discerning buyers?
5 things we learned from Lenovo Tech World'24
In a landmark event where the CEOs of AMD, Intel and Nvidia all took to the stage, the theme of \"smarter AI for all\" was never far away, writes Tim Danton
The Darktrace leading to government
British security firm Darktrace has been mired in controversy. Now its former CEO is a government minister. Rois Ni Thuama and Barry Collins investigate
Microsoft is doing more harm to Arm than good, argues Jon Honeyball
You know that sinking feeling you get when something is not quite right? That nagging doubt that it shouldn't be like this? It was like that when I read that Qualcomm has cancelled its Snapdragon X developer kit, a desktop Mac mini-like box designed for developers to create and test apps for Windows on Arm (WoA).
How do we know how smart AI really is?
Maths questions. Silly word puzzles. Counting the letter \"r\" in a sentence. Nicole Kobie reveals how we're trying to work out exactly how intelligent AI is
Missed call Whatever happened to the Acorn Communicator?
When Acorn launched its 16-bit Communicator computer with a built-in modem, it struggled to get potential buyers to listen, as David Crookes explains
STEVE CASSIDY-"Getting workers to do simple jobs in the 16th century was not much different from the 21st"
Why 16th century \"networking\" legislation still has an impact, and why the term AI is confusing to punters as well as a waste of natural resources
JON HONEYBALL -"The more I have to do with UK telcos, the more broken their systems seem to be"
After being tempted by the iPhone 16 Pro Max - for professional reasons, honest - and the Watch 2 Ultra, Jon discovers not everything is perfect in Apple's new generation
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
A bigger display, borrowed 5x tetraprism zoom from the Max and no price hike make this the best iPhone
