ASUS Mini PC NUC 15 Pro+ Review

A super-compact mini PC with a beastly 16-core CPU, perfect for developers who need power without the bulk. Its integrated graphics make it terrible for gaming. Worth considering if you find it under $1,500, but avoid the absurdly priced listings.

The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is a tiny powerhouse that wants to be your main machine. It packs a 16-core Intel Ultra 9 CPU and 32GB of RAM into a box that weighs about as much as a hardcover book, making it a serious option for anyone who needs a lot of compute in a very small space.

But there's a catch. It's built around integrated Intel Arc graphics, which means it's not for gaming or heavy GPU work. This is a machine for developers, office work, and media streaming, not for pushing pixels. It's a specialist, not a generalist.

The Intel Ultra 9 285H processor is the star here. It's a 16-core beast that sits well above average in our database, and it makes this little box fly through CPU-heavy tasks like code compilation and multitasking. The 32GB of DDR5 RAM is also strong, and the 1TB NVMe SSD is fast. The integrated Intel Arc graphics, however, are just middle of the pack. They're fine for driving displays and light photo editing, but they're the reason this PC scores in the bottom 15% for gaming. Don't expect to play anything modern at decent settings.

This is where things get weird. The price across different vendors swings from a somewhat reasonable $1,309 to an absolutely bonkers $237,729. At the lower end of that range, it's a compelling package for a compact workstation. You're paying a premium for the mini form factor and the top-tier CPU. At anything close to the high end, it's a complete non-starter. If you can find it near that $1,300 mark, it's worth a look for the right person.

Stacked against other mini PCs, the NUC 15 Pro+ wins on raw CPU power and ports. But if you need any gaming ability, a system like the Minisforum Venus NUCXi7 with a mobile RTX 4070 runs circles around it. Compared to a traditional desktop like the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i, you're giving up all upgradeability for the GPU and PSU to get that tiny size. The Dell Alienware Aurora offers far better graphics performance for similar money, but takes up 10x the space. It's a trade-off: ultimate compactness for ultimate graphics power.

Gamers and creative pros should steer clear. If you need to run 3D games, edit video, or do 3D rendering, the integrated graphics here will be a massive bottleneck. You're much better off with a mini PC that has a discrete GPU or a small form factor desktop with a proper graphics card.

Buy this if you're a developer, data scientist, or power user who needs serious CPU grunt in the smallest possible footprint and you don't care about gaming at all. The port selection is fantastic for a docking station setup, and the specs are great for virtual machines and compiling code. Just make sure you find it at a sane price.