ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ Barebone Kit Review

This is a connectivity champion in a tiny box, but you build it yourself. Its port selection is top-tier, but it scores a 9/100 for gaming. Only buy if you need a compact, modern PC for productivity and are ready to install your own RAM and SSD.

The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is a tiny, barebones desktop kit that's all about modern connectivity in a small package. It packs Intel's new Core Ultra 7 255H with 16 cores and integrated Arc graphics, plus a port selection that lands in the 93rd percentile. That means you're getting top-tier future-proofing with Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7, and dual HDMI 2.1 outputs right out of the gate.

But this is a barebones kit, so you need to know what you're getting into. It doesn't come with RAM or storage, which is why its storage score is in the bottom 4% of our database. You're buying a compact chassis with a motherboard, CPU, and cooler, then finishing the build yourself. For the right user, that's a feature, not a bug.

Performance is a mixed bag, heavily dependent on what you add. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H is a solid mid-pack CPU, sitting around the 60th percentile. It's got plenty of cores for multitasking and can handle light AI workloads thanks to the NPU, but don't expect it to compete with high-end desktop chips. The integrated Intel Arc Graphics, while having 16GB of dedicated VRAM, is firmly average for graphics tasks, ranking in the 45th percentile. It's fine for driving multiple 4K displays and very light creative work, but it's a world away from a discrete GPU.

Where this system truly shines is in its I/O. That 93rd percentile port ranking isn't just a number. You get Thunderbolt 4 for fast external storage or eGPUs, Wi-Fi 7 for bleeding-edge networking, and modern display outputs. It's a connectivity powerhouse in a 0.59kg box.

Value is tricky here because the price is just for the starter kit. You're looking at an additional $150-$300 for decent RAM and a fast SSD. The price also swings wildly between vendors, from $755 to $1,036. Shop around, because that's a $281 spread for the exact same empty box. At the lower end, it's a more compelling proposition for a DIY compact workstation. At the high end, you're paying a premium for the form factor and those top-shelf ports.

Compared to other mini PCs like the Asus ROG NUC, the Pro+ trades gaming muscle for professional connectivity and a more subdued design. Against traditional small form factor towers like the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i, you lose all hope of internal GPU upgrades but gain a footprint that's literally a fraction of the size. The HP Omen 45L or Dell Alienware Aurora are in a different league entirely for performance; they're full-sized gaming desktops. The NUC 15 Pro+ wins on portability and modern I/O but loses badly on raw power and upgrade flexibility. It's for a different job.

Gamers should steer clear—the integrated graphics put it in the bottom 10% for that use case. Anyone who wants a complete, ready-to-go system out of the box will be disappointed by the barebones nature. Also, if your workflow needs serious GPU acceleration for 3D rendering, video editing, or AI, the lack of a discrete GPU and the limited 120W power supply are major roadblocks. This isn't a universal desktop replacement.

We can only recommend the ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ Barebone Kit if you have a very specific need: a supremely compact, modern, and connectable PC for office work, light content creation, or as a home server, and you're comfortable sourcing your own memory and storage. Its CPU is capable, and its ports are best-in-class. But if you need strong graphics performance, want a plug-and-play experience, or have dreams of serious gaming, this isn't it. Look at a pre-built mini PC with a discrete GPU or a small form factor tower instead.