The Nuts About NUC Klub

mini_cow

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I have been using my desktop PC as a sort of HTPC/Gaming Rig for about 5-6 years now. I always looked at my PC as an all in one and couldn't figure out what the appeal of "SMART" TV was when my PC is always "smarter" than these lacklustre crap that TV manufacturers have been throwing our way.

In an ideal would though, there will one day be a SFF rig much like the MSI vortex/Mac Pro that is fully customizable to my liking. It looks small, sleek, compact, stylish and yet really powerful.

Still hoping for that day to happen and I'll go all in:)
 

watzup_ken

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imho, $1000 i rather go build a M-ITX PC.
Although M-ITX size will be alot bigger and power consumption will be more, but can add in GPU and if mobo spoil can replace.

NUC don't have the option of replacing mobo or adding in GPU.
External GPU addon via thunderbolt is sibei expensive.

I will continue to tan gu gu for Intel Atom to improve bah.
x7-Z8700 already beat N3150 liao.
I tan gu gu to see Apollo Lake performance.

While its true that 1K can get you a reasonably powerful M-ITX PC, I feel the Skulltrail is quite attractive if one is planning on getting an NUC. The processor is possibly the fastest out there, with a proper quad core with 8 threads and a very powerful iGPU.
 

watzup_ken

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Skylake models also suffered similar serious fates with their recent BIOS, took v36 to bugfix
bios-version-36



Adding on RAM, SSD etc... and it's easily over 1K SGD, may be a tough sell to most of the dwindling endusers still remaining on a desktop PC.

Anyway, with such high hopes/pricing, let's hope that at least Intel gets it stable enough from the get go BIOS v1 this time round.

Personally, if I ever want to get another NUC, I am not sure if I will go for an Intel NUC. The BIOS QC is really poor to be honest.

Anyway, for a barebone NUC, most will also need to purchase an OS, if they are not using Linux. Speaking of Linux, I think the BIOS/ drivers are not very stable on Linux from what I read online, so best to check before buying.
 

MacClipper

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I always looked at my PC as an all in one ...
In an ideal would though, there will one day be a SFF rig... small, sleek, compact, stylish and yet really powerful.
If you aim to have only 1 x "all in one" PC which is "fully customizable to my liking" then I suggest that you do not even have to wait at all cos you can have a DIY m-ITX/MATX PC in a compact casing of your own choice.

NUCs may not belong in that category though they can fulfill most of your criteria but they would not satisfy that fully customizable bit due to their innate nature of being so compact unless you don't mind adding external boxes, defeating their tiny footprint.

My approach differs in that I have multiple PCs around the residence which I try to task by playing to their respective fortes eg.
- this Braswell Beebox NUC is now doing a swell job mostly as a HTPC media box (5.1 setup with AVR/full range B&W speakers - forgotten total cost but subwoofer alone was 2K iirc)
- X99 rig as the video transcoding/gaming station
- 1-2 surf/work stations in each bedroom for kids

Personally, if I ever want to get another NUC, I am not sure if I will go for an Intel NUC. The BIOS QC is really poor to be honest.

Anyway, for a barebone NUC, most will also need to purchase an OS, if they are not using Linux. Speaking of Linux, I think the BIOS/ drivers are not very stable on Linux from what I read online, so best to check before buying.
Was really quite surprised at the unusually low level of Intel QC for their NUCs too after I started reading up more about them. Scary!

Asrock bundled this Beebox config with a Windows 10 Home licence (pre-installed on the eMMC) but the rig is running fritsch's FOC Openelec beta most of the time so that W10 licence is kind of wasted. Though in beta, Openelec runs so fast, stable and elegant that it is unbelievable.

Haven't gotten around to trying others on the Beebox like Linux Mint Cinnamon which is quite beautiful and stable from recent past experience.
 

MacClipper

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Bundle




Power Adapter
Note the bundled adapter is a real compact wall plug rather than a floor heavy power brick, nice!





...
 

batniss

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Was considering Intel NUC for months but ended up with ITX instead.

Cheaper, more powerful and more upgradeable. Doesn't take up alot of space either.

Still I appreciate the effort for this thread, might buy 1 in the future.
 
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Was considering Intel NUC for months but ended up with ITX instead.

Cheaper, more powerful and more upgradeable. Doesn't take up alot of space either.

Still I appreciate the effort for this thread, might buy 1 in the future.

Only thing about nuc is, it in smaller and power saving.

But at current cost, really hard to justify.
If you want portable better to get a laptop with the same cpu which is cheaper.
 

batniss

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Only thing about nuc is, it in smaller and power saving.

But at current cost, really hard to justify.
If you want portable better to get a laptop with the same cpu which is cheaper.

That is why I am considering NUC in the initial stage due to its smaller footprint and power savings.

I echo the same sentiments that the cost of it is ridiculous considering that one have to top up for RAM, SSD and OS to make it usable with its cheap U-processors.
 

MacClipper

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imho best value mini-pc atm.
USD$99 Only.
Any chance of getting one and doing a real life hands-on review to share here?

It looks like a good effort but can foresee a few issues rightaway as detailed by other users on this page
Kangaroo

Issues raised
- Win 10 only ( I want my Openelec for htpc leh, imo a deal breaker)
- Boot drive fixed to its internal 32GB MMC (good luck with Win 10 plus incessant updates)
- small handphone capacity battery
- QC issues with non-responsive units

Still for 99 USD, looks interesting enough.



Was considering Intel NUC for months but ended up with ITX instead...
Agree that the Intel NUC is a niche product too and as with all niche products, there is a premium attached to it unless/until it becomes a widespread commodity item.

I echo the same sentiments that the cost of it is ridiculous considering that one have to top up for RAM, SSD and OS to make it usable with its cheap U-processors.
For the OS cost aspect, got to get out and think outside of the (Windows) box. Don't get trapped there.

Linux and its variants can be installed FOC, have lower hardware requirements and can work even better than Win OS,

imo,
- nothing comes anywhere close to Openelec for a FOC htpc OS/front (Blurays excepted)
- Linux Mint is visually more attractive/prettier than Win 10 so unless you die die must have Win OS usage, do try it out since it is FOC too

:)
 

batniss

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Any chance of getting one and doing a real life hands-on review to share here?

It looks like a good effort but can foresee a few issues rightaway as detailed by other users on this page
Kangaroo

Issues raised
- Win 10 only ( I want my Openelec for htpc leh, imo a deal breaker)
- Boot drive fixed to its internal 32GB MMC (good luck with Win 10 plus incessant updates)
- small handphone capacity battery
- QC issues with non-responsive units

Still for 99 USD, looks interesting enough.




Agree that the Intel NUC is a niche product too and as with all niche products, there is a premium attached to it unless/until it becomes a widespread commodity item.


For the OS cost aspect, got to get out and think outside of the (Windows) box. Don't get trapped there.

Linux and its variants can be installed FOC, have lower hardware requirements and can work even better than Win OS,

imo,
- nothing comes anywhere close to Openelec for a FOC htpc OS/front (Blurays excepted)
- Linux Mint is visually more attractive/prettier than Win 10 so unless you die die must have Win OS usage, do try it out since it is FOC too

:)

well, i use alot of Linux at work. Never a big fan of it until now despite knowing how to use it, i still prefer to work on a Windows machine.

personal preference, hope I won't get flame.
 
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Any chance of getting one and doing a real life hands-on review to share here?

It looks like a good effort but can foresee a few issues rightaway as detailed by other users on this page
Kangaroo

Issues raised
- Win 10 only ( I want my Openelec for htpc leh, imo a deal breaker)
- Boot drive fixed to its internal 32GB MMC (good luck with Win 10 plus incessant updates)
- small handphone capacity battery
- QC issues with non-responsive units

Still for 99 USD, looks interesting enough.

Nope moi tan gu gu for new architecture Apollo Lake CPU version.

Internal 32GB MMC <---you can use USB3 external HDD for lack of space.
small handphone capacity battery <---this is an extra for on the go usage, it got an AC Adaptor port.

Agree that the Intel NUC is a niche product too and as with all niche products, there is a premium attached to it unless/until it becomes a widespread commodity item.

Agree with this.
Maybe when External GPU becomes more common and affordable then maybe bah.
Or high leaps in performance and price for Intel Atom/ARM.

For the OS cost aspect, got to get out and think outside of the (Windows) box. Don't get trapped there.

Linux and its variants can be installed FOC, have lower hardware requirements and can work even better than Win OS,

imo,
- nothing comes anywhere close to Openelec for a FOC htpc OS/front (Blurays excepted)
- Linux Mint is visually more attractive/prettier than Win 10 so unless you die die must have Win OS usage, do try it out since it is FOC too

:)

Linux is not recommended for layman.
I use LinuxMint at home cos I don't want MS spying on my prawn farm. DIY troubleshooting and googling and trying various user suggested solution is not very fun.

When I install latest version of LinuxMint in Feb 2016, first thing I do i go update and install proprietary GPU drivers for AMD.

And then I cannot boot up cos driver incompatible.
End up i have to google for solution how to remove the driver.

I do not recommend layman to use Linux.
All the driver incompatibility moi had to DIY google for solution.
For experienced user like me, who use Linux Red Hat since over a decade ago and well verse in multiple programming languages ok lah, but for layman, highly not recommended.
 

MacClipper

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well, i use alot of Linux at work. Never a big fan of it until now despite knowing how to use it, i still prefer to work on a Windows machine.

personal preference, hope I won't get flame.
Heheh, looks like you put yourself back into the MS box then, my condolences.

For some, it's tough to justify paying a sum for all hardware combined and 50% of that for just the Win OS itself.

Worse is the tedium of re-validation each and everytime any targetted hardware is changed, even RAM. That' why I have yet to authenticate the Win 10 on this Braswell cos I haven't finalised the amt of RAM for the long run, Openelec seems good enough on the bundled 2GB but Win 10??? :s22:

DIY troubleshooting and googling and trying various user suggested solution is not very fun...
Agree about the part running into trouble and fixing it but nothing ventured nothing gained mah.

btw, have you tried this yet?
TimeShift

Unlike Mint which is used mostly as a production OS (like Win OS), Openelec is more a consumption OS so all the above simply doesn't apply. It's definitely a must try for all htpc fans.




Anyway at this juncture, time to refocus on topic at hand cos starting to stray from NUC discussion to OS wars. =:p

Infrared Remote






...
 

MacClipper

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Combo SATA/Power Cable
suggest owners had better not lose this impt tiny thingy...






CD, Quick Guide & VESA Mount







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