Intel NUC 13 Extreme with CPU up to Core i9-13900K for $1179 to $1549

Within the PC market, the mini-PC form factor is not the most comfortable or popular within the segment. This is mainly due to the compromises users have to make in terms of thermal and overall system performance.

First Intel NUC 

About a month ago, during TwitchCon, Intel unveiled its first NUC 13 Extreme “Raptor Canyon,” which included a surprisingly large 13.9-liter enclosure that even fits a 12-inch triple-slot GPU.

But it didn’t end there; in fact, Team Blue has been working hard on its next NUC (Next Unit of Computing) and has finally released its new NUC 13 Extreme Kit and Compute Element, whose purpose is to deliver excellent performance with a Raptor Lake 13th Gen Core i9-13900K.

And this kit raises the bar so high that we could say the 13th generation of Intel processors is currently crowned by the brand new i9-13900K, a CPU capable of reaching 5.8 GHz in maximum frequency, making it the fastest desktop processor in the world.

New generation

Thus, the new 13th Gen Intel Core family includes six new unlocked desktop processors with up to 24 cores and 32 threads and ultra-fast clock speeds of up to 5.8 GHz for the best gaming, streaming, and recording experiences.

Led by the launch of Intel Core “K” processors, the 13th generation Intel Core desktop family will consist of 22 processors and more than 125 partner system designs, delivering an unmatched experience in both application performance and platform compatibility.

“We’re raising PC performance standards once again with our latest generation of flagship 13th Gen Intel Core processors,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, executive vice president and general manager of Intel’s Client Computing Group.

And she is not far off the mark, as with this new generation, users will be able to enjoy the performance enhancements of 13th generation Intel Core processors with Intel® 600 chipset motherboards or the new Intel® 700 series. 

Combined with support for the latest DDR5 memory and continued support for DDR4 memory all while customizing their configuration based on their own feature preferences and budget.

Finally, Johnston stipulated that “the 13th generation Intel Core family is the latest example of how Intel is enabling incredible PC experiences to happen at scale and across all PC product segments. “Combine this with an industry-leading partner ecosystem and new solutions like Intel Unison, and together we will show the world what is truly possible with the PC experience in the future.”

Intel NUC 13 Extreme Specifications

But well, let’s take a look at the components of this powerful machine. These are all the specifications of the Intel NUC 13 Extreme:

• Up to 64GB dual-channel DDR5-5600 MHz SODIMM RAM.
• Supports PCIe Gen5 x 16, triple-slot 12″ graphics card.
• Support for up to three PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs (M.2 2280).
• Intel® 2.5GbE (i226-V) / 10GbE (AQC113) LAN.
• Intel® Killer™ Wi-Fi 6E.
• Two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports.
• Six USB 3.2 Gen2 rear ports.

So let’s review. 13th Gen Core i9-13900K is a 24-core processor (technically) with 8 performance cores and 16 efficient cores, plus a maximum turbo frequency of 5.8 GHz.

Therefore, if you are a fan of mini PCs, this is probably one of the best of its kind and completely worth a try. However, thanks to its size limitations (12′′ and three slots), it would be impossible to install NVIDIA’s latest 4090, as it takes up four slots. Although, for all you red team fans, the latest Radeon RX 7900 XTX would fit in the PC in a heartbeat.

When will it be released?

Well, if you want to purchase it, you should know that it will first be available in China and then to a wider audience in the fourth quarter of 2022. As for pricing, the kit will cost between $1179 and $1549, while the NUC 13 Extreme Compute Element will cost between $760 and $1100, depending on its configuration.