Intel and Asus have reached an agreement to continue manufacturing, selling, and supporting the Next Unit of Compute (NUC) line of compact desktop PCs.
Initially, Intel had announced its intention to find a partner to carry on the NUC brand instead of investing directly. This decision was likely influenced by a challenging computer market and Intel’s declining revenue.
However, Intel quickly found a partner in Asus that possesses the expertise and track record to deliver industry-leading mini PCs.
Intel’s strategy now focuses on enabling ecosystem partners like Asus to advance the NUC line of products.
Sam Gao, Intel’s vice president and general manager of Client Platform Solutions, emphasized the importance of a smooth transition for customers and partners.
Asus’ chief operating officer, Joe Hsieh, expressed gratitude to Intel for entrusting them with the NUC systems product line, highlighting the collaboration’s potential to expand the footprint in areas like AI and AIoT while ensuring excellent support and service for NUC customers.
As part of the agreement, Asus will receive a non-exclusive license to Intel’s NUC systems product line designs. This will enable Asus to produce and sell 10th to 13th Gen NUC systems products, as well as develop future designs.
Asus will establish a new business unit called ASUS NUC BU and provide continuity in product and support for Intel NUC systems customers.
This partnership between Intel and Asus is fantastic news for PC enthusiasts. The NUC line is known for its compactness and has been likened to Apple’s desktop computers. Plus, the latest addition, the NUC 13 Extreme, achieved remarkable results in performance benchmarks.
With Asus taking the lead, there may be changes to the NUC sales strategy. Previously, NUC devices required additional components like Windows licenses, RAM, SSDs, and GPUs before being fully functional.
Hopefully, with ASUS managing the line, this will change, providing customers with a more complete out-of-the-box experience and expanding options for purchasing configurations tailored to their needs.