{"id":55174,"date":"2020-01-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-13T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prohoster.info\/blog\/blog_prohoster\/vskrytie-intel-nuc-9-extreme-na-platforme-ghost-canyon-prosto-dobav-videokartu"},"modified":"2020-02-18T14:03:15","modified_gmt":"2020-02-18T11:03:15","slug":"vskrytie-intel-nuc-9-extreme-na-platforme-ghost-canyon-prosto-dobav-videokartu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prohoster.info\/en\/blog\/news\/vskrytie-intel-nuc-9-extreme-na-platforme-ghost-canyon-prosto-dobav-videokartu","title":{"rendered":"Unboxing Intel NUC 9 Extreme on the Ghost Canyon platform: just add a graphics card","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
In the final days of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, we got a glimpse inside the compact Intel NUC computer built on the Ghost Canyon platform. The company released the first Next Unit of Computing back in 2012 and has been continuously increasing the system's capabilities since then. The latest iteration, which combines an Intel CPU and a Vega graphics processor (simply Vega, you won't find the logo of its creators on the device's casing), has transformed the NUC into a decent gaming machine considering its size. However, these models still lack the ability to install a full discrete graphics card, unlike many ultra-compact motherboards with integrated processors and a PCI Express x16 slot. <\/p>\n
On the other hand, Intel once experimented with the Compute Card \u2014 a closed module that combines all essential components (CPU, RAM, flash storage, wireless modem, etc.) into a credit card-sized casing. The idea was that the owner of the chassis (or rather, the docking station) for the Compute Card could easily extract and replace the system core. However, in the end, the Compute Card concept did not take off, and standard NUCs remained at the performance level provided by their factory configuration.<\/p>\n
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Within the Ghost Canyon platform, Intel has taken upgrade capabilities more seriously. The new NUC 9 Extreme is a 5-liter barebone chassis with several input-output ports (USB, card reader) and a 500W FlexATX power supply. For all other components, the chassis simply has four expansion slots. Half of these can be occupied by a discrete graphics card \u2014 and it needs to be powerful enough, as long as its length fits within 8 inches \u2014 or you can connect two single-slot devices with 16 and 4 PCI Express lanes.<\/p>\n
Where are the CPU, RAM modules, and storage located? Intel has gathered these components in the so-called NUC Element \u2014 a cartridge resembling a graphics card with a PCI Express x16 edge connector. The photo shows how the components of the NUC 9 Extreme look without the case (the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti accelerator selected for the stand is obviously not the right size): essentially, the NUC Element is the entire system, which only lacks a power supply for full functionality. The chassis, the front connection panel, and the passive riser connecting the PCI Express cards are variable elements in this design. Ah, how much Intel loves modular solutions, and it all started with the slot-based Pentium II chips\u2026<\/p>\n
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Inside the NUC Element is a Core i5, i7, or i9 processor \u2014 an L-shaped heatsink with an evaporative chamber and an 80mm fan can handle any of Intel's laptop CPUs in a 45W thermal envelope, including the eight-core i9-9980HK. In the alternative version of the platform for commercial applications \u2014 NUC 9 Pro or Quartz Canyon \u2014 there are even Xeon options. The only downside is that the processor is soldered and cannot be replaced; however, this is the only specification that needs to be decided in advance. There\u2019s DDR4 memory of up to 32GB, two M.2 SSDs with NVMe support, and of course, the user will buy and install the graphics card themselves. There are suitable sized cards even based on the GeForce RTX 2080, but how well this powerful setup is cooled in the cramped NUC space is another question. In particular, will the CPU overheat since the graphics card\u2019s PCB blocks its fan\u2019s airflow?<\/p>\n
Disregarding the outputs of the discrete GPU and the ports on the front panel, the NUC Element itself boasts a rich set of external interfaces. The Wi-Fi 6 module is soldered directly to the motherboard, and the rear panel features four USB 3.1 Gen2 ports, two Thunderbolt 3, two Gigabit Ethernet, an HDMI output for integrated graphics, and a mini-jack for connecting the sound system (stereo over copper wire or 7.1 over optical). At the very least, as long as Intel supports the Ghost Canyon platform with CPU updates, the communication capabilities within it will also keep evolving.<\/p>\n
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The manufacturer has planned the release of the next iterations of the NUC Element for the next two years, with commercial shipments of the system starting in March 2020. The base configuration of the NUC 9 Extreme with the Core i5 processor will cost $1050, while the variants with Core i7 and Core i9 will be priced at $1250 and $1700 respectively. The high-end model comes with a sturdy carrying case \u2014 all that\u2019s left is to integrate a display with a keyboard, turning it into a powerful portable workstation. It's possible that one of Intel's partners will do just that: the chipmaker retained the production of CPU cartridges and reference chassis, while third-party companies will set up production for their own cases. Among them will be compact products without slots for graphics cards and, conversely, spacious versions with enhanced power supplies without limits on size and power consumption for discrete accelerators.<\/p>\n
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