Intel NUC mini PC kit BOXNUC6I7KYK1 (Core i7)

I got this NUC about a week ago for a deployment. I paired it with a 256 GB SSD ( MyDigitalSSD 240GB (256GB) BP5e 80mm SATA III 6G M.2 2280 NGFF SSD Solid State Drive (Bullet Proof 5 Eco) ) and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM ( Kingston Technology HyperX Impact 16GB RAM DDR4 2133 HX421S13IBK2/16 ). It took about 8 hours to get it set up with Windows 7 installed, plus patches, plus drivers. Pros: -Very portable. I can't express how easy this particular device is to move around and set up in places where it needs to go. The power brick is admittedly rather large, but still, it's easy to set up in many different places with minimal hassle. -Quiet. I can barely hear this thing when it's running in normal operation (web browsing / document editing / watching videos or listening to music). I set the minimum fan speed to 10% in BIOS, I'm sure it can be made even more quiet by turning that down. Seriously, if you're not gaming, I firmly believe this could be put in a fanless case for absolutely no noise and be just fine. But even with the fan, it's near silent. -Gaming. Ok, now admittedly this is a biased judgment. I came from an NVidia GTX 260 to the Intel Iris Pro 580 in the NUC. But it is a WORLD of difference for me. I can play almost all modern games at 1920x1080 resolution, medium settings, 30 FPS. Games that are maybe a year old or older? Same resolution, ultra/highest settings, 60 FPS no problem. Integrated graphics have come a very long way since I last looked at them, and for anyone who is not a "hardcore" gamer, this machine will do just fine. Cons: -Setup. So Intel says that the NUC is compatible with any M.2 SSD that is SATA III compliant. This isn't exactly true. I ended up having to switch from a 1 TB SSD ( SanDisk SD8SN8U-1T00-1122 X400 M.2 SSD 1TB ) to the 256 GB one I have now because the 1 TB was not recognized at all. Neither slot of the two could even see it. I wish Intel had put out a slightly more detailed compatibility list if they aren't able to support a blanket statement like "all M.2 SSDs that are SATA III compliant." -Heat. If you are a gamer and you are playing the modern games at the aforementioned medium (or higher) settings at 1920x1080, you'll notice that the NUC runs a bit hot. And by "a bit hot" I mean "don't touch near the exhaust after a good 30+ minute gaming session for at least 5 minutes." It can come very close to burning you if you aren't careful. However, that is a sign of the good heat management, as the CPU/internals don't come close to overheating - just the exhaust. Overall: I would recommend this computer to most people. It has the ability to do what 80%+ of the PC market needs it to do, it can play most games quite well, it has the horsepower and storage capabilities to do media editing and general workstation tasks. While it does have the Thunderbolt interface for external graphics cards, I wouldn't recommend this to someone who would need that. Given the extra cost, it would be more effective to just get a high end gaming desktop or laptop. For everyone else - casual/mainstream gamer, office user, home theater PC enthusiast, etc... I would say, "Go for it." It's absolutely more than worth the money you'll pay.

This is one helluva micro form factor PC. It is about 1/3 the size of my ASUS VivoPC and way more powerful. I went with the 2x16GB SODIMMs, maxing out the memory to 32GB. I went with the Intel SSD6 500GB NVMe SSD for the hard drive to complete the build. I have been able to get it working with the RAZER CORE making this a great gaming PC as well without the bulk of a mini-Tower. Pros: - Small and powerful: The NUC is very capable of replacing any desktop and it is very portable. - Iris Pro 580: I am actually surprise on how well this GPU performed with games at the 4K resolution setting. The fan was on full blast during game play, but it did work with moderate graphics settings with the game. - Thunderbolt port: It is compatible with RAZER CORE!!! Just make sure to update the Thunderbolt driver to the latest that is available from Intel's website. I went with the ASUS GTX 1060 OC 6GB GPU and game play is pretty awesome. Also, the NUC fan does not go full blast during game play anymore, a definite plus. - Two NVMe slots: One for OS and the other for apps/data. Good options for storage before you need to plug an external USB 3.0 hard drive to it. - Up to 32 GB of RAM support: You can run VM clients on this if you wanted to. Cons: - More USB 3.0 ports: I could have used another two USB 3.0 ports in the back or a single USB 2.0 port in the front. The USB 2.0 port is for wireless keyboard/mouse since USB 3.0 seems to interfere with them. You will definitely want to invest in a USB 3.0 hub, especially if you plan to plug a BD/DVD reader to the NUC. - The fan is always on: They could be heard and are at full blast while running graphics intensive applications. Even the Bing's webpage (live) cam cause the fan to kick up. You might want to consider this if you want to use it for HTPC and maybe put in in an entertainment unit. - Along with the fan noise, the unit can generate a bit of heat. Not hot enough to be concerned or too hot to handle, but enough to not want to put it in an confined space without ventilation. - The NVMe performance seems to be adequate and not as fast compared to a PCIe NVMe adapter for NVMe SSDs. Using the same NVMe SSD on a HP EliteDesk 800 G2 (i7 6700U, 48GB RAM) versus this NUC, the HP desktop seemed faster. I do not have any captured performance metrics, so this is perception. Maybe someone can prove this if not already done. Overall, I am very pleased with the Intel NUC Skull Candy. I was comparing this to the Gigabyte and ZOTAC offerings and very glad I made this choice since it had the Thunderbolt port. I think I paid more in the end when comparing the NUC+RCORE+GTX1060, being the major differences, I got the latest hardware and the flexibility to upgarde the GPU in the future. Did I mention that it is compatible with the RAZER CORE!

This latest iteration of Intel's NUC series is well formed, if pricey. The device was smaller and heavier than I expected - appropriate for the NUC series and the power draw of this unit. I have purchased Intel NUCs in the past for fanless, special purpose x86-based systems. Such systems were not suitable as a desktop replacement. I bought this system as a small form factor desktop for light development activities, web browsing, email, and very light gaming (mostly of the retro form). I paired this system with 32 GB of Patriot RAM and a 256 GB Samsung 950 Pro M.2 256 GB drive. Installation was easy - remove four screws, install memory, remove one screw, install drive, replace screws. The power brick is quite large, maybe 80% the size of the unit, and much larger even than my Macbook Pro's charger. A necessary evil it sits out of sight and mind. The first thing I did was update the firmware to the latest revision using a bootable USB drive. It is interesting that DOS can still be used after all these years to update things like the BIOS/Firmware. I received the unit with revision 0037 and updated to the latest current revision (0041). Uneventful setup. The firmware is not as feature rich as most "gaming" system firmware; you are in Intel's world and you play by their rules. I run Arch Linux on the NUC. Setup was straightforward and most hardware seems well supported, although I do not currently use the wireless connectivity provided. The EFI setup environment is similar to past versions, and configuring it was straightforward and minimal. After so many years of setting up systems using BIOS, MBRs, and bootloaders (and having only setup two EFI-based systems in the past) I had the read through my distribution of choice's documentation carefully. Once setup and installed I had no further issues. The graphics for the Iris Pro seem reasonably well supported in Linux. The KDE Plasma desktop looks as one would expect and performance is on par with my desktop class system running a similar OS setup. In general I had no issues. The fan noise is typically quiet and under load noticeable but not too distracting. Plenty of connection options provide future expandability. The only gripe I have is the current price point. The form factor is great, but once you factor in the cost of RAM and an M.2 SSD, you can easily purchase an equivalent or better desktop system more suited for gaming. Four stars because I really like the product but the total cost is not competitive for similar hardware.

Pros: 1. First of all, this is the first NUC i can say that was able to replace my existing desktop system. (I had a i7 4770, and Z97 motherboard before), even geekbench confirms this is somewhat faster than my previous desktop system. 2. It is fast, paired with the samsung 850 pro 512GB, and 16 GB of ram (can do 32GB, but for now i don't need it) 3. Can run most non AAA games at my native resolution of 2560x1440 just fine (e.g.: Pinball fx2) as for others, i bet on the Razer core which can expand the GPU power. 4. Size: this thing is small (somewhat heavier than one can expect, but that does not matter) 5. Its mostly quiet, and in most times is quieter than my previously used Corsair h100i water cooling. 6. The most important reason i prefer it to a plain desktop system, drivers support! Intel hardware and software drivers support is so much better than your average motherboard and their crap. It is kept updated, and usually future proof, while other 3rd party hardware usually have some sort of problems. (Yes, BT broadcom dongles, i'm talking to you) Cons: 1. Price, there is no way around it, this thing is not cost effective. But i liked this SFF so much, and drivers support that i was willing to pay extra. 2. Lacks the ability to be expended other than external GPU and USB. But seriously, with so much built-in stuff, i won't see much need to. 3. Good luck fixing part of this thing if and when it breaks (except sending the whole thing back) Final thoughts: SFF is the future, and no doubt intel will have great success in the NUC consumer line. Only now i can fully understand why the stopped making desktop motherboards.

Decent unit when I first got it, but over time the fan was making more noise and then the thermal warnings and shutting down. Open it up, and started to use some air to blow out dust bunnies and the fins on the fan flew off in every directions. The plastic fan completely disintegrated. I have had computers since the 90s and have NEVER seen a fan disintegrate. Wow has quality sunk at Intel. The other one I got, Intel NUC 8 is still going strong, but again I am terrified of the fan failing. Maybe they need to make them from some sort of metal or other material. Even if its an aftermarket upgrade. Give me something of quality. UPDATE: Just tried to take fan out, and some obvious design problems became apparent. Anyone wanna take a guess after looking at these images, what the fan issue may be? Look at the cover, the fan location and the vents. Just Stunning. I should get a refund from Intel or a FREE UPGRADE. A device designed to fail.

Amazed, that's the word i am looking for, AMAZED. Just got it in after some super fast prime shipping! Installation of RAM and M2 SSD were a breeze. Windows install off a bootable USB. In no time at all I was up and running. Found the drivers and had everything working in less than 45 mins! The NUC The NUC itself is just jaw dropping. Nothing like the little square box I have connected to my TV (5th gen i7) no siree bob, this is a thing of beauty! Low, flat, sleek, black and the skull oh that skull looks mega cool! A lot of people whine about the fan, yes there is some sound, but if you have ever used a laptop that's about how loud it is, really not a big deal. I am replacing a gaming tower that I had and THAT beast was loud, this is a subtle whisper compared to that! Performance This thing screams! with 32GB of RAM and a Samsung 960 Pro it is amazingly powerful for all that I use it. Have not gamed with it yet, not really meant for that but I will put it through its paces to see whats up. I will followup soon with more insights. if you are on the fence, don't be, this thing is amazing and worth the price in my opinion. yes you can get a more powerful box for the same coin, but that's not what i was going for. I wanted Exactly what i got! Update - 1 Week in I am still amazed by this power machine. Looks amazing on my desktop and works great for what I do with it. The noise factor again, I can't understand how some people can complain about this. As I type this my laptop at work is making more noise than this box does. More updates after 3 months Update - 3 Months in This thing is solid! No hiccups, no missteps, no drama. zero, Zilch, NADA! I have now changed from 2 24inch monitors to 2 27inch monitors and I am loving it even more. Still very silent and very powerful. I can still truly that I am amazed by just how much i am enjoying it. I went to Australia for 2 weeks and left it on the whole time. I checked it remotely using Splashtop and the temps were solid. Pretty amazing device

I am very happy I purchased this. It is a fast and fun little machine. I have five other NUC's and this generation is clearly the best. First - who shouldn't get it: users that wants to run high end games at high resolution or someone that needs a high end processing power for video. For those that want more power for a similar amount of money or less, a desktop will be more powerful and some laptops may have similar specs and price. Most users don't really need a high end processor or graphics card, and this processor and integrated graphics are mighty good. Who should get this? Anyone that doesn't mind paying a premium for a small, elegant, and very fast computer for routine office work, video playback, and general games, and fun. It is great in an office environment, which applies to my usage, where space is at a premium. It takes much less room than a tower and there is no maintenance involved. It is wicked fast for most routine tasks, using the newest RAM and solid state hard drive. For a previous generation NUC, I had an accident in which nearly an entire cup of coffee spilt on it, seeping right through. After I opened it up and dried it out, it worked fine. As I said, little to no problems with these things. To get it running, you need a copy of Windows 10, DDR4 laptop RAM and an M.2 SSD.

First off this is not a replacement for a full-blown gaming machine. If you plan on replacing your LGA2011 6-core Intel X99 i7 with this computer, you're going to be very disappointed. The skull canyon integrated graphics are not going to be able to beat an Nvidia 1080 GTX, or even the 750 GTX. What this computer is is a much more expendable laptop type computer, simply without the built-in screen. It will play most games pretty well, but it is not an ultimate gamers paradise. This machine shines at being a very small form factor computer with a great CPU and the ability to drive multiple large displays. Additionally, it is hugely expandable supporting both thunderbolt and USB 3.0 devices, as well as having multiple M2 slots - Sporting both NVMe and SSD (AHCI) support. Aside from the graphics and the thunderbolt support this machine adds support for 32 GB of RAM to the NUC line-up. It also comes with all of the hardware to mount it behind a monitor (VESA mount). The great advantage overall is that this unit is highly expandable, has a super small foot print, and low power utilization (even at peek utilization). In my case I'm using them to run a VMware ESXi 6.0 cluster, with a vCenter appliance and a vRO / vRA lab. If you need a decent, extremely small footprint, computer that is hugely expandable, AND you don't need a classic workstation... this is a great alternative.

Tenía dudas acerca de pedir productos electrónicos, que tiene que pasar por aduana en México, sobre todo como había una reseña muy negativa ara este producto con la entrega. En mi caso el transporte y su rastreo fueron super eficiente. Me di de alta en DHL para recibir notificaciones y efectivamente había un pequeño "delay no controlable" en aduana. Pero en cuestión de 24 horas esto se resolvió y el producto llegó dentro del tiempo indicado en la página. El NUC es un gran producto, bastante potente y muy compacto. No es necesariamente para gaming (30fps) no es gran cosa, pero para algo si sirve. Pero si uno lo ve como una PC de escritorio o servidor casero está muy bueno. Gamers si buscan algo compacto, creo que lo encuentran mejor con ZOTAC. En este producto se puede agregar un GPU externo, pero creo que ni sale económico y dudo que sea más que un parche. Para todo lo demás hay un incremento de performance considerable en la 6 generación del i7 comparado con modelos anteriores y eso incluye la GPU integrado. Es bastante compacto, dejando aún así muy buen espacio para agregar dos discos duros (M2) y los RAMs. Es una PC de alto rendimiento, e incluso se debe de considerar sino es demasiado (hay NUC con i5 e i3 que dan también buen rendimiento, a menor precio) Los interfaces externos que he probado, todo está a mi entera satisfacción y aún me falta probar algunas como el NFC que trae. Corre bien en Linux y Windows y tiene un BIOS bastante confortable. El ventilador si se escucha aunque bajito. Colocando el NUC a tras del monitor, creo que no se percibirá casi. Se calienta algo el chassis pero muy manejable. Hubiera querido acceder la CPU, pero dudo que se pueda. No lo he probado en todo caso. Para mi es un buen balance entre configurar un equipo y comprar pre-configurado ya que deja opciones y solamente trae una base. Es sin problemas y superfácil armarlo.

ヘビーユーザーでは無いので、十分な性能です

Easy to set up, powerful, and compact. Works extremely well.

Adquirí recientemente este producto debido a su formato. Me dedico a una empresa de streaming y me resulta sumamente útil debido a que antes llevaba mi gabinete que pesa alrededor de 30 kg. He realizado streamings con Wirecast a tres cámaras y va genial. Le adapté además una tarjeta capturadora de video (Ultrstudio mini recorder) cuya entrada es Thunderbolt 2 y a través de un adaptador para thunderbolt 3 (StarTech TBT3TBTADAP Adaptador Thunderbolt 3 a Thunderbolt) lo pude conectar sin problemas.

Great one. Bought one for my dad. Waiting the next generation of this model for myself. Oh, be careful for the 4 case screws, don't use force like it is very easy to break the base.