Intel NUC 13 Extreme, the latest iteration of the Next Unit of Computing (NUC) series of small form factor computers, brings the best from the company. The product showcases ambition, power, and beauty in the engineering, specifications, and design aspects of the computing product. The company first announced the Intel NUC 13 Extreme in November 2022 with the latest 13th-gen Intel Core desktop processors. Code-named Raptor Canyon, the latest generation NUC brings some of the latest technologies to buyers like DDR5, PCIe Gen-5, Wi-Fi 6E and more.
NUC computing devices offer one of the easiest ways for gamers and enthusiasts to get small-form-factor (SFF) pre-built PCs. Multiple mainstream companies have jumped in the mix in recent years to create mini-PCs. However, most of these big names are absent in the SFF space. This void of reputable brands leaves gamers and enthusiasts no choice but to research and build SFF PCs themselves. Given the existing gap and buyers’ affinity to go the pre-built route in India, is Intel NUC 13 Extreme enough to pull them towards a pre-built PC? Let’s find out in our review of the NUC 13 Extreme Raptor Canyon here.
Specifications of the Intel NUC 13 Extreme Raptor Canyon
Intel India shared one of the top-end NUC 13 Extreme kits for this review. Here are the complete specifications for our review unit.
Intel NUC 13 Extreme Review Unit
| Component | Model |
|---|---|
| CPU | 13th-Gen Intel Core i9-13900K (16 Cores- 8 Performance and 8 Efficiency Cores) |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti with 12GB GDDR6 memory |
| RAM | 2×16GB DDR5 @ 4800MT/s |
| Chipset | Intel Z690 |
| Storage | 2×1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD by Kingston |
| OS | Windows 11, 64-bit |
| Ports | Rear (2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1 with support for 4K at 60FPS, 6x USB 3.2 Gen-2 Type-A ports), Front (2x USB 3.2 Gen-1 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.2 Gen-2 2×2 Type-C port) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Intel 2.5 GbE RJ45, Marvell 10GbE RJ45, Bluetooth v5.2 |
| Audio | Rear (7.1 Digital, 3x 3.5mm port), Front (1x 3.5mm port) |
| PSU | Fully Modular 750W 80+ Gold SFX |
Variants, price in India, and availability
Intel NUC 13 Extreme currently comes in two variants, one with the Core i9 13900K and the second with Core i7-13700K. Looking at GPUs, the device can fit a range of models from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel Arc. However, considering the limited space, the company has laid out strict guidelines about a triple-slot card. Looking at the GeForce RTX 4000 series of cards that range anywhere from 3 to 4.5 slots in width, one can only look at RTX 3000 series GPUs (or lower-end 4000 series cards).
The NUC 13 Extreme is currently not on sale in India, and Intel is currently looking to bring the device to the market. But it is likely that Intel NUC 13 Extreme won’t be cheap in India. Configuring a unit close to our model amounted to about £3828 (INR 3,82,730 at the time of writing) on SimplyNUC with a RTX 3080 instead of RTX 3080 Ti. Tariffs related to import in India could easily push the price to INR 4.15 Lakhs for the top model.
Performance
Raptor Canyon Gaming performance
The 13th-Gen Intel Core i9-13900K CPU and Asus GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU were enough to chew through everything. In terms of specifications, we would have loved a GeForce RTX 4000 Series GPU, but SFF case made things challenging. Regardless, the included RTX 3080 Ti offered ample horsepower to meet our gaming requirements. Unsurprisingly, the Intel NUC 13 Extreme passed all our gaming and synthetic benchmarks with excellence. Talking about some of the most demanding games, Raptor Canyon managed more than 98 FPS on average in Cyberpunk 2077 at maxed-out settings at FHD resolution without DLSS or VSync. The NUC averaged anywhere from 110 to above 150 FPS depending on the game without breaking any sweat.
As part of our gaming benchmark suite, we played the most popular and intensive titles out there including Cyberpunk 2077, GTA V, Hitman 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and more. The list also included Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, Gears 5, Forza Horizon 5, Far Cry 5, Total War Saga: Troy and Borderlands 3. We also saw crashes while trying to play Doom Eternal because of issues related to Vulkan.
Benchmarks
While pushing the NUC 13 Extreme with synthetic benchmarks, we got a similar result to what we saw in gaming. The device exceeded our expectations, even with the SFF design and a radiator with just two 120mm fans instead of a beefier three 120mm fan setup. As part of our roster, we ran a range of benchmarks from Geekbench 5 to Cinebench R23, PCMark 10, 3DMark, and Intel Xtreme Tuning Utility.
As you can see in our chart, the Intel Core i9 13900K manages to beat the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by a very small margin. Though it won’t amount to much while gaming, a win is a win. Intel is likely to increase this difference with its recently launched Intel Core i9 13900KS with up to 6.0GHz clock speeds.
Thermals on Intel NUC 13 Extreme
If you are waiting for something out of the character for this review here, then you would be disappointed, as NUC 13 Extreme did quite well for thermals. Like any computing device, the CPU throttled when put under synthetic load with peak temperatures of up to 98-degree Celsius. But the device managed an average of 62-degree Celsius for the CPU and 65-degree Celsius for the GPU, with a hot spot temperature of about 76-degree Celsius.
It is worth noting that these temperatures are expected to rise during summers, as we reviewed our device at the start of winter season in New Delhi. This means cooler ambient temperature of about 25-Degree Celsius than the summer season.
Design, features, and software
Engineering and design are among the stand-out features of the Intel NUC 13 Extreme. Though the computing device does not look as attractive, the modular, mesh-filled case does make it up with the performance it offers. The mesh design does result in the NUC looking quite dusty with nominal use in the sub-continental region. This means that you need to regularly take off the mesh panels and clean them to ensure the NUC is as tidy as possible. Opening the NUC, it is evident that the engineers have taken inspiration from Origami art to pack it as densely as possible.
The packaging also comes with Wi-Fi antennas to offer a stellar wireless connection range to NUC 13 Extreme. As noted above, the device features the latest cutting-edge technology including DDR5 RAM, PCIe Gen-5, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E and more.
On the software side of things, the Windows 11 Pro installation on the device is relatively bloat-free with only select pre-installed Intel software including the Intel NUC Studio. It allows buyers to tweak the performance profile and LED lighting zones, along with the ability to monitor system internals.
Yet again, Intel has delivered an impressive case-study of merging impressive engineering with utilitarian design for ultimate performance. It is the ideal pre-built for gamers and/or content creators who want a small form factor (SFF) computing device with the best performance out there. The Intel NUC 13 Extreme will match all your gaming and productivity needs unless you are looking for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs and the extra graphics horsepower. If you are, then a compact package like the NUC is not the right fit for you.
It is likely that you will want to wait for the Intel Core i9 13900KS if you love the bleeding edge. But the NUC may not have enough cooling capacity to cool the 6.0GHz processor and get all the performance 13900KS has to offer. If you are looking for the best gaming performance that money can buy and don’t mind building it yourself or don’t have any space constraints. Then, we would suggest you wait for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 7000X3D series of desktop processors. Otherwise, Intel NUC 13 Extreme is the way to go.
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