Updated 28-Jun-2024
The Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing) is a 4" x 4" board (4.5" x 4.5" x 2.0" case) integrated computer. It comes in kit (without ram or storage) or as assembled computers. With the ATX form factor going away, the NUC form factor is increasingly viable as a general purpose replacement. There are even gaming NUCs.
Intel NUC
Some NUCs are silent, though most have a fairly quiet fan. In any case, these are fully functional and take up a small amount of space on one's desk. The latest versions come with a bracket and can be attached to the back of a monitor.
Intel Compute Stick and NUC
The NUC is a small desktop computer, but Intel has something even smaller, the Intel Compute Stick.
I've had experience with a 2015 Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC, a 2017 NUC6CAYH (Celeron J3455), and now a 2019 NUC8i3BEH (i3).
First some comments about the Intel Compute Stick. This is really a highly underpowered device, and too fragile. Mine failed after 9 months and it was out of warranty due to buying it in 2016. Very sad. In any case, underpowered devices are something to avoid.
Intel NUC Line
The NUC on the other hand, has for years had a wide range of options from Atom and Celeron chips up to beefy i7s which now outperform most laptops. Also, for the Panther Canyon (NUC11) line there is now a Q case version which has a built-in wireless charging lid.
I see the future and it looks like a 2022 NUC 12. Why is that? Covid-19.
Panther Canyon (NUC11 Performance line) and Covid-19
The supply chain has been hammered and the NUC11 performance (aka mainstream/desktop) Panther Canyon model is now APAC-only. I'm not interested in the Pro models (no sdcard, no infrared, no headphone jack, no microphones, higher cost), so it really is a matter of waiting until the post-covid world (whatever that looks like, and whenever it comes).
Choosing a NUC
The key to selecting a NUC has to do with getting a good processor (i3, i5, i7 depending on use case), a good gpu, the consumer-grade bonuses (sdcard, infrared, microphones), and waiting for reviews to find out if the model is a dud or will be embraced by the enthusiasts and hackers. This is why the NUC10 performance series was so disappointing, many disadvantages over the NUC8 series showed up.
NUC Graphics
Beyond the entry-level enthusiast models, it is important to have a good graphics card and iGPU. This is not available in the NUC10i3, unfortunately, which is why the NUC8i3 is in many was a better model than the 10.
Processor Speed, Cores
For processors, it comes down to more than the number after the i, as there have been generations that are less than stellar. That said, the most recent NUC11 lineup looks solid.
Lakes and Canyons
Canyons are the names of the NUC series (e.g., entry, performance, pro, extreme), and Lakes are the names of the processor model generations. For example a NUC8i3BEH is Bean Canyon + Coffee Lake with Iris Plus Graphics 655 and a 2 core, 4 thread, 3ghz i3-8109u cpu. Quite reasonable for what it is and what it costs (~250 USD in early 2021, roughly 2.5 years after release).
Frost Canyon is the name of the NUC10 performance series. Panther Canyon is the name of the NUC11 performance series, whereas the NUC11 pro series is Tiger Canyon.
One of the challenges in the NUC10 series was getting the processor up to reasonable speeds. This is an issue with 10nm, apparently.
Xe and Iris Graphics
Xe graphics look to the the solid future of the NUC line. Xe is on both Phantom Canyon and Panther Canyon, though Phantom Canyon has a discrete graphics option. Iris Graphics are options on the earlier NUC8