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If the new Asus NUC 15 Pro and NUC 15 Pro+ look familiar, that’s because the physical design hasn’t changed much since Asus introduced the NUC 14 Pro and Pro+ last year. But under the hood the company has made a bunch of changes.
The 2025 lineup will ship with Intel Core Ultra 200H “Arrow Lake” processors rather than Core Ultras 100H “Meteor Lake” chips. And Asus says the thermals of the new systems have been updated for quieter performance.
| NUC 15 Pro | NUC 15 Pro+ | |
| Processor | Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 200H (Arrow Lake) | |
| RAM | Up to 96GB total DDR5-6400 2 x SODIMM slots |
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| Storage | 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 1 x M.2 2242 PCIe x4 NVMe 1 x 2.5 inch SATA support (Tall models only) |
1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 1 x M.2 2242 PCIe x4 NVMe |
| Front I/O | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20 Gbps) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x Kensington lock |
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20 Gbps) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A |
| Rear I/O | 2 x Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A 2 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet(Intel i226V/LM) 1 x DC power input |
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A 2 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet(Intel i226V/LM) 1 x DC power input 1 x Kensington lock |
| Dimensions | 117 x 112 x 54mm (tall) 117 x 112 x 37mm (short) |
114 x 112 x 41mm |
Intel’s Arrow Lake-H processors have the same 11 TOPS NPU as Meteor Lake chips, so unlike the Lunar Lake-powered Asus NUC 14 Pro AI, these systems won’t meet the minimum specifications to qualify as Microsoft Copilot+ PCs. But thanks to a big boost in Intel Arc integrated graphics, Asus says its Arrow Lake-H chips can deliver up to 2.5X the AI performance of a Meteor Lake processor. You should also see an uplift in CPU and graphics performance.
That might not be enough to justify upgrading from an NUC 14 Pro to an NUC 15 Pro, especially since the new models have the same physical design and the same port selection. But the new models should be a bit more attractive for customers looking to upgrade from an older PC.
As for whether the NUC line of computers are worth the asking price at all, that’s another question that has a slightly more complicated answer.
When Ian reviewed the NUC 14 Pro, he found that it offered decent all-around performance, but he was disappointed at the relatively high price tag when compared with the latest mini PCs from companies like Beelink, GEEKOM, MINISFORUM.
I got a chance to as an Asus representative what the value proposition of an NUC is in 2025 when there are so many lower-cost options available. And it generally boils down to reliability and support.
Asus does a lot of validation testing on its systems for temperature, humidity, vibration, and shock resistance. The company also uses higher-quality, name-brand components for memory and storage – some Chinese mini PCs ship with parts from companies you’ve never heard of, while Asus will typically use components from companies like Samsung, SK Hynix. or Micron. And that allows the company to offer a 3-year warranty on its products, which you won’t get from most of the smaller companies that have entered the mini PC space in recent years.
Asus also provides its own MyAsus app for downloading driver updates, controlling fan speed presets, and other functions, which is something smaller companies often don’t do.
Asus also has a larger presence in Western markets, which means that if you do need to send in a computer for repair you won’t foot the bill for shipping it to China. And for business and enterprise customers, the company offers models with Intel vPro chips and software that allows IT professionals to manage a fleet of computers.
Of course, unlike Intel when it was managing the NUC brand, Asus doesn’t only offer Intel-powered systems with features like vPro and Thunderbolt. The company also has AMD-powered systems like the new ExpertCenter PN54, which may be a more affordable option, even though it has some features that the latest NUC systems lack (like two full-sized M.2 2280 slots and dual 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports).