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The first generation of Intel’s NUC (Next Unit of Computing) was released in 2013, but the product wasn’t officially announced until 2012. The fact that we’ve made it to the thirteenth generation in just ten years is evidence of how quickly these gadgets evolve. However, they are still not up to date with other technologies, despite Intel’s best efforts.
An NUC 13 Pro with a Core i7-1360P “Arena Canyon” processor, 32GB of DDR4, and an NVMe drive were tested for this article. Intel manufactures these computers with a wide variety of processor choices and as barebones solutions without any system memory or storage.
Intel NUC 13 Pro Specifications
Specification | Details |
---|---|
Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i7 |
Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
Memory | Up to 64GB DDR4 RAM |
Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2 |
Ports | 4 x Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB 3.2, HDMI 2.0 |
Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
Dimensions | 221mm x 140mm x 42mm |
Weight | 1.4 kg |
Intel NUC 13 Pro: Design

Intel sent us the NUC13ANKi7 SKU in the ‘Slim’ case for review. While a VESA bracket to connect it to the back of a monitor wasn’t included with ours, it is included with the retail version. The case isn’t very different from the NUC 12 or 11. It has grills on the side to bring in fresh air, which is then pushed out through a number of slots along the top back edge after being heated inside.
On the front, there are two USB ports, a headphone jack, and the power button. On the back, there are all the other ports. As you can see, connecting a monitor, LAN, and other USB or Thunderbolt devices can make the back of the NUC a busy place. Even though this design is called Thunderbolt, Intel didn’t use a USB-C power source. Instead, the PSU has a proprietary barrel connector.
Intel NUC 13 Pro: Connectivity
The Intel NUC 13 Pro has a lot of connections for different kinds of work. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back of the unit are one of its best features. Both of these work with USB-C 4.0 and DisplayPort 2.1. On the back of the unit, you’ll also find a full-sized HDMI port and an Ethernet port.
There are four USB ports on the device, and two of them are on the front. Three of these ports are USB 3.2 and one is USB 2.0.There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front panel, next to the two USB ports. This works with stereo music, but the NUC 13 Pro can also handle digital audio with 7.1 channels. You can buy this from its official website
Intel NUC 13 Pro: Performance

Our test computer was equipped with a Core i7-1360P, which is a twelve-core processor with four cores optimized for performance and eight cores optimized for efficiency. This chip’s performance cores allow hyperthreading, which enables it to handle 16 threads simultaneously. This chip’s performance cores.
This silicon is a natural development of the 12th Generation silicon found in the Core i5-1235U, and this design is perfect for great performance when it is needed in addition to the good thermal management that is required for enclosures that are this compact.
Final Words
If you need a computer but don’t want one that takes up too much room or uses too much power, the Intel NUC 13 Pro is a fantastic option. Standard productivity apps will run swiftly and smoothly even if you don’t have as much RAM as we did in our review unit.
Perhaps you’re hesitant to buy and install your own RAM and SSD storage since you’ve never used a NUC or comparable device before. Not everyone will like this, but these days assembly really just involves plugging together a few cords.
Intel NUC 13 Pro review: The good and The bad
The Good
- 13th Gen Intel silicon
- All classes of CPU, including vPro
The Bad
- Availability
FAQS
Keep your motherboard’s connections and settings unchanged between CPU generations; just install a new Intel NUC Element.
The latest Intel Core processors from the 13th generation give these mini PCs a big speed boost. The NUCs are great for video streaming, file sharing, and virtualization because they can hold up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory and use fast M. 2 storage.