Intel has quietly added two new mini PCs to its NUC lineup… and they’re powered by two previously unannounced processors.
The new Intel NUC8i3BEHSÂ packs an Intel Core i3-8140U processor, while the Intel NUC8i5BEHS has a Core i5-8260U chip.
Both of these computers are being positioned as part of the Bean Canyon family that first launched in 2018, but these are “Bean Canyon Lite” systems since they feature less impressive CPU and GPU performance.
The processors in the new Bean Canyon Lite NUCs are 14nm, 15-watt processors that appear to be part of Intel’s 8th-gen Core product lineup. With model numbers ending in 0 rather than 5, these are probably Kaby Lake Refresh chips rather than Whiskey Lake.
Here’s what we know about the new chips so far:
- Core i3-8140U: 2-cores/4 threads // 2.1 GHz base/3.9 GHz turbo
- Core i5-8260U: 4-cores/8-threads // 1.6 GHz base/3.9 GHz turbo
Both processors support up to 64GB of DDR4-2400 memory, feature Intel UHD 620 graphics, and support for up to three external displays through a combination of HDMI 2.0a and DisplayPort 1.2/USB-C ports.
In other words, the new Bean Canyon Lite NUCs fill a small niche in Intel’s line of current-gen NUC products. The recently launched Provo Canyon lineup with Whiskey lake chips should offer slightly better performance, while the new Frost Canyon NUC with up to a hexa-core Intel Core i7-10710U Comet Lake processor should be even better, while still featuring a small form-factor body.
Fanless Tech speculates that Bean Canyon Lite might be Intel’s response to the limited supply of cheaper June Canyon NUC systems with 10 watt Intel Gemini Lake processors.
But putting the new system in the same line as the former Bean Canyon NUC is an interesting choice — the original Bean Canyon systems are still some of the most powerful Intel NUC computers to date (not counting the gaming/workstation-specific models like Skull Canyon, Hades Canyon, and Ghost Canyon).
Original Bean Canyon NUC models came with a choice of Intel Core i3-8109U, Core i5-8259U, or Core i7-8559U chips. Those are all 28W processors with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655.
via FanlessTech
I’ve lost track of all these canyons…
What’s worse is that I think there are 3 canyons with 8xxxu processors. Intel are doing their best to confuse consumers.
Apparently they’re pumping money to personally find security vulnerabilities in Ryzen chips.
…ya know, if you can’t beat them, then spend as much money to hobble your competitor!
That’s actually untrue and completely taken out of context. The organization that found the security flaws in AMD CPUs isn’t explicitly funded by Intel for that sole purpose. They are funded by multiple companies with the mandate of finding security flaws in many products including Intel’s own CPU’s. Intel just happens to be one of the sponsors of the organization but they are not the only one, not by a long shot.
AMD fans have been trying to twist the narrative of that finding as some kind of Intel funded conspiracy but in reality the security flaw does exist and it wasn’t found because of Intel’s direction. It would’ve been found eventually one way or another. Everything has security flaws, there’s no need to damage control like this.