Intel NUC 13 Pro “Arena Canyon” is a mini PC with up Intel Core i7-1370P

Intel has been selling small form-factor desktop computers under the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) brand for over a decade. The line has expanded over the years to include higher-performance gaming systems, low-power hardware, and even laptops. But the core product continues to be Intel’s line of “4-by-4-inch” computers.

And now Intel is launching its first 4×4 computer powered by the company’s 13th-gen chips. The Intel NUC 13 Pro, also known by the code name “Arena Canyon,” is a mini PC powered by a 35-watt Intel Raptor Lake-P processor.

Physically the new models look a lot like last year’s NUC 12 Pro “Wall Street Canyon” systems. But Intel has swapped out the 12th-gen chips for 13th-gen processors which should bring a modest performance boost while also improving efficiency.

According to a review by AnandTech, Intel seems to have taken advantage of those improvements, with the new NUC 13 Pro offering noticeable gains in performance-per-watt. Intel has also increased the number of SKUs available: Arena Canyon systems are available with a choice of processors including:

• Intel Core i3-1315U or Core i3-1315UE
• Intel Core i5-1340P or Core i5-1340PE
• Intel Core i7-1360P
• Intel Core i5-1350P with vPro or Core i5-1350PE with vPro
• Intel Core i7-1370P with vPro or Core i7-1370PE with vPro

The company will also offer a choice of “NUC 13 Pro Mini PCs” that come with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD or “NUC 13 Pro Kits” which ship as barebones computers with no memory, storage, or operating systems. Customers will also be able to pick up just an NUC 13 Pro motherboard if they want to bring their own case.

Most versions are available in “slim” or “tall” form factors: tall models have room for a 2.5 inch hard drive or SSD and M.2 2280 slot for a PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD plus an M.2 2242 slot that can be used for PCIe x1 Gen 3 storage. Slim slim models are a little smaller and only have the M.2 slots.

Some features that are common across the board include:

• 2 x SODIMM slots for up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 memory
• 2 x Thunderbolt 4 ports
• 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet port (Intel i226-LM)
• 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports
• 1  x USB 2.0 Type-A port
• 2 x HDMI 2.1 ports
• 1 x 3.5mm audio jack

NUC 13 Kits and Mini PC systems also come with a WiFi 6E & Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card, but customers who opt for a mainboard will need to provide their own wireless card (if they want one).

Intel says retail prices for its NUC 13 Pro Kits and Mini PCs should range from $340 to $1,080, depending on the configuration options.

Intel isn’t the first company to introduce a mini PC with 13th-gen Intel Core processor options. ASRock and Simply NUC have already launched similarly-sized computers with support for Raptor Lake-P chips. But Intel’s NUC 13 Pro series stands out due to the sheer number of options. The complete Intel Arena Canyon lineup consists of 38 products, including 8 boards, 6 Mini PCs, and 24 kits.

press release