NUC 13 Extreme supports DDR5, triple-slot GPUs

Intel has offered its small form factor NUC (Next Unit of Computing) systems for almost a decade now. Over the years they have not only become faster however but also gained weight and girth, which is especially true for the NUC Extreme models that also support dedicated graphics cards in some cases. The 12th-generation Intel NUC 12 “Dragon Canyon” also departed from soldered-on processors for the first time, allowing for socketed desktop CPUs.

Now, Intel presents the latest entry in the series. As the name suggests, the NUC 13 Extreme “Raptor Canyon” can be equipped with the latest flagship Core i9-13900K CPU in a standard LGA 1700 socket. However, it will be limited to a 125-watt power budget. In addition to the latest Raptor Lake CPUs, the memory standard is upgraded to DDR5, with support for up to two sticks that run at 5,600 MHz.

GPU support is also improved, with the chassis now being able to accommodate significantly larger graphics cards. Specifically, it will accept 313 mm long and three-slot wide cards. To supply the GPU with enough juice, an SFX power supply that provides 750 W is used, with a 12VHPWR connector and three 6+2 pin connectors.

Adding support for more power-hungry components is not without consequences though. The size of the accompanying chassis has increased significantly compared to its predecessor. It now measures 13.9 liters, though this is still far more compact than most common Mini ITX cases.

Intel’s NUC 13 Extreme Raptor Canyon will launch towards the end of the year in China, after which it will reach the rest of the world somewhere in early 2023. As far as pricing goes, the Extreme NUC kit will sell for anything from $1,179 to $1,549 USD depending on the configuration. If you only want the “Compute Element”, the prices will be between $760 and $1,100.