The Intel NUC12WSKi7 Pro Kit is just one of over 30 Intel Core 12’s.^th and 13^th The next generation NUC (Next Unit of Computing) offers desktop power in a small, almost square black box measuring 117 x 112 mm.

They are widely used as desktop replacements, media centers, signage servers, and anywhere a Windows PC (or Red Hat Linux or Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) is needed.

Let’s take a look at some of the Intel NUC options

Processor (Intel Core)

i9-13900K Processor (36M Cache, up to 5.80 GHz)
i7-13700K Processor (30M Cache, up to 5.40 GHz)
i5-13600K Processor (24M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz)
i9-12900 processor (30M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz)
i7-12700H Processor (24M Cache, up to 4.70 GHz)
i7-1270P Processor (18M Cache, up to 4.80 GHz)
i7-1260P Processor (18M Cache, up to 4.70 GHz)
i5-1250P Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)
i5-1240P Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)
i3-1220P Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)

Ram option

2 x SO-DIMM DDR4 and DDR5 to 64GB (LPDDR4/5 for Gen 13)

port option

Thunderbolt 3 or 4
USB-C 4.0 or 3.2 Gen 2
HDMI 2.0 or 2.1
DP 1.4

communication

Wi-Fi 6E AX (M2 slot)
Wi-Fi 6AX
Bluetooth 5.1 or 5.2

chassis

Standard height 37mm for SSD (M2.2280) only (supports Intel Optane)
51mm height for SSD and 2.5 inch SATA HDD
Full PC with memory, SSD and Windows
Processor only kit.

As you can see, one review doesn’t tell the whole story.

Australian Review: Intel NUC12WSKi7 Pro Kit (and more popular NUCs)

website	NUC page and review product page
price	12^th Gen barebones kits starting under $400. NUC12WSKi7-1260P kit $999, LPDDR4 memory and SSD
from	Scorptec has most of the current range and most computer stores can order what you need.
guarantee	1 year ACL
country of manufacture	China
company	Intel (Est 1968) is an American company that develops and manufactures x86 CPUs and supplies most PC manufacturers. It also diversifies into a vast range of complementary fields.
more	CyberShack Intel News and Reviews

Use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meet expectations), Exceed (exceed expectations or be a class leader) for many of the following: We sometimes give a pass “+” rating to indicate that it is good, but never outright over. Most images can be enlarged by clicking on them.

First impressions – NUC, NUC, NUC

We purchased our first Intel NUC with Celeron processors in 2013 to enable onsite computing in the meetings we organized.So good I ended up replacing all my bulky mini towers with them.^th8^thand 10^th Mainly used for media center and testing work. They have been running his 24/7 and have never had a failure.

Many have copied NUC designs, but Intel is the original and the best. It offers so many form factors.

Since our review unit is a standard 37mm height and has two SSD slots, we no longer need the 51mm height version for SATA HDDs.

Easy to upgrade options. 4 screws on the base open and everything is easy to install.

Some models have HDMI, Ethernet, Thunderbolt/USB-C, USB-A on the back, and USB ports on the front.

It is often VESA-mounted behind a monitor and its small design allows it to be used anywhere.

Intel NUC12WSKi7 Pro Kit Base Specifications (Reviewed)

Intel 12th Gen Core i7-1260P. 3.4/4.7GHz, 28-65W TDP with 4 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores (16 threads). Supports virtualization. GeekBench 5 single/multi-core 1696/9490)
Dual SO-DIM slots for dual channel. (2) Up to 64 GB of DDR4/DDR5 RAM (review unit has 2x8GB DDR4-3200)
SSD PCIe Gen 3 or 4 x4 of any size (review unit Kingston SKC2500M8500G PCIe Gen 3 x4 Sequential Read/Write 3511/2551MBps).Includes full size NVMe M2.2280 and half size M2.2242 B-Key SATA
Xe Graphics 96 EU (OpenCL 17,499, Vulkan 16,419) supporting four 4K@60Hz external displays
gigabit ethernet
HDMI 2.1 4K@60Hz (2 in 51mm height unit)
2 x Thunderbolt 4 (backward compatible USB-C 4.0/3.2/3.0)
3x USB-A 3.2 and 1x USB-A 2.0
Wi-Fi 6E AX (1201 Mbps full duplex at 5 GHz – I didn’t connect to the 6 GHz band)
The power supply is 20V/6W/120W, but in normal use it typically draws 12-25W, maxing out at 64-100W under load. Each USB-C port provides 5V/3A/15W.
Noise: There is a small fan of 30-44dB. At full load, the CPU temperature reaches 90°, but it’s okay to touch the case. Under extreme stress, it reverts to 40W.

Test – Pass+

We usually test keyboards, speakers, etc., but a NUC is a NUC. It’s up to you to customize.

Case: Easy to open, VESA mountable
Heat: within normal range
Repair: All modular for easy repair
Connectivity: Add the ports you need, two Thunderbolt 4 ports
Game: Inappropriate
Office Productivity: Very Good
Media Center: very good, supports DV/DA passthrough
Expansion: 2 x Thunderbolt 4, via dock

CyberShack’s take – Intel NUC12WSKi7 Pro Kit – but any Gen 12 or 13 NUC is great

The Intel NUC12WSKi7 Pro Kit (and its many variations) make great office PCs, especially for VESA mounts.

There are many competitors, but this one is the original and the best in many ways.

Remember that you have choices. Choose the model that suits you.

Evaluation description

Features: 95 – Nothing missing from 12th and 13th generations
Value: 90 – A little pricey, but many people buy kits to save costs
Performance: 85 – Office and Media Center Level
Ease of Use – 90 – Plug and Play
Design: 90s – Timeless

Professional

Windows 11 OEM (medialess) is easy to buy online (just need a digital activation key and an ISO download from Microsoft)

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