- Intel has decided to stop direct investment in the NUC business
- Intel’s goals kicked off in 2012, pitting the NUC against Apple’s Mac mini
- Intel’s NUC had varying degrees of success against the Mac mini
- Despite Intel’s departure, the small form-factor effort for computers isn’t going anywhere
Intel has been making tiny PCs for a long time now, going on more than a decade, and calling the series NUC along the way. Despite stiff competition from Apple’s Mac mini, Intel’s key partners were given a $300 million fund to build small, powerful, portable devices utilizing low-voltage chips. The NUC has seen plenty of positive moments in history, including a time period when it was doing laps around the 2018 Mac mini.
Mark Walton, Intel’s EMEA comms manager of client computing and graphics, confirmed that Intel is stopping “direct investment” into the NUC business. Intel will allow “ecosystem partners” to build upon the NUC initiative and is working with partners and customers to ensure a smooth transition.
Apple has transitioned to using Apple Silicon in 2020, giving the company all the power packed inside its new chips, while maintaining the ability to keep its devices relatively light and thin. This means Intel still needs to chase Apple in this regard, focusing on even faster, more powerful chips that still run hot – not necessarily great for NUC hardware.
The end of Intel’s direct investment in the NUC business doesn’t signal the end of the small form-factor effort for computers. Apple’s transition to Apple Silicon means it has the ability to keep its devices thin and light, so the smaller form-factor effort is here to stay.
