– Cheaper alternative to NUC 16 Pro with Intel Wildcat Lake processors
– First “Cloud PC” device designed for Windows 365, requiring constant online connection
– Available with Windows 365, Windows 11 Home, or Windows 11 Pro
– Base model includes 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, supports up to 64 GB RAM and 2 TB storage
– Pricing and availability still unknown
Asus’s New Mini PC Revealed
Asus presented the NUC 16 today at Computex 2026 in Taipei. In short, the NUC 16 is a cheaper alternative to the existing NUC 16 Pro (curr. $599) with Intel Wildcat Lake processors. By contrast, the NUC 16 Pro comes with up to the Core Ultra X9 388H from Intel’s Panther Lake generation.
Cloud-Focused Version Announced
At the same time, the company has unveiled the NUC 16 for Windows 365. In a press release, Asus describes the latter as its ‘first Cloud PC device’, adding that the NUC 16 for Windows is a purpose-built solution designed for seamless integration with Windows 365. By shifting the entire desktop experience to the cloud, this device eliminates the risks associated with local data storage while providing a secure, responsive, and familiar environment.
From that wording, it seems that the NUC 16 for Windows 365 operates entirely in the cloud and must always be online to function. However, Asus’ mentions that the mini-PC will be available with Windows 365 or Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro. Unfortunately, the company has not clarified further yet.
Specifications and Pricing Details
Setting that aside, the NUC 16 for Windows 365 will be available with the Core 3 304. The slowest option in Intel’s Wildcat Lake family, the Core 3 304 features a single Cougar Cove P-Core and four Darkmont LP E-cores. Also, the processor contains an iGPU with 1 Xe3 core. According to Asus, the NUC 16 for Windows 365 supports up to 64 GB of RAM and 2 TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage, too. Only 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage will be included, though. Pricing and availability remain unknown for now, just like the regular NUC 16.
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