C**O
I wasn't sure what to expect... Conditionally recommended
Use caseI have a number of computers, but I needed something a little more specialized. I didn't really need another fast machine, I didn't need anything with upgrade potential, but I did need a dedicated box that I could RDP into (and I didn't want to set up a VM). The smallest PCs that I'd used up to this point had been the Shuttle lunchbox units. When I saw that the Intel NUCs came in decent configurations, I decided to give it a try.Packaging/Setup/UseAs small as the NUC is, it's not a surprise that the packaging would be small, too. The box isn't quite a cube, but it's close. The box contains the NUC, a VESA mounting plate, an external PSU, and plug attachments for the the PSU. Since there isn't much to the unit, there isn't much to setup. I slid the blanking plate off of the PSU and attached the US plug end. I plugged the PSU into the back of the NUC, attached my USB peripherals, hooked up an HDMI monitor, and turned the unit on.The OEM copy of Windows 10 went through the normal setup, albeit a bit slower than I'm used to. I'm guessing that the M.2 SSD isn't NVMe (not that raw speed is the point of these units). Though it's been a while since I setup the unit, I do think I loaded the newest Intel INF package. I think it was about 15 minutes from setup to full readiness. Budget another 15 minutes to get the Windows up to the proper patch level.PerformanceI wasn't really sure what to expect on the performance front. IGP graphics? Non-NVMe SSD? And what's this oddball CPU? As a desktop guy, I wasn't even aware that there was an i7 that was dual core. The specs sound like an E3 Xeon... right down to the L4 cache? Weird. You get some logical cores with hyperthreading... so there's that.ConclusionThe system FEELs like an i3, which isn't awful. It's not fast, but it's not slow, either. The VESA plate is a nice touch, and it makes it easy to use the NUC as a point-of-sale or kitchen PC. While The TDP of the system isn't high, I would think the longevity of the NUC would be tied to the thermal management of the unit. With a regular PC, that's not a problem, since you can always replace an HSF or PSU fan, but it is something that will ultimately make the NUC have a lifespan more akin to a laptop. If you're down for that, and see a lot of value in the form factor, you should definitely get this item. As equipped (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, etc.), it's a nice PC. If you can live with a little less performance, you can look at the i5 version, but I really wouldn't go much further down the line than that.
D**T
Never buy another desktop.
Update 01/03/2020 - After over two years this unit is still operating flawlessly. Zero issues, zero failures. It is used everyday.Update 01/19/2019. It has been over a year and the unit has performed flawlessly. I was forced to update the bios in response to a Windows update, but it went quickly and there were no issues. I do highly recommend these.Setup took about 15 minutes getting through the MS setup. Dual HD displays, 8gb memory and 512 ssd. Replaced defective Lenovo returned under warranty. Under stress you can hear the fan kick on but it is not loud. Unit can get a little warm, but I have experienced nothing more than that. This uses a wired connection, but the wireless was tested and worked with no issues. Dual core i7 coupled with the 512 ssd makes for a compelling small pc. This is the second NUC I have purchased. The first is an i5 with 8gb and 256gb ssd we use with our projector. Reason I went to this as a replacement. We take the i5 with us and we're able to hook it up to hotel room tv's with no issues. So there is also the portability factor as a plus. This i7 is mostly used as an entertainment system, everyday and office use, plus some photoshopping.
S**S
great little server
We use these as servers for running VMs or as part of a container cluster, they work great. We keep the windows recovery around and install centos (ubuntu worked fine also). Lightweight, small footprint, and the uptime has been just fine (another use case was for an authentication server which saw a fair amount of network traffic). Bios can be changed so they power on if there is a power hiccup.
A**.
About to throw it out the window
Bought two new micro computers. This, and a refurbished Lenovo Thinkcentre Tiny. This thing is a piece of crap. The mouse lags, the screen freezes. I've done every update I can think of. Just garbage. The refurbished Thinkcentre has been nothing but perfect.
E**.
At that price I didn't expect to be ripped off like that!
They put the slowest possible SATA ssd in this box. Buy the box individually and put an M2 internal drive. At that price I didn't expect to be ripped off like that!
J**S
Excellent device!
One of the best computers I ever had. Light, fast, compact, fully functional!You won’t regret to purchase it.
C**E
Could be cheaper
So the thing about this is basically someone buys the bare bones and does all the work with installing everything and sends it off towards your way, but after checking amazon for how much whatever is installed on the particular one I ordered, I could have paid at least $50 less but I do not regret paying this extra money that got a lot of the hard work done for me. I took in the cost of the NUC, a 256gb SSD, 8gb crucial ram(probably bought in the 2 packs but only install 1 per unit to make more profit), and also a windows 10 install. I paid ~800 and the subtotal that I counted came up to be ~755. This I can live with. All I had to do was plug and play.-Also I didn't check what SSD it exactly was because I did not wanna go through the hassle of taking it out
B**V
A nice little PC.
Nice. Compact. Powerful. Just what we needed to replace an aging, bulky desktop.
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