ASUS has expanded its US ROG NUC 16 lineup with a new configuration featuring NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU. Priced at $3,116.60 on Amazon, the compact gaming PC combines Intel’s Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor with 32GB of memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.
Key takeaways
- RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU with 12GB of GDDR7 memory
- Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor
- 32GB RAM and 1TB PCIe 4.0 storage
- $3,116.60 on Amazon and $3,199 through ASUS
- Compact 3-liter chassis with Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 4
The new model fills the pricing gap between the existing $2,499 RTX 5060 version and the $3,799 RTX 5080 configuration. It also provides a lower-cost route to ASUS’s highest-end Core Ultra 9 processor option in the ROG NUC 16 family.
High-end hardware in a compact design
The ROG NUC 16 uses a chassis measuring 282.4 × 189.5 × 56.5 mm and weighing approximately 3.2 kilograms. Its small footprint allows it to be positioned horizontally or vertically, with an integrated sensor adjusting cooling behavior according to the system’s orientation.
The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads, consisting of eight performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. It can boost to 5.5GHz and includes 36MB of L3 cache. Compared with the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus used in the RTX 5060 model, the processor is expected to deliver particularly stronger multi-core performance.
RTX 5070 Ti sits between two configurations
ASUS’s US lineup now includes three primary configurations:
| Configuration | Price |
|---|---|
| Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus, RTX 5060, 32GB RAM | $2,499 |
| Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM | $3,116.60 |
| Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080, 32GB RAM | $3,799 |
The RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU includes 12GB of GDDR7 memory and is positioned as a substantial step up from the RTX 5060 model. The new system therefore targets buyers who want more gaming performance than the entry configuration without paying the premium attached to the RTX 5080 version.
Expandable storage and broad connectivity
Despite its compact dimensions, the ROG NUC 16 includes two accessible M.2 storage slots: one using PCIe 5.0 and another using PCIe 4.0. The system ships with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 drive, while ASUS supports larger storage configurations through additional upgrades. Its two SO-DIMM slots also provide a path to expand the memory beyond the included 32GB, depending on the configuration and supported modules.
Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1 with UHBR20 support, a 20Gbps USB-C port, six USB-A ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Pricing and availability
The RTX 5070 Ti model is currently listed at $3,116.60 through Amazon, while ASUS’s own online store lists it at $3,199. The difference makes the Amazon configuration more attractive, particularly because it includes 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
At more than $3,100, the ROG NUC 16 remains an expensive gaming desktop. Its appeal rests mainly on combining high-end laptop-class hardware with a substantially smaller chassis than a conventional gaming PC.
Via Notebook Check