Smaller than a PS5 and our Best-in-Class gaming mini PC, the Asus ROG NUC drops to $3499 but it's still an absolute fortune

Date:
Fri, 21 Aug 2026 15:29:30 +0000

Description:
Earning a Best-in-Class badge from our tests, this wildly expensive gaming machine packs in Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, and 32GB DDR5.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Yes, the Asus ROG NUC is the best gaming mini PC we've tested, yes, it's smaller than the PS5. And yes, even with the ROG NUC dropping to $3499 at Amazon , this RTX 5080 configuration with 32GB DDR5 is still wildly expensive.

Still, after replacing our usual desktop with Asus' mini PC and using it for work, gaming, and even hosting a virtual tabletop session, and it came away
as one of the best compact gaming PCs we've used. A 16GB/1TB configuration of the Asus ROG NUC is also on sale for $2962 (was $3999) at Amazon . Today's
top Asus ROG NUC mini PC deal Save $400 Asus ROG NUC mini PC: was $3,899 now $3,499 at Amazon

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | 32GB DDR5 | 1TB SSD | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080

In our review, we said "This might actually be the best compact gaming PC
I've ever seen - and it's smaller than a PS5, too." It's powered by a high-performance Core Ultra 9 chip, with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU boasting 16GB GDDR7 VRAM, 32GB DDR5-6400 memory, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe 4.0 SSD. Triple-fan cooling with a dual vapor chamber, Thunderbolt 4, dual HDMI 2.1, dual DisplayPort 2.1, and support for up to five 4K displays. Chassis
measures 11.1 x 7.4 x 2.2 inches. Read more Read less View Deal Don't need 32GB RAM? The 16GB/1TB Asus ROG NUC is now $2962 (was $3999) at Amazon . Why we recommend it We tested the ROG NUC over a full week, using it as a daily driver for work and swapping it in for gaming in the evenings, running AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus alongside our full benchmark suite.

The results were consistently strong: triple-digit framerates at 1080p across the board, smooth 1440p performance with DLSS, and even 4K gaming holding steady at 60fps or better in nearly everything we threw at it.

Let's be upfront: this is still an enormous amount of money for a computer, mini PC or otherwise. But packed into a chassis smaller than a PS5 is an
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and a genuine RTX 5080 laptop GPU, delivering gaming performance that few pre-built systems this size can match.

As we noted in our 4.5-star review , what makes the ROG NUC stand out isn't just the raw numbers; it's that Asus fit genuine RTX 5080-class performance into a chassis smaller than a PS5, without the system running hot or throttling under sustained load during our testing.

The port selection is also excellent for something this size: two Thunderbolt 4 ports, six USB-A ports, dual HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, and an Ethernet jack, so you won't have to hunt for a dock to run a full desk setup. Price Context & Historical Value A $400 discount off $3,899 works out to about 10 percent, a solid but not enormous cut given how expensive this system is to begin with. We won't pretend $3,499 is anything other than a lot of money,
but for a legitimate RTX 5080 gaming system in this form factor, it's priced reasonably against full-size pre-built desktops with comparable specs, which routinely run just as high or higher.

For more savings, we've picked out some eGPU-compatible mini PCs below, and every week we chart the best mini PC deals we've found. Should you buy it? Buy the Asus ROG NUC (2025) if...

You want genuine RTX 5080-class gaming performance in a footprint smaller
than a PS5, you're a content creator who needs serious power without giving
up desk space, or you want a system with enough Thunderbolt and USB ports to run a full peripheral setup without a dock.

Skip the Asus ROG NUC (2025) if...

You're on any kind of tight budget, since this is still a $3,499 computer,
you want a system that stays whisper-quiet under full gaming load, or you'd rather build a similarly specced full-size desktop for potentially less
money. The Catch: What to know before you buy There's no getting around it: this is still an outrageous amount of money for a PC, mini or otherwise, and it will be out of reach for most PC gamers regardless of the discount. The fans also get genuinely loud under sustained gaming load in our testing, so a headset is worth budgeting for, and upgradability is limited mostly to RAM
and storage rather than the GPU itself, which is soldered in as part of the compact design. Also consider: More mini PC deals If you want to save a
little more, these mini PC deals all feature OCuLink or USB4 ports for connecting an external GPU for gaming, video editing, and other
graphics-heavy tasks. Save $310 GMKtec K16 mini PC: was $949.99 now $639.99
at Amazon

The GMKtec K16 mini PC delivers Ryzen 7 7735HS performance with 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. Featuring OCuLink eGPU support, triple-display output,
dual 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, and USB4, its a versatile compact system for
gaming and creative workloads.

Read our full review Read more Read less View Deal Save $100 Geekom A8 Max mini PC: was $1,099 now $999 at Amazon

The A8 MAX packs Ryzen 9 8945HS power, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD into a compact mini PC. With USB4, dual 2.5GbE LAN, and 8K output, its built for AI, design, gaming, and productivity.

Read our full review Read more Read less View Deal Save $620 GMKtec EVO-T1 AI mini PC: was $1,899.99 now $1,279.99 at Amazon

Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor, this GMKtec mini PC pairs 32GB DDR5 memory with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, OCuLink, three M.2 slots, and support for four 8K displays.

Read our full review Read more Read less View Deal Save $300 GMKtec K8 Plus mini PC: was $1,199.99 now $899.99 at Amazon

The K8 Plus packs a Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for gaming, editing, and demanding workloads. With OCuLink eGPU support, dual 2.5GbE LAN, USB4, and 8K display output, its a powerful compact desktop alternative.

Read our full review Read more Read less View Deal Save $90 Geekom A8 mini PC: was $689 now $599 at Amazon

Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, this mini PC packs 16GB DDR5 memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, USB4, WiFi 6E, 2.5G LAN, and supports up to 8K displays.

Read our full review Read more Read less View Deal See all mini PC deals at Amazon .



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