Asus Crams RTX 5080 into 3-Liter Box for $4,400: A Brief Overview
Asus launched the ROG NUC 16 in China with a staggering specification: an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU packed into a 3-liter chassis.
Key Takeaways:
- Price: Starts at CNY 29,999 (approximately $4,400) for the black edition; CNY 31,999 ($4,700) for Moonlight White.
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (24 cores, 8P + 16E, 40MB L2 cache).
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU (Blackwell architecture), supporting DLSS 4.5 and up to 1,334 AI TOPS.
- Memory & Storage: Up to 128GB DDR5-6400 via two slots, up to 9TB total storage (M.2 PCIe 5.0 + two PCIe 4.0 slots).
- Connectivity: Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5GbE LAN.
- Cooling: Three-fan system with dual vapour chamber, operating at under 38 dBA at full load.
- Design: Smaller than a PlayStation 5 (282.4 x 189.5 x 56.5mm), toolless design for upgrades, removable stand.
Performance Gain:
Despite the impressive specs, the performance gain is relatively modest—only about 2.3% according to Asus’s benchmarks over the previous ROG NUC 15 model. This leads to a significant price increase from $3,200 to around $4,000 (expected US retail).
Considerations:
The RAM crisis in 2026 contributes to the high price tag. While powerful, the ROG NUC 16 raises questions about whether the performance gain justifies its cost given the limited space and mobility benefits.