Intel NUC 12 Extreme review: A powerful DIY mini-desktop for creators and gamers alike

engadget.com:

Intel's quest to deliver the perfect mini-desktop continues with the NUC 12 Extreme, its latest "next unit of computing" DIY kit. Code-named "Dragon Canyon," it's basically a slightly upgraded version of last year's NUC 11 Extreme, which was notable for being the first of its kind that could fit a full-sized desktop graphics card. Now it has Intel’s hybrid 12th-gen desktop processors, which promise to be a huge upgrade over last year's CPUs. While this latest kit is still a bit cramped – and it can easily get expensive once you add your own RAM, SSD and GPU – the NUC 12 Extreme proves that Intel is clearly committed to the world of tiny desktops. And with Apple's Mac Studio coming soon, it may be more compelling than ever for PC creators.

Given how much effort Intel put into developing a large NUC case last year, it's not too surprising that the NUC 12 Extreme shares the same 8-liter housing. It's large enough to fit in a 12-inch graphics card, but the rest of its interior is tightly packed with its power supply and Compute Unit, a removable card that houses its CPU, three NVMe SSD connections and two RAM slots. It's clearly a case meant for gaming enthusiasts, with the telltale sign being the RGB LED skull up front and additional lighting underneath. The NUC 12 Extreme is basically the PC equivalent to a Honda Civic souped up for street racing: It can't exist without a bit of bling.

Despite its small stature, the NUC's case has just about all the connectivity you'd want from a desktop. Up front, there’s a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.1 Type-A socket, an SDXC card slot and a headphone jack. And on the back of the Compute Card, there are two more Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, six USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0b