In a video demonstration of the technologies it announced during CES 2022, Intel unveiled the NUC 12 Extreme Dragon Canyon, the brand’s new computing element for mini PCs based on the 12th generation Alder Lake. In addition to the processing upgrade, the novelty stands out for the adoption of a socket for desktop CPUs, a remarkable achievement considering the device’s proposal.
Intel NUC 12 Extreme for mini PC will have desktop CPU
The NUC Extreme family is Intel’s bet on a new modular computer format, in which the main processing elements are united on a board with a PCI Express connection, allowing for easier upgrades. The NUC 11 Extreme, codenamed Beast Canyon, was the first big bet in this format, bringing 11th generation Tiger Lake processors in a set with notebook components, such as the cooling system and SODIMM memories.
The new NUC 12 Extreme, codenamed Dragon Canyon, takes the proposition one step further by replacing the low-power soldered CPU with an LGA1700 socket, same as used by the 12th-gen Alder Lake family in desktops.
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Therefore, it would theoretically be possible to install any of the models announced by the brand in recent months, but considering the thermal limitations, even with the presence of a vapor chamber, it is most likely that there is only compatibility with the Alder Lake-S series, without overclocking and with consumption limited to 117 W. Intel only confirmed that Dragon Canyon will support components up to Core i9, without specifying the variant.
First LGA Socket for NUC👀 pic.twitter.com/rtwpLhwfVF
— HXL (@9550pro) January 2, 2022
The addition of the socket is impressive, and it’s great news for enthusiasts looking to invest in more compact machines, but it’s hardly a surprise — the leaker @9550Pro a photo of the interior of the NUC 12 Extreme had already been leaked on Twitter, showing an Alder Lake CPU installed in the computing element.
News arrives this quarter
The booth used by Intel to demonstrate the new Dragon Canyon also confirmed some of the device’s specs and details. Despite the socket, the module uses SODIMM RAM slots, smaller and more common in notebooks, supporting up to 64 GB in DDR4 standard at 3,200 MT/s — the absence of DDR5 memories can be justified by the price and scarcity of compatible components with the new protocol.
Other highlights include Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 10 Gigabit LAN ports, three M.2 ports for NVMe PCI-E 4.0 SSDs, HDMI and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports with 10Gbps transfer speed, and Thunderbolt 4 with 40 Gbps transfers. The NUC 12 Extreme Dragon Canyon hits the market in the first quarter of 2022.
