Today’s AI models run mostly in the cloud, allowing businesses or everyday users to access AI services online through ongoing subscriptions. But for many, cloud-based AI is a non-starter due to privacy concerns, the requirement for an internet connection, or the limitations of a subscription-based system. For these users, new mini-PCs are bringing AI models down to earth. With a powerful mini-PC, businesses and content developers can run complex AI models locally thanks to specialized hardware. Cutting-edge PCs come equipped with NPU processors that are dedicated to powering generative AI models and executing complex algorithms.
Mini-PCs with NPUs are designed for business environments that lack the space for bulky desktops or a data center. They provide outsized AI computing power in a minimally sized package, with all the connectivity options and convenience of a traditional desktop. Mini-PCs are the perfect choice when you want dedicated computing power in a crowded office or industrial environment. The highest-powered mini-PCs work 24/7 to organize your IoT devices, monitor your sales and business flow, or gather and analyze data using AI.
Equipped with a full suite of connection ports, mini-PCs can also sit at the center of business computing. The latest options let you plug in a multi-monitor setup, connect all your Bluetooth peripherals, effortlessly breeze through productivity tasks, and enjoy the latest WiFi standards. And unlike a traditional desktop, you’ll hardly notice your mini-PC even when it’s working its hardest.
The same CPU that powers generative AI models can also run the graphics and processing required for elite-tier gaming. Esports professionals and gaming enthusiasts alike are always looking for rigs with quick data access and sky-high frame rates balanced by superior cooling. Many gamers opt for high-powered laptops, which are good for mobile gaming. But while laptops maintain an edge when it comes to portability, mini-PCs can offer even more connectivity, exceptional cooling, and easier integration into scenarios like an entertainment center, dorm room, or esports lab.
ASUS is expanding our lineup of mini-PCs with a broader range of the latest processors, from high-powered Intel options to graphics-ready AMD chipsets. Everyone who needs cutting-edge computing to meet the demands of the dawning age of AI — including businesses, creators, and gamers — will find something to suit their needs.
The new NUC 16 Pro is powered by Intel
Do you want to meet the AI-powered future head-on? For those who’ve learned over the years to trust the performance and dependability of Intel processors, we present the ASUS NUC 16 Pro. This brand-new mini-PC features accelerated AI hybrid performance ready to handle next-gen workloads. Its combination of cutting-edge hardware and exquisite engineering enables the NUC 16 Pro to deliver up to 180 Platform TOPS, a sky-high score for AI performance capability in the mini-PC form factor promising up to 180 trillion operations per second. For AI developers and researchers, that means up to 1 petaFLOP for speedy AI inference and model fine-tuning.
The NUC 16 Pro delivers strong AI performance using up to an Intel Core Ultra X9 processor with 12 Xe GPU cores, plus a dedicated 5th generation NPU to power mission-critical AI applications. These processors perform at or near the limits of currently available technology. But high pTOPS output does not come from powerful hardware alone. Intel’s hybrid XPU architecture allows the NUC 16 Pro’s processors to cooperate as the load fluctuates, producing unparalleled efficiency while maintaining optimum speed. This combination of hardware and engineering has the capacity to run all your organization’s edge AI inference and machine learning tasks.
The NUC 16 Pro has a few more tricks up its sleeve. With up to 96GB of Low-Power DDR5X memory, you get performance boosts up to 20% while reducing power usage by 50%. Efficiency gains also flow from the NUC 16 Pro’s dual-fan thermal design. This innovative thermal management lets the Intel Core Ultra X9 processor perform optimally inside a compact 5 in. x 4 in. chassis. Ultra-small computing rarely delivers so much performance using so little power.
You might be planning to deploy your mini-PC as a central hub for computing. The ASUS NUC 16 Pro is ready-made for hyperconnected workspaces. Put it in the middle of your financial-tech services enterprise or AI retail and E-commerce business, then watch it pull your workflow together. Bluetooth 6 provides low-latency connections for all peripherals. The fastest available internet speeds come from cutting-edge WiFi 7. And dual 2.5G LAN ports give you peace of mind thanks to the safety of redundant network connections with Zero Trust security.
In customer-facing contexts, enterprises typically need numerous screens to run information boards, check-in services, or monitoring output. The NUC 16 Pro powers up to four displays at once in glorious graphics detail. The available display options include dual HDMI (or Dual DP) ports and two more USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort 2.1. When you need to transfer data and assets, you have multiple high-speed options. On the front of the case, take advantage of 10Gbps transfer speeds courtesy of one USB 10Gbps Type-C port and two more USB 10Gbps Type-A ports, plus another USB 5Gbps port on the back.
Enterprise computing in the AI-driven age has made security more important than ever. That is why we built the ASUS NUC 16 Pro with hardware-based security features like support for Intel vPro and fTPM. Then we added ASUS Control Center & Edge Suite, putting greater control into your hands with centralized management, remote monitoring, and asset reporting. There is an additional security advantage of running your AI models locally: you minimize the risks of employees accidentally uploading sensitive or proprietary information to a cloud-based LLM.
Since many cloud-based AI models automatically train on users’ prompts, these models effectively absorb data that employees share in their queries. At that point, your business’s data can become the property of the company running the model. When you run your AI models on local hardware, you control what happens to the data generated by your employees using AI.
An investment in the NUC 16 Pro is also an investment in future-focused computing. Its Toolless Chassis 2.0 provides easy access to hardware components when the time comes for upgrades. The dual M.2 SSD ports (Gen 5 and Gen 4) are ready when you need more storage. Its modular design also offers a rich set of internal I/O options, including RS-232 and PCIe x1. To guard against any bumps and bruises the future might bring, the ASUS NUC 16 Pro is also designed for durability. Deploy the NUC 16 Pro in harsh environments and rely on it for the duration — its combination of durability and flexibility makes this mini-PC ideal for long-term setups in PoS, dedicated management of IoT devices, or expanding your industrial automation.
The ExpertCenter PN55 has AMD under its hood
Perhaps you need the space-saving form factor of a mini-PC, but you prefer the processor options provided by AMD. The new ASUS ExpertCenter PN55 is a high-performance, ultra-compact option designed to meet the next-gen computing needs of practically any business with next-level AI computing.
To unleash pure power, the ExpertCenter PN55 starts with an AMD Ryzen AI 400 series processor with up to 12 ultra-fast cores. This CPU promises efficient multitasking. The ExpertCenter PN55 also supports new AMD PRO technologies that deliver enterprise-level security, manageability, and system stability. These features were custom-designed to defend your data, simplify your IT, and streamline your operations.
The ExpertCenter PN55 takes you into the AI-powered age with a cutting-edge XDNA2 NPU. This dedicated AI-processor delivers up to 55 TOPS of computing performance, a full 10% faster than the previous AMD model. And the ExpertCenter lives up to AMD’s reputation for high-quality graphics by immersing users in extraordinarily detailed visual experiences. Its integrated Radeon 800M GPU includes 33% more graphics cores compared to last gen.
To make the most of its graphics processing power, the PN55 supports four simultaneous 4K displays. The dual DisplayPort 1.4, HMDI, and USB4 connectors let you expand your enterprise’s visuals to new horizons in ultra-high definition. Use the ExpertCenter PN55 to run four different information-boards or video feeds at once. Or combine all four screens into a single visual field to make the maximum, most stunning impact on your customers.
When it comes to connectivity, the ExpertCenter PN55 features the full range of ultrafast, versatile options you expect from ASUS mini-PCs. WiFi 7 lets you download a 15GB file in as little as 25 seconds. Bluetooth 5.4 provides transfer speeds up to 2Mbpsm, double the rate of Bluetooth 5.3. A total of six USB ports include USB4 and USB 10Gbps connectivity. Meanwhile, a pair of LAN ports gives you 2.5G throughput for rapid data transfer.
When it comes to interfacing with your mini-PC, the ExpertCenter PN55 gives you even greater flexibility. It includes a fingerprint reader that enables Windows Hello for added security. And its built-in speakers and microphone provide support for voice commands, so you can check in with the PN55’s operations effortlessly.
One advantage a mini-PC has over a laptop might seem counterintuitive. Laptops were made for mobile computing, so they include a built-in keyboard, touchpad, and screen. Those inclusions mean that a laptop requires a surprisingly large footprint on a desktop. Mini-PCs, on the other hand, allow users to disconnect peripherals and place the PC in small, out-of-the way corners where they can run unobtrusively.
A few more features of the PN55’s eco-conscious chassis make it ideal for deployment in cramped quarters with minimal hassle. Its tool-free design helps you keep up with the latest developments in AI hardware by upgrading in a snap. The sleek, durable chassis measures an ultra-thin 34mm and was built to run 24/7. Simply put, the ExpertCenter PN55 sets a new standard for thin and light computing performance.
The ROG GR70 is a gaming powerhouse
The world of PC gaming was once dominated by bulky desktops designed for power. That approach still works well for gamers who like to show off their style and creativity with a cunningly designed lightshow inside a striking windowed case. But the mini-PC revolution gives gamers the option for brawny might in a slim, compact package with the ASUS Republic of Gamers GR70. This high-performance gaming PC is ready to follow your lead and adapt to how you play, stream, create, or conquer.
The ROG GR70 delivers elite-tier gaming performance with its AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU built with second-generation 3D V-cache technology. This processor stacks extra L3 cache vertically on the chip to keep more game data close to the cores, resulting in buttery smooth frame rates and faster processing. For graphics horsepower, the ROG GR70 includes up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU ready to deliver relentless performance. When frames render this fast, the conquests come faster too, and you dominate every match with lightning-quick reflexes and zero dropped frames.
The ROG GR70 is also built to eliminate bottlenecks and get you ahead in the game, whether you’re online, syncing your gear, or booting into the next match. The mini-gaming-PC features WiFi 7 for cutting-edge connectivity, along with certified Bluetooth 5.4 to give your peripherals faster connection speeds and more efficient power consumption, extending their battery life.
The ROG GR70’s upright design allows for extremely capable and quiet cooling in a space-saving design. Unlike traditional clamshell gaming laptops, which use a horizontal orientation not unlike the old-fashioned desktop PCs that used to sit underneath our monitors, the ROG GR70 stands tall like today’s desktops, catching more air. When the action on the field reaches a fever pitch, the GR70 keeps things cool so you stay quiet and ruthless. The case’s advanced thermal design features a custom cooling system built with three fans and efficient thermal coverage. Its QuietFlow cooling was built for moments when the game goes hard and you need to keep your head in the game, without distractions from noisy fans or performance issues like lags or stutters.
The ROG GR70 packs all this power into an ultra-compact, silver-hued chassis standing just over 11 inches (282.4 mm) tall with a desk-friendly depth of 7.4 inches (187.7 mm). When you pack along the ROG GR70, you make a statement with its refined esthetics and fully customizable ARGB lighting effects. To connect your screens, choose from five 4K options. Plug in the dual HDMI 2.1, dual DP 2.1, and USB 4 ports at the same time to achieve immersive, ultra-high-definition gaming with razor-sharp detail.
The Ascent GX10 supercomputer remains ready to perform
The last mini-PC in our lineup is certainly not the least. The ASUS Ascent GX10 was meticulously engineered to bring world-class AI capabilities directly to researchers, businesses, and consumers who have been shut out from state-of-the-art AI tools. This includes institutions that don’t have the budget for a full server installation, or buildings that lack the space for a data center. The Ascent GX10 is a petite mini-PC that deploys in any scenario while bringing enough processing power to meet demanding AI workloads.
At the core of the ASUS Ascent GX10 is the NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, which is the same chip that the NVIDIA DGX Spark is based on. This cutting-edge processor connects a Grace CPU with 20 Arm cores to a robust Blackwell GPU through NVIDIA NVLink-C2C technology. All told, it delivers up to 1 petaFLOP of AI performance, along with 128GB of coherent unified system memory capable of handling 200 billion parameter AI models.
If you want to install locally-run AI workloads in your school or enterprise, you need a large pool of GPU memory. A given model that doesn’t fit into local memory can run very slowly, or maybe not run at all. For users who need more VRAM than is available through consumer-grade graphics cards, the Ascent GX10 is a highly attractive option that is much more affordable than a workstation equipped with a set of professional-grade graphics cards, not to mention much more compact.
The Ascent GX10 wields 128GB of coherent unified system memory, allowing rapid, high-bandwidth data access and direct memory sharing between processing units. For AI researchers, this means seamless handling of massive data sets, reduced bottlenecks, and efficient model training or inference — all without the overhead of transferring data between discrete memory pools.
Easy scaling options let your institution get even more out of your Ascent GX10 AI supercomputer. Integrated NVIDIA® ConnectX®-7 Network Technology lets you harness the AI performance of two Ascent GX10 systems working together. The desktop-friendly design of this mini-PC features a clean, minimal chassis with a small footprint that fits neatly into the most crowded desks, including classrooms and laboratory environments where space is limited.
If your enterprise is ready to bring AI computing down to earth, check out the ASUS lineup of mini-PCs designed to power the NPUs and graphics processors demanded by complex models. There is sure to be an option in this year’s lineup that will get you started and keep you going for years to come. Contact your local ASUS sales representative for pricing in your area.