Asus NUC 14 Pro AI Review: A Capable Mini PC with a Pricing Dilemma

The Asus NUC 14 Pro AI is the latest addition to the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) lineup, marking Asus’ expansion into the compact PC segment after taking over the Intel NUC brand. Announced in December 2023, this mini PC debuts Intel’s new Core Ultra processors (Series 2) and comes integrated with Microsoft Copilot+ for AI-driven computing.

But does it live up to the hype? We put the flagship variant, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor and 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, through rigorous testing to see where it stands in the highly competitive mini PC market.

Design: Functional, But No Mac Mini Rival

The Asus NUC 14 Pro AI takes design cues from the Mac mini, but don’t mistake it for a premium competitor.

Key Design Aspects:

✔ Compact and durable with a MIL-STD-810H rating
✔ Plastic-heavy build with a removable metal bottom panel for upgrades
✔ Fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello login
✔ Well-ventilated chassis with a side intake and rear exhaust

While Apple’s Mac mini prioritizes aesthetics, the NUC 14 Pro AI takes a more utilitarian approach, focusing on port accessibility and thermal efficiency. The removable bottom panel offers easy access to storage expansion, but RAM remains soldered due to the unified chip design.

💡 Verdict: Functional and practical, but lacks the premium appeal of Apple’s alternative.

Hardware & Specifications: Lunar Lake Power

At the heart of the NUC 14 Pro AI is Intel’s latest Lunar Lake-based Core Ultra 200V series. These unified chip designs integrate the CPU, GPU, NPU, and memory into a single package for better efficiency.

Processor Variants:

• Core Ultra 5 226V & 228V – 16GB LPDDR5X, 2.1GHz base, 4.5GHz boost
• Core Ultra 7 256V & 258V – 32GB LPDDR5X, 2.2GHz base, 4.8GHz boost
• Core Ultra 9 288V (our unit) – 32GB LPDDR5X, 3.3GHz base, 5.1GHz boost

Integrated Graphics: Intel Arc (Battlemage Architecture)

• Core Ultra 5: 7 Xe Cores
• Core Ultra 7 & 9: 8 Xe Cores

AI Acceleration (NPU Performance):

• Core Ultra 5: 40 TOPS
• Core Ultra 7 & 9: 47-48 TOPS

🛠 Storage: The NUC 14 Pro AI is a barebones PC, meaning storage must be added separately. It includes one PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 2280 SSD slot. Our test unit featured a 1TB WD SN5000S NVMe SSD.

Connectivity: Loaded with Ports

Unlike the port-limited Mac mini, the NUC 14 Pro AI offers extensive connectivity options.

Front Ports:

✔ 2x USB-A (5Gbps)
✔ 1x Thunderbolt 4
✔ 3.5mm headphone jack
✔ Copilot Key

Rear Ports:

✔ 2x USB-A (10Gbps)
✔ 1x Thunderbolt 4
✔ 1x HDMI 2.1
✔ 2.5G Ethernet
✔ Kensington lock slot

💡 Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 & Bluetooth 5.4

While the port selection is excellent, the front port layout could have been better—large accessories like card readers may block adjacent ports.

👎 Misses:
❌ No rear audio jack (inconvenient for speakers)
❌ Bulky external power brick (almost half the size of the PC itself)

Performance: Competitive, But Not Class-Leading

The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is a mobile-first processor, meaning it’s designed for power efficiency rather than raw performance.

Benchmark Performance:

Benchmark	Test	Score
Cinebench R23	Single-Core	1990
	Multi-Core	11032
Cinebench 2024	Single-Core	126
	Multi-Core	674
Geekbench 6	Single-Core	2868
	Multi-Core	11227
Blender CPU	Classroom Test	617s
Blender GPU	Classroom Test	145s
PCMark 10	Total Score	7038

🆚 Mac Mini M4 vs NUC 14 Pro AI:

• Mac Mini M4 beats the NUC 14 Pro AI by 36% in single-core and 43% in multi-core tests
• Blender CPU render: Mac Mini M4 is 64% faster
• Blender GPU render: Mac Mini M4 is 145% faster

💡 Verdict: The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V performs well in light workloads but struggles with intensive tasks like video editing compared to Apple’s M4 chip.

Gaming Performance: Surprisingly Decent

The integrated Intel Arc GPU performs better than expected, managing to run even demanding AAA games at low settings.

Game Benchmarks:

Game	Settings	1080p FPS	720p FPS
Alan Wake 2	Low	18.9	26.9
Cyberpunk 2077	Low	49.2	75.5
Death Stranding	Medium	60.0	78.6
Elden Ring	Low	52.6	54.7
Metro Exodus	Low	93.4	123.5
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	Low	75.8	105.4

✅ Smoother than Steam Deck & ROG Ally
❌ God of War Ragnarök had artifact issues
❌ Counter-Strike 2 suffered from frame stuttering

💡 Verdict: While not a gaming powerhouse, it performs well for casual gaming and is better optimized than Apple’s Mac mini M4 in this department.

Thermals & Noise: Quiet But Not Silent

🆚 Compared to the Mac Mini:

• NUC 14 Pro AI hits 78°C under full load but remains cooler than the Mac Mini M4 (100°C)
• Fans are audible in Performance Mode but quieter in Standard Mode

🔇 Whisper Mode: Reduces power draw to 23W, making it completely silent.

Final Verdict: A Good Mini PC with an Overpriced Tag

Pros:

✅ Compact, well-cooled design
✅ Extensive port selection
✅ Decent AI & gaming performance
✅ Better upgrade access than Mac Mini

Cons:

❌ Overpriced for its performance
❌ Mac Mini M4 outperforms it in CPU & GPU tasks
❌ Limited upgradeability

💰 Pricing Issue:

• Costs around $1100—same as the Mac Mini M4 Pro, which outperforms it in almost every aspect.

⚖️ Final Rating: 3.5/5