- Asus unveils the NUC 16 Pro 0.7L mini PC built on the Intel Panther Lake platform
- Core Ultra X9 388H delivers up to 180TOPS platform AI computing
- The Arc B390 iGPU impresses, although the Radeon 8060S remains faster for graphics
Asus has launched the NUC 16 Pro, focusing on the fastest mini PC category with Intel’s new Panther Lake platform. The system is built around the Core Ultra X9 388H, the same processor used in the GMKtec EVO-T2, which also debuted at CES 2026.
The Core Ultra X9 388H is produced on Intel’s 18A process and delivers up to 180TOPS of total AI computation. That number combines CPU, GPU and NPU performance, including Intel’s latest NPU 5, and puts the NUC 16 Pro well ahead of current Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mini PCs in raw AI throughput.
Graphics are handled by Intel’s Arc B390 iGPU, which has 12 Xe cores. In practice, this NUC 16 Pro provides enough headroom for modern 1080p gaming without a discrete GPU, along with strong media and computing performance for creative workloads.
Arc B390 graphics
The Arc B390 is impressive for an integrated solution, although it’s not expected to outperform AMD’s Radeon 8060S iGPU found in the Ryzen AI Max+ 395.
It still holds the lead in terms of maximum graphics performance, especially in synthetic benchmarks and GPU-heavy games.
Still, the B390 raises the bar for integrated graphics in a mini PC. It allows the NUC 16 Pro to balance AI workloads, light gaming and professional applications without stepping into the power and thermal requirements of a discrete graphics card.
The NUC 16 Pro is targeted at creators, developers and business users. The system supports up to 96GB of LPDDR5x memory running at up to 9600MT/s, along with dual fan cooling designed to maintain performance under prolonged loads.
Connectivity includes dual 2.5G Ethernet, WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. Built-in firmware TPM 2.0 support adds hardware-level security to managed environments.
The compact 5×4 NUC chassis uses a tool-less internal design and supports dual M.2 storage across PCIe Gen5 and Gen4.
Additional I/O, including RS-232 and PCIe x1, opens the door to POS, IoT and industrial use.
While the Arc B390 won’t dethrone the Radeon 8060S as the fastest iGPU, the combination of strong graphics, edge-focused features and 180TOPS of AI computation certainly make the NUC 16 Pro one of the most capable mini PCs we’ve seen announced so far.
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