If you're looking for a pre-built SFF PC, the upcoming Intel NUC 12 ‘Serpent Canyon' might be perfect for the job. Powered by up to a 12th Gen Core i7 CPU and an Intel Arc A-series mobile GPU, this PC seems to be a compelling solution for gamers looking for a compact desktop with decent performance.
The Intel NUC 12 ‘Serpent Canyon' has been detailed ahead of its release through Baidu. Coming to replace ‘Phantom Canyon', the new Intel SFF desktop features up to a 14-core Intel Core i7-12700H processor, a considerable upgrade over the Core i7-1165G7. Moreover, Intel will also be using its own Arc A-series mobile GPUs, up to an Arc A770M GPU. Whether it's an upgrade from the RTX 2060 of its predecessor remains to be seen.
Image credit: Baidu
Connectivity ports on the front I/O include an SDXC card slot with support for UHS-II, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a Thunderbolt 4 connector, and a 3.5mm audio jack. On the rear, we have four USB Type-A connectors, an Intel 2.5G Ethernet interface, an additional Thunderbolt 4 connector, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DisplayPort 2.0 (one of the first devices to list this interface).
The Baidu thread doesn't specify pricing or the release date but states the new SFF PC will be “coming soon”. Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru says: Intel's new NUC 12 ‘Serpent Canyon' looks like a tiny powerhouse that should be able to play most recent games. However, we're still unsure what level of performance we can expect from the A770M GPU.