The NUC lives! Intel partners with ASUS which will continue to offer NUC-based PCs

Last week, many fans of small form factor PCs got some bad news. Intel confirmed that it would no longer make or sell future PCs with the company's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) design kit. It seemed to be a sad day for many PC owners who loved those small NUC PCs that Intel had offered for about a decade. Indeed, we reviewed one of the company's most recent PCs with this design, the NUC 13 Pro.

However, late on Tuesday, Intel surprised us with some good news for those particular PC fans and users. In a press release, it stated it was going to partner with ASUS, which will keep the NUC design going. Intel stated:

Under the proposed agreement, ASUS will receive a non-exclusive license to Intel’s NUC systems product line designs, enabling it to manufacture and sell 10th to 13th Gen NUC systems products and develop future designs. This will enable ASUS to provide product and support continuity for Intel NUC systems customers. ASUS will establish a new business unit called ASUS NUC BU.

ASUS already sells its own lineup of mini PCs that use both Intel and AMD CPUs. So it definitely makes sense that it would be a solid partner to continue developing the NUC design that was first launched by Intel.

The press release includes a statement from Intel vice president Sam Gao:

Our NUC systems product team delivered unique products that spurred innovation in the ultra-small form factor market. As we pivot our strategy to enable ecosystem partners to continue NUC systems product innovation and growth, our priority is to ensure a smooth transition for our customers and partners. I am looking forward to ASUS continuing to deliver exceptional products and supporting our NUC systems customers.

There's no word yet on when the first ASUS-based NUC PCs will be launched. The press release also didn't reveal any of this deal's financial details.

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