Conclusion

The latest NUC is certainly a step in the right direction for Intel and the PC industry.

Intel's first attempt at a truly small-form-factor PC, the NUC, left us wanting more performance and cutting-edge connectivity. The second-generation model, D54250WYK, uses a more-powerful version of the newer Haswell technology to far better effect.

Now equipped with USB 3.0, HDMI and DisplayPort and housed in a chassis that's really rather good, getting the kit into full PC form takes but a minute.

Best thought of as a capable workhorse PC or media-centre box presented in an itty-bitty form factor, just don't expect it to play the latest games with anything approaching high-quality graphics - the integrated graphics, while certainly an improvement, struggle with anything more than casual gaming.

Sure, you can buy the same kind of performance for significantly less than the £450 of our built-up review system, yet there's something rather beguiling about having a low-power, low-noise system that's impossibly small and sleek.

The latest NUC is certainly a step in the right direction for Intel and the PC industry; we just hope that the chip giant can take advantage of nascent momentum by releasing cheaper models sooner rather than later.

The Good

Lovely and small
Excellent build quality
Super-easy to build into
Low power and low noise

The Bad

Still a little too expensive

HEXUS.awards

Intel D54250WYK NUC

HEXUS.where2buy

The Intel D54250WYK NUC is available to order from Scan Computers*

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At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.

*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through theSCAN.care@HEXUS forum.

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This is where we need small graphics cards that we can put in, would make this an awesome mini gaming machine

Wozza365
This is where we need small graphics cards that we can put in, would make this an awesome mini gaming machine

This is true. It's the only thing holding it back for all out PC replacement. It also makes the Mac mini look rather large with similar specs although a complete redesign of that is on the cards. I think it was many years ago in a Shuttle review that Hexus predicted that regular PCS would fall out of favour to smaller efficient PCs and with these that could one day be the case. More manufactures need to get on board though which will drive down prices.

Wozza365
This is where we need small graphics cards that we can put in, would make this an awesome mini gaming machine

or if people sorted out whatever politics is stopping them from releasing thunderbolt enabled external GPU enclosures (it has been shown to be possible) it would be problem solved. Mini PC with optional gaming enclosure. Suddenly travelling to a LAN would be sooo much easier.

I see this has a SATA header. Does it have a SATA power feed too? Pretty pointless if not.

b0redom
I see this has a SATA header. Does it have a SATA power feed too? Pretty pointless if not.

Looks like a black SATA power connector just to the left (in Hexus' pictures) of the SATA drive connector? It probably doesn't come with the cable for it, mind you (maybe you get the cables if you buy the board without the enclosure…?)