Intel Next Unit of Computing (NUC - DC3217BY) Review

Out of the Box Experience & First Impressions

I'm a big fan of first impressions and when something is done so radically different, it really needs to be told to the world. Instead of writing, I'm going to show you in a video, then explain underneath.

How. Amazing. Is. That. I was in my office when I first opened it, with my wife sitting on the couch across from me. Bum, bum, bum, bum... the normal Intel noise you hear on advertisements, fills the room. I was shocked, speechless. This is the simplest, smallest touch, but left a huge impression on me.

Intel didn't need to do that - at all, but they did and that's what matters. It feels different, special, and unique. This is its Next Unit of Computing, and this is the Next Generation of Marketing. That little noise left can go a long way to impress a user.

As you can see in the video, the box slides out to the slide very stylishly, exposing the NUC inside. Intel has provided us with the Thunderbolt-based model, the DC3217BY.

A 3-pin "Cloverleaf" cable that you'll need to purchase separately (the top cable).

Once the device is built, it is a little bit heavier than stock - as the SO-DIMMs, mSATA SSD and Wi-Fi card don't weigh all that much. I did have to run down to my local electronics store and buy a 3-pin "Cloverleaf" power connector, as it doesn't come included in the box.

I had a miniDisplayPort to DisplayPort connector that I was able to use on the Thunderbolt port for my monitor connectivity - with my monitor being the Samsung S27A950D, 27-inch, 120Hz, 1920x1080 display. I installed Windows 7 Ultimate x64 from a USB flash drive, and away I went.