Intel recently announced a new Intel NUC kit, and most probably this is the NUC that all have been waiting for – the new Intel Skull Canyon NUC (NUC6i7KYK). The Skull Canyon NUC is powered by the latest 6th Gen Intel Core i7 Skylake processor with integrated Iris Pro 580 graphics processor. It also features Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and an array of other connectivity options, both wired and wireless. More details below.
Intel Skull Canyon NUC Specs and Features
The Intel Skull Canyon NUC (NUC6i7KYK) looks different from your typical NUC kit. It features a slim rectangular design, instead of the typical square-like NUC. It measures just 216mm x 116mm x 23m. According to the official release, the Skull Canyon NUC is a mini PC with a 45-watt, quad-core 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor and Intel® Iris™ Pro graphics, the new Intel® NUC (NUC6i7KYK) unleashes maximized performance for intense game play or intensive workloads. Intel Iris Pro graphics let people edit photos and videos like a professional or immerse oneself in vividly rendered, seamless 3-D gameplay, all in brilliant 4K resolution on three monitors at once. Skull Canyon also includes Thunderbolt™ 3, enabling a single compact port and single cable to easily connect to 4K displays, high-speed storage and other devices, in addition to great graphics performance by connecting to high-end, external graphics card(s).
All of this comes together to provide a great gaming experience in a system less than 0.7 liters in size! The 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processor-powered NUC has a completely redesigned chassis and stylish case, allowing enthusiasts to take full advantage of every GHz of the quad-core processor without overheating – making this Intel NUC literally cool.
Intel Skull Canyon NUC Key Features:
- 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6770HQ processor (2.6 to 3.5 GHz Turbo, Quad Core, 6 MB Cache, 45W TDP)
- Intel Iris Pro graphics 580
- Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) with USB 3.1 and DP1.2 over USB-C
- Support for DDR4 memory, up to 32GB at 2133+ MHz
- Support for dual M.2 slots for SATA3/PCIe x4 Gen 3 NVMe/AHCI SSDs
- Full-size HDMI 2.0 (4K 60Hz) port and Mini DisplayPort version 1.2 (4K 60Hz) supporting 8 channel audio (7.1 surround sound)
- Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 wifi (802.11 ac) and Bluetooth 2 pre-installed
- SD card slot (up to 512GB)
- Four USB 3.0 ports (including one charging port)
- Intel HD Audio via Headphone/Microphone jack
- Intel Gigabit LAN
- Consumer infrared sensor
- Ships with two lids – one with a skull logo, one plain mate black (Support for user-replaceable third-party lids)
- Dimension: 216mm x 116mm x 23mm
Price and Availability
The Intel Skull Canyon NUC kit (NUC6i7KYK) comes with a suggested retail price of $650. A typical build with 16GB memory, 256GB SSD and Windows 10* is estimated at $999. It will be available for pre-order in April 2016; product will begin shipping in May 2016.
