A great feature of the NUC mini PCs is the convenience and ease of disassembling and upgrading RAM and SSD without fear of damage. Using NUCs for work is more comfortable than using regular PC cases. In this article, I invite you to join me in the Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus review to explore its power and practicality in the real world.
Using the default Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and the ability to upgrade hardware such as RAM and SSD is extremely impressive. NUC 14 Pro+ will be a mini PC, powerful and perfect, flexible to meet the need for continuous hardware upgrades to have enough power for all work requirements.
Asus NUC 14 Pro+ Specifications
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H / Ultra 7 155H / Ultra 9 185H
- Graphics: Intel Iris XE / Intel Arc
- Memory: 2 x SO-DIMM DDR5-5600MHz, up to 96GB
- Storage: 1 x M.2 2242 PCIe x4, 1 x M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, Intel Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb Ethernet
- Ports: 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 3x USB-A 3.1/3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 2.0, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ45 (2.5Gb Ethernet)
- Security: Accepts 3rd Party Security Lock Devices, Firmware TPM (Software-Based)
- Dimensions: 144 x 112 x 41 mm
- Weight: 1.8 lb / 800 g
Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus Review
Design: Compact Like an HDD
The Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus is nearly as small as a 3.5-inch HDD and fits comfortably in the palm of my hand. The specific physical dimensions of this Asus mini PC barebone will be 144mm x 112mm x 41mm and weigh 800g. At just 4 cm high, it fits perfectly at the base of your screen without worrying about accidental bumps.
The Asus Desk Mini PC features a two-part design, with a separate top and bottom section. The base is made from durable, high-quality plastic, while the top is precision-crafted from CNC-machined aluminum with a platinum silver anodized finish. Its surface is smooth, matte, and comfortable, staying pleasantly cool, especially in an air-conditioned office.
Both sides of the aluminum top feature large radiator grilles. The large air vents create strong convection, allowing heat to flow efficiently from inside to outside the NUC 14 Pro Plus during operation. The front includes one Type-C port, two USB-A ports, and a centrally positioned power button, with the ASUS logo in the top-left corner.
The back of the new Asus mini PC barebone features several connection ports. I will provide a detailed overview of these ports in the NUC 14 Pro Plus review in the ports section. The bottom of the Asus desk mini PC features a plastic mesh, creating three heat dissipation areas with large ventilation holes. Additionally, it includes two plastic latches for removing the bottom panel, two screw holes, and four silicone feet.
Why are there two screw holes? The answer is that these screws secure a plastic pad, which attaches to a Versa mount behind the screen. This feature allows the Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus to be mounted on the back of a screen, providing a clean and organized desk setup.
Ports Galore: All Except AUX
Although compact, the ASUS NUC 14 Pro Plus offers an extensive range of connection ports. Specifically, on the front, there will be 1x Type-C ThunderBolt 4 port with a speed of 20Gbps and 2x USB-A 3.2 gen2 ports with fast and convenient data transfer speeds. Next to it will be a small rectangular power button with a lit-up logo.
Turning to the back, I will first list the number and type of connection ports, which are:
- 2 x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C Ports
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
- 1 x 2.0 Type-A
- 2 x HDMI 2.1 (TMDS) ports
- 1 x RJ45 LAN port
- 1 x DC-in (power)
- 1 x Kensington Lock
With 2 HDMI ports and 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, the ASUS NUC 14 Pro Plus can output to 5 different screens simultaneously. The most notable advantage of this mini PC is immediately apparent. Additionally, the device features 2 USB-A ports for convenient connection of your mouse, keyboard, and USB receiver.
But is there something missing? That’s right—the new NUC 14 Pro Plus lacks a 3.5mm AUX jack.
How can you output audio? You have two options:
- Use a Type-C Hub with a 3.5mm AUX jack to expand your connection ports.
- Connect an HDMI cable to the monitor, then plug your speakers or headphones into the monitor’s 3.5mm AUX jack.
Simple Setup, But Handle with Care
I’ll provide a quick guide on disassembling the Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus mini PC to help you visualize the process effortlessly. However, one thing to note when upgrading the internal hardware is that the operations must be slow and precise, otherwise it will damage the small plastic clips inside.
First, turn the wheel with the minus (-) sign from the rotating lock position to the arrowhead position to unlock the plastic latch. Then, use two fingers to push the plastic latch to one side. The plastic bottom will pop out instantly—no screws needed. It’s quick and convenient.
Next, remove the radiator fan by unscrewing the two screws indicated in red below. After removing the screws, focus on the plastic latch near the “Pull Up” label. Use two fingers to squeeze the small plastic clamp on each side, then pull the fan out.
Below, you can easily see the RAM and NVMe SSD. Replacing the SSD is straightforward, but accessing the RAM requires more attention. Since the RAM is positioned deep inside, it should be removed slowly and carefully to prevent potential damage.
Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus review test
Our Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus review unit features a 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD and 32GB of DDR5 RAM (2x 16GB). It is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor. Please purchase DDR5 RAM, not DDR4, to avoid any mistakes. After installing the RAM and SSD, you’ll notice that this setup is quite sophisticated for a mini PC with integrated AI.
Performance Benchmarking
Benchmarking the image processing power of Intel Core Ultra 9 with Cinebench R23, the result is nearly 2000 points in single-core and 16,000 in multi-core. Some strengths are equivalent to the ROG Zephyrus G16 2024 (REVIEW), promising to bring the performance of a hundred-million-dollar laptop to the ability to “do the chop” of image tasks, edit videos, create content, movies, and make 3D graphics smoothly. However, the Asus mini PC barebone will heat up, and the cooling fan is quite noisy.
Geekbench 6 also delivers an impressive set of scores. The scores are nearly 2,400 points for single-core performance, over 13,000 points for multi-core CPU performance, and more than 36,000 points for GPU performance. This score reflects the ability to handle daily tasks efficiently, from office work to managing multiple applications simultaneously, with smooth and swift performance.
Multitasking compatibility ranges from basic to advanced, supporting a wide variety of tasks for your daily workflow. I found that PCMark10 software gave the results I expected. With a score of nearly 7000 points, NUC 14 Pro Plus is suitable for all three core task needs (Essential), advanced multitasking (Productivity), and digital content creation (Digital Content Creation).
There is not much to evaluate about the SSD read and write speed because SSD and RAM are two things I choose to use. I am using a 1TB NVMe Gen 4 drive, which offers read and write speeds of 6,957 MB/s and 4,959 MB/s, respectively. It is notably fast, with quick startup times for Windows, efficient software launches, and smooth game performance.
Software and Gaming Performance
Tested by running two image editing programs simultaneously: Lightroom and Photoshop. I found that my editing operations had a fast response speed. There was no delay, lag, or long wait for the desired image results.
With Capcut software, I can also edit images and cut videos quickly. There is not a single moment of waiting. Everything goes smoothly, quickly and smoothly. However, note that when using heavy image editing tasks, the cooling fan of the Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus will be quite loud.
In addition to daily photo editing and office work, I can also use the Copilot AI assistant to refer to additional information needed for work, study, and daily work projects. This essential AI feature is available to Intel Core Ultra users and will benefit from Microsoft’s forthcoming AI application updates.
Evaluating the Intel Core Ultra 9 with 32GB DDR5 RAM shows that, while it is a powerful AI processor, it is not optimized for gaming. With Esport games represented by League of Legends, NUC 14 Pro Plus runs smoothly with high settings. However, when switching to Zenless Zone Zero, a complex anime game, it only runs on low settings.
Final line
Asus NUC 14 Pro Plus stands out as a highly versatile and powerful mini PC, ideal for those needing both compactness and performance. Its ease of upgrading RAM and SSD without risking damage adds to its appeal, offering users the flexibility to enhance their system as needed.
The compact design allows it to fit seamlessly into any workspace while still providing ample connectivity options, including multiple Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI ports. Despite its small size, the NUC 14 Pro Plus doesn’t compromise on performance, handling intensive tasks with remarkable efficiency. However, users should be aware that the cooling fan can become quite loud under heavy workloads.
In the future, the trend of mini PCs in businesses may become more widespread. Mini PCs, such as the NUC 14 Pro Plus, offer significant benefits in both size and performance. They save space, enhance performance upgrade options, and provide exceptional power for various tasks.
Currently, the Asus NUC 14 Pro+ series is available in three CPU versions—Intel Core Ultra 5, 7, and 9—on Amazon.com, Bhphotovideo.com, and Newegg.com, with prices starting at $579 for the base model.
