The Asus ROG NUC is a Steam Machine for the big kids, with their big wallets

The decision to investigate the Asus ROG NUC won't be made on value. After all, this compact mini system is never going to compete with the best gaming PCs for cooling, upgradeability, or price-performance ratios. It's playing in a slightly different arena, one that purveyors of gaming laptops are more likely to spectate.

Mini PCs are rapidly growing in popularity, and it's got nothing to do with the Steam Machine. These rigs are seeing upticks everywhere, from productivity to creative workflows, and now gaming. Those who don't want to dedicate a filing cabinet's worth of space to a loud, hot, finnicky tower are turning to something a little more versatile, already configured with everything you need, but ultimately more expensive for the privilege.

While everyday mini PCs can represent excellent value for the more casual productivity user, though, gaming systems are a different beast entirely. Valve's rig runs on its own custom AMD chip, the Asus ROG NUC uses a full set of up-to-date (though, this being the 2025 model, not the latest in the CPU world) mobile AMD, Intel, and Nvidia components. It's a laptop, without the lap. That adds some zeroes to the final price tag, but is that comfortable form factor ultimately worth it? I've ditched my hunt for the best gaming laptops for two weeks to find out.

Asus ROG NUC configurations

The Asus ROG NUC takes an expansive aim across the market, utilizing mobile parts starting from mid-range RTX 5060 / Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX options and moving to the upper heights of the RTX 5080 and AMD Ryzen 9 99HX3D. Will you find pre-builts with desktop pieces for less? Yes, but this rig isn't designed for those choosing between and mini and a full sized PC.

Those numbers climb pretty quickly. An RTX 5080 model will set you back well over $5,000 with all the trimmings, that's top-spec Alienware cash. At its cheapest, you're looking at $2,399 for an RTX 5060, Intel Core Ultra 7, and 16GB RAM. That's not only more than double the price of the Steam Machine, it's double what you'd usually pay for a full prebuilt with similar specs.

You're not paying for component value in these configurations, then, but those intrigued by the Asus ROG NUC's compact form factor are well served by a breadth of options.

Asus ROG NUC performance

In true RTX 5070 fashion, the cheaper configuration I've been testing manages to hit everything thrown at it in both FHD and QHD, only ever wavering below that 60fps threshold in more demanding top-resolution runs like Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and Cyberpunk 2077.

This is a system designed to accommodate QHD resolutions, so cranking things up to 4K will hurt a little. However, for everyday runs of demanding, modern titles, it's impressive that this little fella can keep up.

This being a mobile RTX 5070, we're a little behind the kinds of results we've seen from full desktop configurations. Still, the Asus ROG NUC manages to keep a decent pace with these larger builds, even if more demanding runs take a hit. While the numbers won't impress anyone coming from a full tower, a solid set of 60fps+ at High settings holds down the fort nicely.

Synthetic benchmarks reveal the sacrifice of that mobile GPU a little more clearly. When comparing the desktop card to AMD's Radeon RX 7900, we found it pulled in 4929 in Steel Nomad tests; here it's sitting at 3280. Just as physical size is erring on the side of the laptop rather than the desktop, our synthetic benchmark scores show performance leaning in the same direction.

Still, comparing those components like-for-like in more portable machines paints a slightly brighter picture. Putting those numbers up alongside the Razer Blade 14 and Acer Predator Triton 14 AI (two similarly premium, compact gaming machines) reveals a slight uptick across Steel Nomad, Time Spy, and Fire Strike. Even if the Asus ROG Strix G16 manages to slide in above it in one run.

On the CPU side of things, the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D scored 2,912 in its single-core tests and 24,371 in its multi-core outings across Geekbench 7. That's about right for the mobile CPU, suggesting there's nothing untoward happening that could limit it in this form factor.

Asus ROG NUC benefits

A far more manageable PC experience

Desktop towers are hot, power hungry, chunky beasts. Anyone without the space to dedicate to a 60 litre tank will be grateful for the Asus ROG NUC's slimline form factor. This thing sits calmly in the corner, not even the size of a PS5 Slim.

That's a compelling use-case, albeit one that very few players will likely be willing to fork out this amount of cash for. Asus doesn't exactly have a captive audience here, most desks will accommodate a PC case underneath and most players are going to side with the less expensive option. There are only a few of us who truly need the kind of space saving alternative Asus has provided.

That said, the ROG NUC does look fantastic, with its clean angular lines, bold RGB side lighting (customizable, of course). Coming from the world of gaming laptops there are more benefits to that design than PC builders may first consider.

More expansive port selection than a laptop

Whenever I'm not testing a laptop directly on the machine itself, it's connected to an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, chair, Stream Deck, speaker, controller and whatever other accessories have made their way onto my desk on any given day. That means I need to rely on the extra USB-A ports on my Razer Laptop Cooling Pad, as well as an external USB-4 dock. Some day (and it will be soon), I'll run out of space.

I didn't expect to find the ports on the Asus ROG NUC to be one of the biggest benefits to swapping laptop life for mini PC life. Two USB-As and a USB-C on the front take care of the gadgets I'm regularly swapping out. Meanwhile, the rear side takes care of all my more permanent USB cables, with an abundance of display connections that would have made my multi-monitor days a lot more enjoyable (and probably last longer).

Boosted performance over Steam Machine

Yes, the Asus ROG NUC costs more than double the Steam Machine, but you're getting performance you just won't find in Valve's rig. They've got different plans, sure. Valve wants its box next to a TV, running in 1080p. Asus is parking its NUC on your desk, pushing 1440p and, in more expensive configurations, 4K resolutions on demanding games.

The Steam Machine won't get near 60fps in RT: Ultra at 1440p, by all accounts you'll be lucky to see 20fps at the end of that benchmark. Without that workhorse architecture, Valve's competitor has to take aim at a more casual 1080p market and that's fair enough - but the Asus ROG NUC still offers a more compelling set of specs for those sourcing a QHD rig rather than picking up a living room console equivalent.

Asus ROG NUC drawbacks

Not as living-room-worthy as Steam Machine

As you'd expect a mini PC to, the Asus ROG NUC runs on Windows... which isn't great news for those hunting down a more powerful Steam Machine alternative. It means no easy waking from a controller, a few more steps before hitting Steam, and fewer automatic driver updates. It's certainly possible to keep this box next to your TV, but you'll need to keep a mouse and keyboard handy as well. It's missing those quality of life features baked into Valve's console replacement, by virtue of the fact it's been designed as a different device entirely.

Component value struggles to stack up

That's not as big a problem as the ultimate value of the cost you're paying here. An RTX 5070 gaming laptop like this would likely run you between $1,800 and $2,400 when the sales align right now. A desktop PC sits at around $1,600 to $2,300. The Asus ROG NUC carries its compact premium to the tune of between $1,000 and $400 more than you'll pay for similar specs in a different form factor.

It's not just the figures either. Those desktop rates are for full-fat desktop components, seated in a chassis that can handle bigger power better with more space and cooling tech. There's no getting around the fact that a tower will likely cost you less while giving more from a performance standpoint.

Should you buy the Asus ROG NUC?

All that boils down to one question, should you actually be buying Asus's baby PC? When I first looked at those costs shortly after unboxing this rig, I thought I knew the answer. $2,800 for a mobile RTX 5070 without the portability of a gaming laptop or the engineering of a tower seemed laughable two weeks ago. After kicking the foldables to the curb, 90% of me still agrees. But that 10% fits a very specific user.

I'd recommend the Asus ROG NUC as an alternative to anyone looking to invest in an 18-inch desktop replacement gaming laptop, specifically because they lack the desk space for a full tower. If you're buying a rig like that you likely have a fair whack of budget behind you and you're not going to be taking your machine on the road with you so much anyway.

In that scenario, the connection, layout, and form factor benefits of the Asus ROG NUC shine their brightest. In any other, there are better options out there.

How I tested the Asus ROG NUC

I swapped out my laptop setup for the Asus ROG NUC for two weeks, running all my daily work and play through the device. During everyday play, the NUC was running Doom: The Dark Ages, Farming Simulator 25, and Planet Coaster 2 with more dedicated benchmarking across Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Cyberpunk 2077.

Each test was run at both 1080p and 1440p at each game's high and highest graphical settings, repeated three times with a final average taken as the result. The system was also tested across 3D Mark Time Spy, Fire Strike, and Steel Nomad as well as Geekbench 7, again with three runs per benchmark and a final result taken as an average. All tests were run in the 'Turbo' power setting.

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For an even more compact form factor, check out the best gaming handhelds on the market. Or take a look at the best Asus gaming laptops for more ROG.