Intel NUC Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK is true high-end desktop computing on a single, standalone chip. Beyond this one device, it represents a turning point for thin-and-light laptops like HP Spectre x360 15 and Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 to be just as powerful as full-on gaming laptops. It’s easily the smallest VR-capable PC that marries together an Intel quad-core processor with integrated, ‘discrete-class’ AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics into a single chip. With all that power under its belt, this gaming PC easily smashes through Full HD gaming with most modern titles and performs like a productivity champ.
Although the Hades Canyon NUC might be expensive and require additional parts, you won’t find another mini PC as powerful as this. The expansive array of ports and support for high-end internal components is equally as amazing. Thanks to its small size, it’s also the perfect home theater PC.
Intel NUC Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK specs
Processor
• Intel® i7-8705G processor (3.1 GHz to 4.1 GHz Turbo, Quad Core, 8MB Cache, 65W)
Graphics
• AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL 4GB HBM2 graphics memory
• Two HDMI 2.0b ports (4K @ 60Hz)
• Two mDP 1.2 ports (supports MST)
• Two Thunderbolt 3 (Alt-DP mode)
• Up to 6 displays (4x 4k + 2x 1080p)
System Memory
• Two DDR4-2400 SO-DIMM sockets (8GB supplied as standard, 64GB Max), 1.2V
Storage Capabilities
• Two 2280 M.2 slots
• One M.2 slot supports 2242
• M.2 supports both PCIe and SATA
• SDXC slot with UHS-I support
Peripheral Connectivity
• Two Intel® Gigabit LAN ports i219-LM and i210-AT
• Five Super-Speed USB 3.0 ports on Type-A connectors (four back panel ports and one on front panel which supports charging port)
• Four USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, three on Type-C connectors and one on Type-A connector
• Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (802.11ac), 2×2, up to 867 Mbps
• Dual Mode Bluetooth 4.2
Audio
• Up to 7.1 surround audio via HDMI or mDP ports
• Stereo Headset jack (TRRS) on the front panel
• Quad-array microphones on the front panel
• Combo speaker/TOSLink optical Audio jack on the back panel
Hardware Management Features
• Processor fan speed control
• Voltage and temperature sensing
• Fan sensor inputs used to monitor fan activity
• ACPI-compliant power management control
System Bios
• 64 Mb Flash EEPROM with Intel® Platform Innovation Framework for
EFI Plug and Play
• Advanced configuration and power interface V3.0b, SMBIOS2.5
• Intel® Visual BIOS
• Intel® Express BIOS update support
Baseboard Power Requirements
• 19V, 230W laptop-style AC-DC power adapter Mechanical Chassis Size
• 8.7″ x 5.6″ x 1.54″
• 221 mm x 142 mm x 39 mm
Expansion Capabilities (under Lid)
• Internal dual USB 3.0 header
• Internal dual USB 2.0 header with Front Panel Header signals, CEC and a Reset output
• SATA power connector
Certified Operating Systems
• Windows 10 64-bit (Pro & Home)
• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise – (64-bit only) CBB and LTSB
• Windows Server 2016
Compare Intel NUC Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK
| Intel NUC8I7HNK2 Micro Intel® 3100 MHz SOC, RAD RX VEGA MGL | NUC 8 I7 HADES CANYON – Gamer | Intel NUC8i7HVK NUC Kit | NUC 7 – I7 – Windows 10 pro – NUC7I7BNH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Memory Size | 0 | 16.00 GB | 0 GB | 16.00 GB |
| Processor (CPU) Manufacturer | Intel® | Intel | Intel® | Intel |
| Processor (CPU) Speed | 3100 MHz | 3.10 GHz | 3100 MHz | 4.00 GHz |
| Graphics Description | RAD RX VEGA MGL | — | RAD RX VEGA MGH | — |
| Processor Count | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| System RAM Type | SODIMM | SODIMM | DDR4 SDRAM | GDDR4 |
Intel NUC Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK review
Design
At first blush, the Hades Canyon NUC looks more like a set top box than a desktop PC, and that’s honestly a good thing. The device is interesting enough to look like more than just a plain box in your home entertainment setup while also not being too distracting if you decide to use it as your work computer.
If you remember the Skull Canyon NUC Intel released two years prior, the Hades Canyon should look very familiar. Both units share the same overall shape, plus an identical hexagonal motif for the ventilation holes and top panel. Of course, with the integration of ‘discrete-class’ graphics and sufficient cooling to back it up, Intel’s flagship NUC is almost twice as large as its predecessor.
Intel’s design has also seen some improvements. The old interchangeable plastic panels have been replaced by a much slicker light-up skull fashioned after the silicon that resides within. The lighting on this part of the case and all the little hard drive and power indicators are fully customizable – or you could just turn them all off for a stealthy unit.
Ports
Despite this PC’s small size, it packs an impressive amount of ports. Along the backside alone you’ll find four USB 3.0 ports, two ThunderBolt 3 ports, two mini DisplayPorts, HDMI 2.0 and even two Gigabit Ethernet ports. That’s more connectivity than you’ll even find on some full-size desktops.
Cracking open the Hades Canyon NUC is a breeze, as it just requires undoing six torx screws and a single Philips head. With the top cover removed, you can access the computer’s memory slots as well as the M.2 NVMe and SATA drives.
Intel NUC Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK performance review
Summary of performance test
- 3DMark: Sky Diver: 24,315;
- Fire Strike: 8,525;
- Time Spy: 3,102
- Cinebench CPU: 851 points;
- Graphics: 151 fps
- GeekBench: 5,152 (single-core); 17,191 (multi-core)
- PCMark 8 (Home Test): 4,276 points
- Total War: Warhammer II (1080p, Ultra): 28 fps; (1080p, Low): 60 fps
- ME: Shadow of War (1080p, Ultra): 37 fps; (1080p, Low): 89 fps
Details of performance review
The ‘discrete-class’ Radeon RX Vega graphics are every bit as impressive as Intel and AMD promised. We can play all our favorite games, including Far Cry 5 and Warhammer: Vermintide 2, at a steady 60 frames per second (fps) with high-quality graphical settings and a 1080p resolution.
Even more impressive is that the little PC holds it own through Overwatch and Hitman at 1440p with HDR active on a Samsung CHG70 QLED gaming monitor. The only title to give us some measurable difficulty is Assassin’s Creed Origins, but it still runs at a completely playable 40fps with high quality settings and a 1080p resolution.
Outside of gaming, the Intel Hades Canyon NUC runs like a champ through all our regular web browsing and word processing, as well as our image and video editing needs. For those multi-monitor fans, the Intel Hades Canyon NUC can also drive up to six screens.
Meanwhile, a gaming PC with actual desktop parts, like the Asus ROG G20CI, proves to be tougher competition. While the NUC manages to score better in the processor tests, the integrated graphics just can’t keep up with a Nvidia GTX 1080 – then again, neither could the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64.
Price and availability
There’s also an entry-level Intel Hades Canyon NUC8i7HNK priced at $799 (about £570, AU$1,040). This more affordable NUC comes still comes with a quad-core i7 CPU, but it maxes out at a slower frequency. Meanwhile, the onboard Radeon RX Vega M GL GPU has four fewer compute units and won’t run as fast either.
Compared to other barebone PCs, the high-end Intel Hades Canyon NUC compares well against the $949 (£619, AU$1,739) Zotac Zbox Magnus EN1060K and $999 (£819, AU$1,579) Gigabyte Brix GB-BNi7HG6-1060. Both of these mini PCs feature older Kaby Lake processors but a Nvidia GTX 1060 with two more GB of video RAM and higher CUDA.