Yes, the Asus ROG NUC is the best gaming mini PC we've tested, yes, it's smaller than the PS5. And yes, even with the ROG NUC dropping to $3499 at Amazon, this RTX 5080 configuration with 32GB DDR5 is still wildly expensive.

Still, after replacing our usual desktop with Asus' mini PC and using it for work, gaming, and even hosting a virtual tabletop session, and it came away as one of the best compact gaming PCs we've used. A 16GB/1TB configuration of the Asus ROG NUC is also on sale for $2962 (was $3999) at Amazon.

Today's top Asus ROG NUC mini PC deal

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | 32GB DDR5 | 1TB SSD | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080

In our review, we said "This might actually be the best compact gaming PC I've ever seen - and it's smaller than a PS5, too." It's powered by a high-performance Core Ultra 9 chip, with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU boasting 16GB GDDR7 VRAM, 32GB DDR5-6400 memory, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe 4.0 SSD. Triple-fan cooling with a dual vapor chamber, Thunderbolt 4, dual HDMI 2.1, dual DisplayPort 2.1, and support for up to five 4K displays. Chassis measures 11.1 x 7.4 x 2.2 inches.

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• Don't need 32GB RAM? The- 16GB/1TB Asus ROG NUC is now $2962 (was $3999) at Amazon- .

Why we recommend it

We tested the ROG NUC over a full week, using it as a daily driver for work and swapping it in for gaming in the evenings, running AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus alongside our full benchmark suite.

The results were consistently strong: triple-digit framerates at 1080p across the board, smooth 1440p performance with DLSS, and even 4K gaming holding steady at 60fps or better in nearly everything we threw at it.

Let's be upfront: this is still an enormous amount of money for a computer, mini PC or otherwise. But packed into a chassis smaller than a PS5 is an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and a genuine RTX 5080 laptop GPU, delivering gaming performance that few pre-built systems this size can match.

As we noted in our 4.5-star review, what makes the ROG NUC stand out isn't just the raw numbers; it's that Asus fit genuine RTX 5080-class performance into a chassis smaller than a PS5, without the system running hot or throttling under sustained load during our testing.

The port selection is also excellent for something this size: two Thunderbolt 4 ports, six USB-A ports, dual HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, and an Ethernet jack, so you won't have to hunt for a dock to run a full desk setup.

Price Context & Historical Value

A $400 discount off $3,899 works out to about 10 percent, a solid but not enormous cut given how expensive this system is to begin with. We won't pretend $3,499 is anything other than a lot of money, but for a legitimate RTX 5080 gaming system in this form factor, it's priced reasonably against full-size pre-built desktops with comparable specs, which routinely run just as high or higher.

For more savings, we've picked out some eGPU-compatible mini PCs below, and every week we chart the best mini PC deals we've found.

Should you buy it?

✅ **Buy the Asus ROG NUC (2025) if... **

You want genuine RTX 5080-class gaming performance in a footprint smaller than a PS5, you're a content creator who needs serious power without giving up desk space, or you want a system with enough Thunderbolt and USB ports to run a full peripheral setup without a dock.

❌ **Skip the Asus ROG NUC (2025) if... **

You're on any kind of tight budget, since this is still a $3,499 computer, you want a system that stays whisper-quiet under full gaming load, or you'd rather build a similarly specced full-size desktop for potentially less money.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

There's no getting around it: this is still an outrageous amount of money for a PC, mini or otherwise, and it will be out of reach for most PC gamers regardless of the discount. The fans also get genuinely loud under sustained gaming load in our testing, so a headset is worth budgeting for, and upgradability is limited mostly to RAM and storage rather than the GPU itself, which is soldered in as part of the compact design.

Also consider: More mini PC deals

If you want to save a little more, these mini PC deals all feature OCuLink or USB4 ports for connecting an external GPU for gaming, video editing, and other graphics-heavy tasks.

The GMKtec K16 mini PC delivers Ryzen 7 7735HS performance with 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. Featuring OCuLink eGPU support, triple-display output, dual 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, and USB4, it’s a versatile compact system for gaming and creative workloads.

Read our full review

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The A8 MAX packs Ryzen 9 8945HS power, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD into a compact mini PC. With USB4, dual 2.5GbE LAN, and 8K output, it’s built for AI, design, gaming, and productivity.

Read our full review

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The K8 Plus packs a Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for gaming, editing, and demanding workloads. With OCuLink eGPU support, dual 2.5GbE LAN, USB4, and 8K display output, it’s a powerful compact desktop alternative.

Read our full review

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Bryan M. Wolfe is a staff writer at TechRadar, iMore, and wherever Future can use him. Though his passion is Apple-based products, he doesn't have a problem using Windows and Android. Bryan's a single father of a 15-year-old daughter and a puppy, Isabelle. Thanks for reading!