computer science

Next Unit of Computing

Next Unit of Computing is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Next Unit of Computing rather than just read about it. In short: Next Unit of Computing (NUC) is a line of small-form-factor barebone computer kits designed by Intel. Previewed in 2012 and launched in early 2013, the NUC line continues to develop over generations of Intel-based CPU launches, spanning from Sandy Bridge-based Celeron CPUs in the first generation, to Raptor Lake-based mobile and desktop CPUs in the thirteenth, and more recently Meteor Lake-based processors with AI c…

Key takeaways

Next Unit of Computing belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Next Unit of Computing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Next Unit of Computing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Next Unit of Computing (NUC) is a line of small-form-factor barebone computer kits designed by Intel. Previewed in 2012 and launched in early 2013, the NUC line continues to develop over generations of Intel-based CPU launches, spanning from Sandy Bridge-based Celeron CPUs in the first generation, to Raptor Lake-based mobile and desktop CPUs in the thirteenth, and more recently Meteor Lake-based processors with AI capabilities. The standard barebone kits consist of the NUC board, in a plastic case with a fan, an external power supply, and a VESA mounting plate. The plastic case is typically offered on one of two chassis, Tall (allowing for a 2.5" drive bay) or Slim (no 2.5" drive bay). The NUC motherboard measures approximately 10 × 10 centimetres (4 × 4 in), although some models have had different dimensions. Intel also sells bare NUC motherboards, which have a built-in CPU. In July 2023, Intel announced that it would no longer develop NUC mainboards and matching mini PCs. They subsequently announced that NUC products will continue to be—and since that time have been—manufactured, sold and supported by ASUS under a non-exclusive license.

First generation

Sandy Bridge The first generation Intel NUC launched in the first quarter of 2013. This UCFF motherboard and system kit are codenamed Ski Lake (DCP847SK) and Deep Canyon (DCCP847DY) respectively.

Second generation

Ivy Bridge The base UCFF motherboard and kit without Thunderbolt or USB 3 are codenamed Golden Lake (D33217GK) and Ice Canyon (DC3217IY) respectively. The Thunderbolt capable UCFF motherboard and kit are codenamed Campers Lake (D33217CK) and Box Canyon (DC3217BY) respectively. The USB 3 capable UCFF motherboard and kit are codenamed Rend Lake (D53427RK) and Horse Canyon (DC53427HY) respectively. The stripped-down DC3217BY model has a signature red top cover and no Ethernet. This model, while stocks were still available, generally sold for a deep discount. The absence of Ethernet may be mitigated by using a USB 2.0 to 10/100 fast Ethernet dongle based upon the Kawasaki LSI one-chip adapter (KL5KUSB102, for example), or a similar dongle based upon a Realtek chip; the Kawasaki Logic dongle requires a proprietary driver for macOS X, whereas the driver for the Realtek dongle is built into macOS X. The DC3217BY runs macOS X (10.9, and any of its updates) flawlessly as the processor's HD4000 is fully supported by macOS X.

Third generation

Bay Trail-M This UCFF motherboard (DN2820FYB) and system kit (DN2820FYKH) model were codenamed Forest Canyon. The DN2820FYKH product itself is mis-marked DN2820FYK, but the retail package, all retail documentation, and Intel's web site correctly identify this product as DN2820FYKH. The "H" indicates support for internal 2.5" media, SSD or HDD. There is no "non-H" version of this product as it does not include an on-board mSATA connector, hence media which is external to the board is mandatory, and hence the "H" version. This product introduced a new 12V 3A "wall wart" power supply in place of the previous 19V 3.42A laptop-style power brick and its IEC 60320-C5 "Mickey Mouse" type AC power cord. Four region-specific plug-on adapters, including North America and three overseas countries, are included in the retail package. These models shipped with the problematic BIOS revision 13, however this revision did not recognise most low voltage SO-DIMMs and would report as having zero capacity. Keyboard escapes for BIOS interfacing had been problematic, legacy booting was not supported, and it had been elected to only include UEFI booting. BIOS revision 48 has been released and resolved the problems, enabling the recognition of most low voltage SO-DIMMs, keyboard escapes and legacy booting.

Bay Trail-I This UCFF motherboard (DE3815TYB) and system kit (DE3815TYK) models were codenamed Thin Canyon. This is a fanless system with a larger case than previous NUCs (7.5" x 4.6" x 1.6".) The board remains 4" x 4".

Fourth generation

Haswell

UCFF motherboard (D34010WYB and D54250WYB) and system kit (D34010WYK/D34010WYKH and D54250WYK/D54250WYKH) models were designated Wilson Canyon containing Haswell processors were revealed in June 2013. In recent years, Intel NUC models beyond the fourth generation have focused heavily on performance per watt and modular upgrade options. Later designs included support for Thunderbolt 4, DDR5 memory, and PCIe Gen 5 storage, reflecting the trend toward compact yet powerful workstation-grade systems.

Fifth generation

Broadwell-U

In early 2015 a new generation of NUCs, powered by 5th generation Intel processors was released and in Q2 2015 the first NUC with Core i7 processor (NUC5i7RYH) became available. The collection of 5th generation of NUCs include adaptive/smart performance technology and Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. UCFF motherboard (NUC5i3RYB, NUC5i5RYB and NUC5i7RYB) and system kit (NUC5i5RYK/NUC5i3RYH, NUC5i5RYK/NUC5i5RYH and NUC5i7RYH) models were designated Rock Canyon. UCFF motherboard (NUC5i3MYBE and NUC5i5MYBE) and system kit (NUC5i3MYHE and NUC5i5MYHE) models were codenamed Maple Canyon. In Q4 2018 and Q1 2019 two new SKUs of "Rock Canyon" - Refresh have been launched and become two of a few available models still supporting Windows* 7 (NUC5i3RYHSN and NUC5i5RYHS). These modes have updated CPU revisions and other minor changes. All models include:

Dual-channel DDR3L SO-DIMM, 1.35 V, 1333/1600 MHz, 16 GB maximum One Gigabit Ethernet port Internal support for M.2 (either B-Keyed Maple Canyon or M-Keyed Rock Canyon) 22×42, 22×60, and 22×80 SSD card supporting PCIe 2.0 (×1, ×2 and ×4) and SATA 6 Gbit/s Two USB 3.0 connectors on back panel Two USB 3.0 connectors on front panel Two internal USB 2.0 ports via header Up to 7.1 surround audio via mini HDMI and mini DisplayPort Headphone/microphone jack on the front panel

Braswell These UCFF system kit (NUC5CPYH and NUC5PPYH) models, formerly known as Pinnacle Canyon, are based on 5th generation Celeron and Pentium-branded Braswell 14 nm processor family. There is also the UCFF complete system (NUC5PGYH) model, formerly known as Grass Canyon, which is based on 5th generation Pentium-branded Braswell 14 nm processor family and comes with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC with Windows 10 installed. All models include:

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Next Unit of Computing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Next Unit of Computing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Next Unit of Computing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Next Unit of Computing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Next Unit of Computing

In research: Next Unit of Computing appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Next Unit of Computing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Next Unit of Computing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 2012, Intel products, Personal computing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Next Unit of Computing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Next Unit of Computing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Next Unit of Computing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Next Unit of Computing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Next Unit of Computing in simple terms?

Why does Next Unit of Computing matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Next Unit of Computing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Next Unit of Computing.