88 PCWorld MAY 2020REVIEWS INTEL GHOST CANYON NUC9I9QNX
top-notch hardware into small spaces.
The more partners Intel can get on board
to support its shiny new tech, the greater the
ways we’ll be able to use it in the future. If this
kind of modular DIY PC took off, we could see
more mainstream applications, too. My
colleague Gordon Mah Ung suggested that
newer Compute Elements could become
compatible with standard motherboards and
power supply pinouts, letting you breathe
new life into an old desktop with minimal fuss.
Just imagine: Fifteen-minute tech support
for friends and family who want a faster or
newer PC. You would drop in a fresh Compute
Element, reroute several cables, and end up
with a system sporting a brand-new CPU,
ports, wireless connectivity, and support for
speedier storage and RAM...all in less timeGhost Canyon NUC9i9QNX
PROS- Modular design allows for fast, easy upgrades in a
mini-PC. - Highly customizable.
- Ample number of ports, including two Thunder-
bolt 3. - Fans run fairly quiet, with a tolerable pitch.
CONS - Expensive.
- Where’s the RGB?.
BOTTOM LINE
The latest Next Unit of Computing may be less
compact than its predecessors, but that sacrifice
enables room for a intriguing modular design—one
that opens the door to exciting possibilities.
$1,700
than it takes for them to complain to you
about the computer’s old specs.
Such a scenario would be a relief.
Serving as unpaid tech support is trying
for the best of people, and I’m nowhere
near that saintly.
In the near term, we can expect baby
steps into this new world with the
standalone release of the Compute
Element later this year. It’ll be
accompanied by cases from vendors like
Razer (go.pcworld.com/rzn1) and
Cooler Master (go.pcworld.com/clms)
that accommodate full-length graphics
cards and SFX power supplies, and offer
layouts that make installation dead easy.
When those become available, deciding
what to build will become even harder—and
that’s a happy place for PC builders to live in.Intel’s Compute Elements will be sold separately in the
future, with the anticipated start sometime in Q3 2020
and prices yet to be announced.