Intel Shows Removable NUC Module for Computing and Next Generation Optane

Intel announces the NUC Compute Element, a removable CPU and memory module that can serve as a computing foundation for other devices. The company also releases the Intel Optane M15 with new-generation Optane memory.

The NUC Compute Element includes a CPU, memory and connectivity. The module can accommodate Core processors in the fuel-efficient U-series and Pentium Gold and Celeron processors, including business CPUs with vPro features such as RPM. Intel mentions laptops, TVs and kiosks as use cases. For example, laptops must be easily equipped with other basic hardware, depending on the use. This idea is not new; Intel previously had its Compute Cards, but in March the company appeared to stop doing so. The first products with the spiritual successor, which appears to be the NUC Compute Element, will appear in the first half of 2020.

At the same time, Intel introduces the Optane M15, an SSD based on a new generation of Optane memory. According to Intel, the new products are more economical than the current generation and the memory would also perform better. The specification list shows, among other things, that the M15 can read sequentially against the M10 at 1650MB/s instead of 1200MB/s and random read and write would also be faster. At 3.8W, the consumption during active operation is somewhat higher than the 2.5W of the M10. The idle consumption is somewhat lower.