For power users and gamers who crave desktop-level performance in a miniature footprint, the Asus ROG NUC has been the undisputed champion of 2025. Since its explosive debut at CES in January, the ROG NUC has dominated the mini-PC conversation, offering a staggering range of configurations powered by Intel's latest Arrow Lake HX processors and Nvidia's cutting-edge Blackwell architecture GPUs.
But today, the story takes a dramatic and powerful turn. Asus has just unveiled a new variant of its acclaimed ROG NUC, and for the first time, it’s powered not by Intel, but by an AMD Ryzen processor. And not just any processor—this is the formidable Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, a chip that promises to redefine the performance ceiling for small-form-factor PCs.
From Intel to AMD: A Strategic Power Shift
When the ROG NUC first launched, Asus placed its bets on Intel’s Core Ultra HX-series, specifically the Core Ultra 7 255HX and the top-tier Core Ultra 9 275HX. Paired with a choice of Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 5070, 5070 Ti, or the beastly RTX 5080 laptop GPUs, these configurations left little to be desired.
However, the enthusiast community has been vocal about one thing: the potential of AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology in a compact gaming machine. Asus has listened. The integration of the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D marks a significant expansion of the ROG NUC product line, directly addressing the demand for AMD’s unique performance advantages, particularly in gaming and latency-sensitive applications.
Early benchmarks are already causing a stir. In internal testing, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has been shown to outperform the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX by approximately 8% in multi-threaded workloads. This performance leap can be attributed to the chip's 16 high-performance Zen 5 cores, 32 processing threads, and, most importantly, its stacked L3 cache, which is a game-changer for frame rates and minimum frametimes.
For a closer look at the initial community reaction and official teasers, check out the buzz on Chinese social media: https://weibo.com/5394952951/Q9pxI6Qmb
The Heart of the Beast: AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Explained
So, what makes this chip so special? The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is part of AMD's "Fire Range HX" series, designed for elite mobile performance.
- Zen 5 Architecture: The foundation is AMD's latest Zen 5 core design, offering significant instructions-per-clock (IPC) improvements over the previous generation.
- 16 Cores / 32 Threads: This provides immense multi-tasking and content creation power, rivaling many full-sized desktop CPUs.
- 3D V-Cache: The secret weapon. This vertically stacked L3 cache dramatically reduces latency, allowing the CPU to feed data to the GPU more efficiently. In games, this often translates to smoother gameplay and higher average FPS.
It's worth noting that the chip includes a Radeon 610M iGPU. As expected, this integrated graphics solution is not intended for serious gaming but is perfect for display output and system diagnostics. For the real graphical horsepower, Asus is relying on its Nvidia partnership.
GPU Pairing and Market Availability
Interestingly, in this initial release, Asus is pairing the mighty Ryzen 9 9955HX3D exclusively with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU. This seems to be a strategic choice to create a balanced, high-performance SKU that sits perfectly in the upper-mid-range of the product stack. The RTX 5070, based on the Blackwell architecture, provides excellent ray-tracing and AI-powered DLSS performance, making it a perfect partner for the CPU-intensive 9955HX3D.
For a detailed breakdown of the specs and official announcements from Chinese tech media, you can visit this link: https://www.ithome.com/0/889/994.htm
Currently, this new AMD-powered ROG NUC is launching as a China-exclusive model. It is retailing for CNY 14,999 (approximately $2,105) for a configuration with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB NVMe SSD. This competitive pricing positions it as a compelling alternative to the Intel-based models.
If you're based in China and looking to get your hands on one, the first units are available for purchase here: https://u.jd.com/BO6befd
For our global readers eagerly awaiting this model, there is good news. While not yet officially confirmed, Asus has a strong track record of releasing all its ROG NUC SKUs worldwide after an initial regional launch. It’s highly likely we will see the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D ROG NUC hit North American, European, and other global markets in the coming months.
To revisit the origins of this incredible mini-PC line, our original coverage from CES 2025 details its groundbreaking launch: https://www.gsmgotech.com/2025/01/ces-2025-asus-unveils-rog-nuc-mini-pc.html
In the meantime, the existing Intel-based ROG NUCs remain formidable options for those needing power today. You can check the latest prices and configurations for the US market on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ok1W4R
The Verdict: A New King of Mini-PC Gaming?
The introduction of the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D into the ROG NUC lineup is more than just a new configuration—it's a statement. Asus is signaling that it is committed to offering the absolute best performance available, regardless of the silicon vendor. For gamers and creators who have longed for the specific benefits of AMD's 3D V-Cache technology in a pre-built, console-sized system, the wait is finally over. The mini-PC landscape just got a lot more interesting, and a whole lot more powerful.
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