Intel launches ‘Hades Canyon’ VR mini-PC Watch Now

Video: Intel launches Hades Canyon VR mini PC

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Intel has unveiled its new mini-PC NUC system, formerly codenamed Hades Canyon and aimed at premium virtual reality (VR) applications, at CES 2018.

Packing Intel's new 8th-gen core i7 processor with Radeon RX Vega Graphics, the system comes in two versions, the NUC8i7HVK and the NUC8i7HNK.

The NUC8i7HVK comes with Radeon RX Vega M GH graphics and can operate from 1,063MHz to 1,190MHz, which Intel said gives "overclockers the ability to take the system to higher levels". It has an 8th-gen quad-core 100W Intel Core i7-8809G 3.1GHz with 4.2GHz turbo mode, and is "unlocked and VR-capable".

The NUC8i7HNK comes with Radeon RX Vega M GL graphics with an operating range of 931MHz-1,011MHz, and a 65W quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i7-8705G 3.1GHz CPU with 4.1GHz turbo mode.

See also: CES 2018 special coverage (CNET)

Calling the system its "VR machine", Intel's refreshed NUCs also have two Thunderbolt 3 ports at 40Gbps, USB 3.1 Gen2 at 10Gbps, DisplayPort 1.2 via USB, and a consumer infrared port; two M.222x42/80 key M slots for SATA3 or PCIe x4 Gen3 NVMe or AHCI SSD; a RAID-0 and RAID-1 capable SDXC slot; and dual-channel DDR4-2400+ SODIMMs RAM capable of holding a maximum of 32GB of memory.

Both NUCs also have dual gigabit Ethernet ports, as well as HDMI ports on the front and back for VR headset plug and play. They can power six monitors concurrently with up to 7.1-multichannel digital audio and quad beam-forming mic array.

Other video outputs include DisplayPort 1.3 via two rear Mini DisplayPort ports, and two rear Thunderbolt USB-C ports.

(Image: Intel)

"Great for VR enthusiasts and workload-heavy content creators, it will be Intel's smallest premium VR-capable system in the market," Intel said.

Measuring 221x142x39mm, the NUCs will be sold as "bare-bones kits", available around the northern hemisphere's spring.

Disclosure: Corinne Reichert travelled to CES 2018 in Las Vegas as a guest of Intel

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