Intel is well-known for its PC microprocessors, but it deserves a bit of credit for its work on actual PCs as well. And now, in addition to its innovate stick and NUC designs, Intel has unveiled a new credit card-sized PC too.

It’s called the Intel Compute Card. And Intel, and a range of partners, will bolster this intriguing and versatile modular device with various add-ons that can transform its use cases.

The Intel Compute Card is tiny, the size of a few stacked credit cards, and just a bit longer. And it will be configurable with a variety of Intel processors depending on the need. Device makers can build compatible products, based on Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, that can be transformed by the addition or integration of a Compute Card. Or enthusiasts can build a full-featured PC with one, by configuring it with a full-powered 7th generation Intel Core processor.

Regardless of which processor type you choose, the Compute Card will come with RAM, storage, and wireless connectivity on the card, and it provides a USB-C Plus extension connector for USB, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, and other PC capabilities.

As for the partners, Intel has announced a few familiar PC names—Dell, HP, and Lenovo—plus Sharp and a handful of regional suppliers. But there’s no word yet on how these companies will use and expand on the Compute Card design.

The Intel Compute Card will become available in mid-2017, and as such, we don’t know the pricing. But as a fan of mini PCs, in particular Intel’s NUC designs, this was immediately intriguing to me. And it has emerged as one of the most interesting things we saw announced this week at CES. I’ll be following up on this one.

You can learn more about the Compute Card from the Intel website.

Tagged with Intel, Intel NUC, Intel x86