The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is a compact PC that delivers performance comparable to full-sized desktops, thanks to Intel’s latest Arrow Lake Ultra 9 285H processor. Since ASUS took over Intel’s NUC division in 2023, it has continued to refine the platform. The NUC 15 Pro+ stands out not only for its performance but also for its upgradability. Read our Asus NUC 15 Pro+ Review.

Design & Build

Right out of the box, the NUC 15 Pro+ feels premium. The compact chassis (144 × 112 × 42 mm, 0.67L) combines an aluminum top panel with a well-ventilated structure designed for effective airflow. The build quality is excellent, and the overall design is sleek and understated—reminiscent of Apple’s aesthetic, but with ASUS’s own engineering twist.

We appreciated the tool-free design that makes upgrades simple. Removing one screw and lifting a latch gives quick access to RAM and SSD slots, which makes this mini PC not only powerful but also practical.

Ports

There is plenty of connectivity options and it remains unchanged from the previous generation:

Front Ports

1× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps)
2× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
Power button

Rear Ports

2× Thunderbolt 4
2× HDMI 2.1
1× USB-A 3.2 Gen 2
1× USB 2.0
Intel 2.5G Ethernet
DC power input
Kensington lock slot

The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports are particularly useful, allowing support for eGPUs and up to four simultaneous 4K displays. We confirmed HDMI output at 4K/60Hz and Thunderbolt output at up to 4K/144Hz—with overclocking pushing this to 4K/160Hz in some scenarios.

Performance

At the heart of the system is Intel’s Ultra 9 285H processor—a 16-core hybrid chip capable of boosting up to 5.4 GHz. It’s supported by integrated Intel Arc 140T graphics, which, while not on par with discrete GPUs, handles everyday tasks, creative workloads, and casual gaming well.

In benchmarks like Cinebench 2024, the NUC 15 Pro+ scored 130 in single-core and 1,148 in multi-core. hese numbers put it on par with desktop-grade CPUs like the Core i7-14700K in single-core and outperform many ARM-based chips in multi-core performance. In PCMark 10, it achieved a respectable 8,224 points, showing strong results in general productivity.

For content creators, the NUC handled 4K video editing and RAW photo processing smoothly. In the Procyon Photo Editing benchmark, it reached 6,031 points, and in the video editing benchmark (Adobe Premiere), it hit 9,814 points—impressive for a system of this size.

Gaming Performance

While not a gaming powerhouse, the NUC 15 Pro+ holds its own in select titles:

Forza Horizon 5 at 1080p medium: 60–70 FPS
Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p high: ~42 FPS
Genshin Impact at 1080p high: 55 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p medium: ~42 FPS
League of Legends at 4K medium: ~95 FPS
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at 1080p low: ~35 FPS

While AAA games may require reduced settings, esports and lighter titles run quite well. And with support for external GPUs via Thunderbolt 4, performance can scale up significantly.

Thermals & Acoustics

Thermal performance is good, but it comes at the cost of noise. Under load, CPU temperatures reached up to 102°C, with the fan hitting 65 dB at the source. In normal use, the system stays quiet or moderately audible, but during sustained workloads, fan noise becomes noticeable.

Power draw peaks at 135W in performance mode—lower than the previous NUC 14 Pro+—while idle consumption sits around 11W. SSD temps remained manageable (max ~58°C) thanks to active cooling with thermal pads and a dedicated fan.

Storage & Upgrades

One major upgrade is the inclusion of a PCIe Gen 5 M.2 slot. We tested both Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs and saw excellent results:

PCIe Gen 4 SSD: ~7,000 MB/s
PCIe Gen 5 SSD (Inrita T700): ~12,000 MB/s

External storage via Thunderbolt 4 also performed well, achieving 3,100 MB/s. The second M.2 slot (2242) allows for further expansion, and we appreciated the ease of access for both RAM and SSD swaps.

Wireless & Networking

The NUC 15 Pro+ is now equipped with Intel’s BE201 Wi-Fi 7 module, replacing Wi-Fi 6E. In testing, we achieved:

Wi-Fi 6: ~750 Mbps
Wi-Fi 7: significantly higher throughput
Stable Bluetooth and 5GHz performance even at 12 meters distance

This makes it a future-ready choice for modern networking environments.

Asus NUC 15 Pro+ Review: Verdict

The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is a premium mini PC that delivers excellent performance in an incredibly compact and upgradeable form factor. From productivity to light gaming and creative workloads, it handles almost everything you throw at it. The fan noise under load and relatively high power consumption are trade-offs, but they’re acceptable considering the power packed into this tiny chassis.

Also Read: ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI Hands On