Intel just made a NUC laptop - but you can't buy it

Intel NUC 9 Extreme
(Image credit: Intel)

Intel has launched a 15-inch laptop called the NUC M15, but you won’t be able to get your hands on it.

Rather, the Intel NUC M15, previously codenamed “Bishop County”, is a whitebox laptop. It will be offered to smaller OEMs that want to compete with the likes of Asus and Dell without sinking too much cash into research and development. 

However, although you won’t be able to buy this notebook directly from Intel, the chipmaker said it will be backing the two-year warranty. 

The NUC M15  is a premium productivity laptop, according to Intel, and is available in two configurations: an entry-level model with an 11th-generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and 8GB RAM, and a higher-end version with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 chip and 16GB RAM. 

Both machines have integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, room for an m.2 NVMe SSD, and a 73Whr battery that Intel claims will provide 16 hours of video playback. 

On the outside, the Intel NUC M15 features a 15.6-inch 1008p IPS screen that’s offered with or without touch, along with two USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a HDMI output and a headphone jack. When it comes to connectivity, the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. 

While it looks like your standard laptop, with its aluminum chassis and large glass trackpad, the Intel NUC M15 does offer a unique feature in the form of an LED lighter that lights up when Alexa for Windows is in use. 

According to Intel, the whitebox notebook provides its channel members with “the best building blocks to create innovative laptops designed to exceed the stringent requirements of the new Intel Evo platform brand.

The Intel NUC M15 will be offered to OEMs starting in 2021. 

Via Tom's Hardware

Carly Page

Carly Page is a Freelance journalist, copywriter and editor specialising in Consumer/B2B technology. She has written for a range of titles including Computer Shopper, Expert Reviews, IT Pro, the Metro, PC Pro, TechRadar and Tes.