• ASUS will now sell and support Intel’s Next Unit of Computing (NUC) machines after a new partnership.
• Intel announced a week ago that it would be dropping its support and investments into NUC technology amid a historically poor market for PC parts.
• ASUS will begin making its own NUCs in the future using Intel’s technology as a base.

A week after announcing that it will be discontinuing its production of mini-PCs or Next Unit of Computing (NUCs), Intel has signed a new partnership with fellow manufacturer ASUS that will see the devices rescued from oblivion.

NUCs are a relatively novel concept. They are the answer to what if you condensed the hardware of a top-of-the-range desktop PC into a shell several times smaller and lighter. Intel did not officially say why it was halting its investments and efforts into NUCs, but an unprecedented sharp decline in worldwide PC shipments may have influenced the decision.

Although a tight knit community, fans of the machines will still be able to get Intel’s NUCs now from ASUS.

“Today, Intel announced it has agreed to a term sheet with ASUS, a global technology solution provider, for an agreement to manufacture, sell and support the Intel Next Unit of Compute (NUC) 10th to 13th generations systems product line and to develop future NUC systems designs,” reads a press release from the Santa Clara computer parts maker.

“Thank you, Intel, for your confidence in us to take the NUC systems product line forward. I am confident that this collaboration will enhance and accelerate our vision for the mini PC – greatly expanding our footprint in areas such as AI and AIoT,” added Joe Hsieh, ASUS CEO.

“We are committed to ensuring the excellent support and service that NUC systems customers expect.”

What this means is that now ASUS will receive a license to sell and provide maintenance to Intel’s NUCs from the 10th to the 13th generation, which is the latest. Further, through a new business unit called ASUS NUC BU, the firm will produce future NUCs in the same range.

“ASUS’s expertise and track record delivering industry-leading mini PCs to customers make it ideally suited to continue driving innovation and growth in NUC systems products,” Intel explains.

Effectively, Intel is dropping its NUCs into ASUS’ lap, and clearly ASUS believes there is a demand for micro PCs. Intel in the meantime will continue supporting its existing businesses like PC parts and graphics cards. In Q1, every single part of Intel’s business saw drops in revenue, except for its Mobileye self-driving tech, leading to a $2.8 billion loss.

This reflects the state of the PC market and has led Intel into planning a round of layoffs at the company.