As a PC gamer, investing in top-tier equipment has always been a costly affair, and the situation seems to be worsening. Nearly everything is either overpriced, hard to find, or some combination of both. With new GPUs selling out instantaneously and tariffs influencing tech costs, gamers are feeling the pinch.

Asus has unveiled its latest compact gaming solution, the ROG NUC mini PC, which comes with a price tag that is more shock-inducing than its tiny size. An announcement from China revealed a base price of 24,399 RMB, translating approximately to $3300 USD without considering tariffs. Even looking at the Australian price invited tears.

The ROG NUC 2025 packs some impressive internals to justify its cost. This compact unit measures just 28 x 19 x 6 cm and houses an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU along with an Nvidia RTX 5080 laptop GPU, making it compatible with Nvidia’s DLSS4 AI scaling for enhanced gaming performance.

Specifications include up to 96 GB of DDR4 RAM and storage options of 1 TB or 2 TB SSD, all while weighing just over 3.12 kg. A variety of ports enhance its versatility, including Thunderbolt 4 Type-C and multiple HDMI and USB connections. While marketed as a gaming mini PC, the high price raises questions about its value compared to more traditional setups.

Expected to launch soon, Asus’s ROG NUC 2025 may be notable, but it also brings high expectations and potential disappointment if the price exceeds $3,500.