Intel Ghost Canyon NUC9i9QNX Review: NUC 9 Extreme Realizes the SFF Dream
by Ganesh T S on April 16, 2020 8:05 AM ESTHTPC Credentials - Display Outputs Capabilities
The
NUC9i9QNB Display Outputs | ||
HDMI | 2x Thunderbolt 3 | |
Version | 2.0a | DisplayPort 1.2 |
Max. Video Output | 3840x2160 @ 60Hz | 4096x2160 @ 60Hz |
HDCP | Yes (2.2) | |
HDR | Yes | No |
HD Audio Bitstreaming | Yes |
The BIOS of the NUC9i9QNX also allows for switchable graphics. The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2070 MINI 8GB GDDR6 in our review configuration supports a maximum of four displays using three additional display outputs (the DisplayPort output supports multi-stream transport and can drive additional displays down the chain). The end implication is the ability of the system to simultaneously drive a total of 7 independent displays. The table below lists the display outputs of the RTX 2070 card in our review sample.
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2070 MINI Display Outputs | |||
DVI-D | HDMI | DisplayPort | |
Version | Dual-Link | 2.0b | 1.4 |
Max. Video Output | 2560x1600 @ 60Hz | 3840x2160 @ 60Hz | 7680x4320 @ 60Hz |
HDCP | Yes (2.2) | ||
HDR | No | Yes | |
HD Audio Bitstreaming | No | Yes |
Supporting the display of high-resolution protected video content is a requirement for even a casual HTPC user. In addition, HTPC enthusiasts also want their systems to support refresh rates that either match or be an integral multiple of the frame rate of the video being displayed. Most displays / AVRs are able to transmit the supported refresh rates to the PC using the EDID metadata. In some cases, the desired refresh rate might be missing in the list of supported modes.
Display Refresh Rates - NUC9i9QNB
Our evaluation of the NUC9i9QNX
The gallery below presents screenshots from the other refresh rates that were tested. The system has no trouble maintaining a fairly accurate refresh rate throughout the duration of the video playback.
Display Refresh Rates - ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 2070 MINI
Our initial HTPC evaluation was followed up by using the
The gallery below presents screenshots from the other refresh rates that were tested. Similar to the Intel HDMI output case, the system has no trouble maintaining a fairly accurate refresh rate throughout the duration of the video playback.
UHD Blu-ray Playback Support
UHD Blu-ray playback is currently supported when using the HDMI port driven by select Intel GPUs. It also needs SGX support. The NUC9i9QNX ticks all required items, as shown by the CyberLink Ultra HD Blu-ray Advisor tool in the screenshot below.
Using CyberLink's latest PowerDVD 20, we were able to successfully play back a UHD Blu-ray, as shown above.
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ganeshts - Friday, April 17, 2020 - link
Let me indulge you. Where are the positives exaggerated? In the concluding remarks section, number of pros = number of cons. The last paragraph even mentions the pricing aspect that is not touched upon in the pros and cons. Where are the negatives that I have not dwelt upon?Deicidium369 - Friday, April 17, 2020 - link
You did fine Ganesh -The kiddies won't be happy unless you totally crap on Intel and exalt the wonderfulness that is AMD.
I am a huge NUC fan - the 4.5"x4.5" NUCs - the reviewed unit is NUC in name only - and I have no clue what the use case is.
Korguz - Friday, April 17, 2020 - link
and a huge intel fan, obviously, in your posts on tom's show this. thats why you exalt the wonderfulness that is intelDeicidium369 - Sunday, April 19, 2020 - link
Admins - can you have a talk with Jimmy, he is becoming unhinged, and is stalking me.Korguz - Sunday, April 19, 2020 - link
its just funny, you get called out on your BS there, so you come here, and try to spread your bs here as well.GreenReaper - Sunday, May 10, 2020 - link
Come now. His name is clearly Korguz, not Jimmy.Reflex - Thursday, April 16, 2020 - link
I have one of these: https://www.dan-cases.com/Full mITX in only 7.2L. It's fantastic, and I was able to build a Ryzen with full length GTX1080 no problem last year.
1_rick - Thursday, April 16, 2020 - link
The Dan A4 is $220. What a ripoff, when I can buy a Rosewill case AND get a PSU for $50!(Not really, but that's the same thing a lot of people are saying.)
jtd871 - Friday, April 17, 2020 - link
That's what they will say until they own one.I was a KS backer of the DAN A4 v1 (silver). The KS price ended up very close to USD$280 after conversion from EUR, which did give me some pause at the time, but I really wanted it (and IIRC the initial KS run met goal in like 10 minutes after it opened). Still totally worth it IMO.
I dare Rosewill to ever produce anything this classy.
The DAN A4 KS cases shipped about this time *4 years ago*. So Intel really dropped the ball with their thermal design on this one, as far as I am concerned as the "sandwich" design has been in the wild for a long time. Keep up the mediocrity, Intel.
Reflex - Friday, April 17, 2020 - link
Going to second this. The Dan case is incredibly high quality, can accomodate water cooling (not my thing), is well thought out internally with lots of places to stash SSD's and so on, has great airflow/heat characteristics and can be built to be nearly silent even with a powerful CPU/GPU combo.I'm incredibly happy with mine. And unless a person upgrades thier case routinely, the price isn't a big deal