Intel's quest to deliver the perfect mini-desktop continues with the NUC 12 Extreme, its latest "next unit of computing" DIY kit. Code-named "Dragon Canyon," it's basically a slightly upgraded version of last year's NUC 11 Extreme, which was notable for being the first of its kind that could fit a full-sized desktop graphics card. Now it has Intel’s hybrid 12th-gen desktop processors, which promise to be a huge upgrade over last year's CPUs. While this latest kit is still a bit cramped – and it can easily get expensive once you add your own RAM, SSD and GPU – the NUC 12 Extreme proves that Intel is clearly committed to the world of tiny desktops. And with Apple's Mac Studio coming soon, it may be more compelling than ever for PC creators.

Given how much effort Intel put into developing a large NUC case last year, it's not too surprising that the NUC 12 Extreme shares the same 8-liter housing. It's large enough to fit in a 12-inch graphics card, but the rest of its interior is tightly packed with its power supply and Compute Unit, a removable card that houses its CPU, three NVMe SSD connections and two RAM slots. It's clearly a case meant for gaming enthusiasts, with the telltale sign being the RGB LED skull up front and additional lighting underneath. The NUC 12 Extreme is basically the PC equivalent to a Honda Civic souped up for street racing: It can't exist without a bit of bling.

Despite its small stature, the NUC's case has just about all the connectivity you'd want from a desktop. Up front, there’s a USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.1 Type-A socket, an SDXC card slot and a headphone jack. And on the back of the Compute Card, there are two more Thunderbolt 4 USB-C connections, six USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0b socket and two Ethernet jacks (10GbE and 2.5Gb). We reviewed the NUC12EDBi9 kit, which included the Core i9-12900 processor, but there's also another kit with an i7-12700 available.

Typically, Intel sends out pre-built NUC kits for review so we can get straight to benchmarking. This year, however, the company issued the same DIY kit consumers would get, which only includes the case, PSU and Compute Card. That meant I had to roll up my sleeves and prepare for scraped knuckles – it was PC building time! I scrounged up 16GB of RAM and a one-terabyte Samsung SSD from the previous NUC Extreme, along with a spare NVIDIA RTX 3080 card and got down to business.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Getting into the NUC Extreme is pretty simple: You just have to remove a few screws from the rear, open up the portion of the case blocking the PCI slot screws and remove a side panel to expose its innards. Thankfully, I was able to add in the RAM and SSD without removing the Compute Card. But if you'd like to take that out, perhaps to upgrade to a newer model down the line, you just have to hit a latch to unlock the three large top fans, pull those back, and yank the card out like any other PCI card. You'll have to be careful when removing its antenna cables and power connectors, but it's easy enough if you've already got PC building experience. Given the delicate nature of that process, it's not something I'd recommend doing unless you absolutely have to, though.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The RTX 3080 easily fit into the NUC Extreme's PCIe slot, but I wish there was a bit more internal space to deal with all of its power cables. As with most powerful GPUs, the RTX 3080 requires two 8-pin PSU connections, which are attached to the card by a dongle. It was a challenge stuffing all of those cables into the NUC, and I was constantly worried they'd be clipped by the GPU's fan blades. I also had a hard time accessing the PCIe latch to remove the 3080 after I installed it. I was eventually able to unlock it with a flat-edge screwdriver, as I typically do in tight PC builds, but the latch flew off as soon as I removed the card. Clearly, there's room for better build quality.

Once I plugged everything in (and soothed my poor knuckles from being jammed into sharp edges and cables), I booted up the NUC and installed Windows 11 via a flash drive. Then, I rewarded myself the way every PC builder must: I started gaming. I averaged around 100fps while playing Halo Infinite in my monitor's ultrawide (3,440 by 1,440) resolution with all of the graphics settings cranked to maximum. That's impressive, but pretty much what I'd expect from any system powered by an RTX 3080. More notable, I'd say, is that the NUC was able to play games for hours without overheating. I typically see CPU temperatures between 80 and 85 Celsius under load, while the GPU never surpassed 82C. Not bad for a system with severely limited airflow and no room for any sort of liquid cooling.

Benchmarking the NUC 12 Extreme also made it clear that Intel's 12th-gen processors are a serious upgrade. Its GeekBench 5 CPU score was the highest we've seen on any system; the closest match was the Alienware x14, powered by the 12th-gen Core i7-12700H, followed by Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Max. The NUC's multi-core score was also around 4,000 points higher than last year's model, which makes it an even better choice for creators doing serious rendering work. It also achieved the highest PCMark 10 score we've seen yet, though that's partially influenced by GPU power.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

While these benchmarks don't tell the entire story, they indicate that the NUC 12 Extreme could be a solid workhorse that'll serve you well for years. Of course, its overall performance depends on all of the other hardware you configure it with. But at least you're free to upgrade the RAM, SSD and GPU down the line, something you can't do with a competitor like Apple's Mac Studio.

When I started testing this NUC kit, I was concerned it was going to be another overly expensive curiosity like its predecessors. Why spend thousands more than a standard mid-tower or mini-ITX desktop system just to have a slightly smaller box on your desk? It's still pretty pricey: The Core i7 Kit starts at $1,150, while the Core i9 model we're reviewing sells for $1,450, and then you'll have to add around $1,000 for a GPU, memory, SSD and OS. But you know what? Apple's Mac Studio also starts at $2,000, and while it includes a hefty 32GB of RAM, you'll probably want to add a 1TB or 2TB SSD for an additional $200 or $400. Basically, if you want tiny desktop power, be prepared to pay.

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

If anything, Intel was just ahead of the current mini-desktop moment. If you're in the market for one, and you enjoy getting down and dirty with PC hardware, then the NUC 12 Extreme will serve you well. While the Mac Studio is sleeker and doesn't require any scraped knuckles, macOS also doesn't have nearly the same level of gaming support as a Windows PC, so it's mainly meant for work. Apple Arcade titles are nice and all, but they're no replacement for having a tiny box that’ll play Elden Ring.

You can pick up everything from headphones to video games to smartwatches on sale this week. Sony's WH-1000XM4 ANC headphones are $72 off and down to $278, while the Apple Watch Series 7 is up to $50 off at Amazon. Nintendo celebrated Mar10 Day this week by discounting a bunch of Switch games, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion 3 and others. Plus, you can still get a handful of Fire TV devices for less right now, including the Fire TV Cube, which is down to a record low of $70. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Sony WH-1000XM4

Engadget

Our current favorite pair of ANC headphones, Sony's WH-1000XM4, are down to $278 right now. That's $72 off their usual price and close to an all-time low. They earned a score of 94 from us for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.

'Mar10 Day' Nintendo Switch deals

Nintendo

Nintendo's annual 'Mar10 Day' celebration of the happy little plumber has knocked up to 83 percent off Switch games. Titles including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi’s Mansion 3,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Yoshi's Crafted World are all 33 percent off and down to $40, while you can snag Mario + Rabbits Kingdom Battle for only $10 at Nintendo's eShop.

Apple Watch Series 7

Certain colors of the Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $349, or $50 off their normal price. Apple's latest flagship smartwatch earned a score of 90 from us for its slightly larger display, faster charging and handy watchOS8 features.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Nintendo

Both the Mario and Luigi sets of Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit are 40 percent off and down to $60 on Amazon. These toys work with the Nintendo Switch and let you build your own raceway in your home.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QC45 headphones are on sale for $279, which is their all-time-low price that we saw last Black Friday. We gave the cans a score of 86 for their excellent sound quality, strong ANC and comfortable fit.

Amazon Fire TV 4K

Amazon

The Fire TV Stick 4K is down to only $30, which is 40 percent off its usual rate. It's a handy streaming device to get if you don't want to spend a ton of money but want a device that supports 4K content with Dolby Vision and HDR, and that comes with an Alexa Voice Remote.

Amazon Fire TV Cube

Nicole Lee/Engadget

The Fire TV Cube is back down to a record low of $70, or 42 percent off its normal price. We gave it a score of 84 when it came out for its 4K streaming with Dolby Vision and HDR+, speedy performance and hands-free Alexa controls.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 LTE

Samsung

The 44mm LTE version of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 is down to a record low of $225, making it cheaper than its WiFi-only counterparts. We consider this smartwatch to be the best available right now for Android users and it earned a score of 85 from us for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive health tracking features and improved third-party app support.

Google Nest WiFi

Daniel Cooper/Engadget

A two-pack of the Google Nest WiFi system is on sale for $189 across the web. That's only $10 more than the pack was during the holiday shopping season last year, so this is a solid sale. We gave the mesh WiFi system a score of 84 for its minimalist design, simple installation process and built-in Google Assistant smart speaker.

Samsung T7 Touch (1TB)

The T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is on sale for $140 right now. This palm-sized drive works with most devices thanks to the duo of cables it comes with, and it supports 1,050 MB/s read speeds, 1,000 MB/s write speeds, AES 256-bit encryption and Dynamic Thermal Guard.

Samsung 980 Pro SSD (2TB)

Samsung's 980 Pro internal drive in 2TB is 35 percent off and down to $280 — a great price for a powerful SSD that works with the PS5 (provided you have a heatsink). It has read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s, advanced thermal controls and works with Samsung's Magician Software, which lets you check its health and optimize settings as you'd like.

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone is $270 off and down to $799 right now. We gave the handset a score of 88 for its fantastic display, great performance and much-improved main camera.

New tech deals

Beats Studio Buds

The Beats Studio Buds are 20 percent off and down to $120. We gave these true wireless earbuds a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, good sound quality and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.

Apple AirTags

Woot has Apple's AirTags for up to 7 percent off right now: you can get a single pack for $27 or a four-pack for $95. These accessories provide a handy way to keep track of your belongings using Apple's Find My network. Just make sure you pick up a case or holder if you plan on attaching the AirTag to your keys or bag.

55-inch Sony A90J Bravia XR OLED 4K TV

Sony's 55-inch Bravia XR OLED set is $600 off right now, bringing it down to $2,200. In addition to deep blacks and the improved contrast that comes with OLED TVs, this set also supports XR Motion Clarity, HDMI 2.1, Acoustic Surface Audio+ and Alexa voice commands.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro

Jabra's Elite 7 Pro earbuds are on sale for $180, which is $20 off their normal price. These buds have 6mm custom speakers and MultiSensor Voice technology to improve call quality, plus an eight-hour battery life and a charging case that gives you up to 30 hours of usage.

UK deals

Fitbit Sense

Fitbit's most advanced smartwatch, the Sense, is down to £189 right now. That's not a record low, but it's still 37 percent off its usual rate. We gave it a score of 82 for its comprehensive health tracking features and big, bold display.

Jabra Elite 75t earbuds

John Lewis has the Elite 75ts for £79, which is nearly half off their usual rate. We gave the buds a score of 87 when they first came out for their good audio quality, long battery life and small, comfortable design.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Instagram is trying to tackle the problem of unsavory comments that pop up during Live streams with its latest feature. Starting today, Live users can assign someone to be a moderator for their broadcasts. Moderators can report comments, switch off comments from a particular user and boot troublesome viewers from the stream.

Creators can add a moderator by tapping the menu icon on the comment bar. They can search for a specific person or choose a user from a list suggested by Instagram.

Instagram is rolling out the feature to help broadcasters focus on engaging in positive discussions instead of spending time addressing unwanted interactions. It's a welcome move that should help to cut down on toxic comments during Lives.

The app is following in the footsteps of Twitch, which has allowed streamers to have moderators for years. Having reliable, effective mods who can handle trolls and deal with distasteful comments or messages swiftly can foster a safer environment for both creators and their audiences.

If you played PC role-playing games in the previous century, there's a good chance you have fond memories of SSI's Dungeons & Dragons "Gold Box" titles — and now you'll have an easy way to play many of them. SNEG is bringing multiple Gold Box Classics collections to Steam on March 25th. Most are themed around their D&D franchises, and they all include a special game launcher, "enhanced" DOSBox emulator support and utilities to help you transfer parties, map dungeons and otherwise manage your RPGs.

There are three Forgotten Realms collections, including one for the Eye of the Beholder series, another for the Pool of Radiance and Savage Frontier titles and a third for Dungeon Hack and Menzoberranzan. DragonLance fans will find a bundle for the Krynn trilogy, while Dark Sun and Ravenloft enthusiasts have their own packs. Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse and D&D Stronghold: Kingdom Simulator are available individually.

This might not satisfy you if you're a completist. The catalog doesn't include DragonStrike, Spelljammer and other games that don't fit neatly into the stereotypical Gold Box format. These aren't remasters, either, so they'll be just as low-resolution as you remember. Still, this might be appealing if you want a nostalgic computer RPG experience without the hassles of swapping floppy disks.

CNN has revealed exactly when its dedicated streaming service will debut. CNN+, which costs $6 per month or $60 per year, will arrive on March 29th. Those who sign up in the first four weeks and maintain their subscription will get 50 percent off the monthly plan for life (that works out to $36 per year for the foreseeable future).

The service will deliver live, on-demand and interactive news-driven programming. Subscribers of CNN's linear service can watch cable broadcasts and on-demand content through the app too.

CNN hired away Chris Wallace from Fox News to host a CNN+ show. Other daily launch programming includes shows anchored by Wolf Blitzer, Kate Bolduan, Sara Sidner and Bianca Nobilo, as well as a weekday edition of Reliable Sources. Viewers can also expect Anderson Cooper Full Circle to be available on CNN+, as well as a book-focused show with Jake Tapper, a show from Christiane Amanpour and much more.

Last Thursday to celebrate the closing of a new $400 million round, the venture capital firm M13 held an invite-only schmoozing opportunity in the former offices of Musical.ly, opening with a introductory chat on "the future of crypto, the decentralized web, and creators." Curiously, one of the guests was Cameo's Steven Galanis who, according to audio provided to Engadget by an attendee, took the opportunity to share a metaphor he apparently has deployed before: that the rampant speculation around Web3 is akin to the colonization of the Americas by Europeans. To be clear, he seems to think of both as good things.

Cameo, the service that hit unicorn status last May and allows anyone to book a short, custom video message from celebrities and pseudo-celebrities like Fran Drescher, Gilbert Gottfried or the guy who played Hagrid, is not a Web3 business in any sense — not that "Web3" itself is a particularly meaningful or well-defined piece of terminology. 

But Galanis seems to have become something of a booster for these loosely conjoined elements of emergent tech. His Twitter profile picture is of toga- and 3D glasses-wearing Bored Ape NFT, for which he seems to have paid 100 ETH — the equivalent of around $300,000 at the time. He steered Cameo toward minting its own set of NFTs (called "Cameo Pass") last month with the promise that proceeds would be reinvested into, among other things,"exploration of further Web3 projects focused on fan/talent interactions." 

Presumably this enthusiasm — a contrast to the oftenchilly reception towards NFTs at other tech companies — helped land Galanis on stage for M13's shindig, along with Lightning Labs's Liz Stark. But in the course of his enthusiastic boosterism he shared "the analogy that I like to give people" about Web3, which we've edited for clarity (emphasis ours):

"I actually think right now it's like 1493. Columbus has just gotten back from the New World. And he's going to the King of Spain and the Queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella, and he's like 'there's a whole world over there that like, there's literally just gold coming out of rivers.' And then the King of France hears about it, the Kingdom of England hears about it. And what does everybody decide? We need to start building boats. So right now we're in this age where everybody's building boats. Everybody's trying to go to this New World. [...] So everybody's going over, there's gonna mutinies on some boats. Somebody's gonna hit an iceberg. [...] But somebody is gonna end up on Manhattan, like in the digital world, and they're gonna pull a bunch of beads out of their pocket, and they're going to make the best real estate transaction of all time."

It boggles the mind that anyone could be aware of the colonization and systematic genocide of native peoples, and conclude that the moral is to not miss out on the opportunity to kill, steal and swindle again for personal gain. Or that if someone were to sincerely believe something quite so awful, they would at least have the good sense not to share that opinion, apparently, on multiple occasions.

Beyond the blunt insensitivity of the remarks, Galanis seems to have little to no grasp of the events he references. "Everybody is building boats!!!? This is a sort of 20th [century] arms race point of view," William Fowler, a professor emeritus of history at Northeaster, told Engadget via email. "England sent Cabot (1497) West, but that did not result in much. Not until Jamestown, 1607, did England, through a private company, establish a permanent colony in America. 

As for their naval power, England barely made it through the Armada, 1588, and did not have a first class navy until [the] mid 17th [century] ... France sent Cartier (1534), but it would be almost one hundred years before they got serious in Canada." All of this is to say nothing of the fact that Columbus was far from the first European to stumble onto the Americas (that distinction likely goes to the Vikings) or that he "went to his grave (1506) believing he had found a route to the Indies," according to Fowler.

The tale of Manhattan's land rights being bought out from under native people by the Dutch for baubles is, at best, highly exaggerated. Unlike Staten Island or other areas of land, the contract between the Dutch and native peoples for Manhattan is either lost or never existed, and according to the Gotham Center's Richard Howe "the extant evidence for the Dutch purchase of Manhattan is scant, indirect and circumstantial." 

While a letter claiming a transfer occurred, dated November 7 1626, does survive, it's both inconclusive and in no way mentions "beads" — rather that the land had been purchased "for the value of 60 guilders" (which is something like $1,000 in today's dollars.) Whether native tribes shared the same understanding of property, or could be said to have freely entered into these types of contracts is unresolved. Nor is it known if the people who allegedly signed over the deed were even the tribe primarily occupying Manhattan at the time.

Whatever the case, this "investment" was short-lived, and New Amsterdam was "taken easily by the British," according to Fowler, in 1664, less than 20 years after the rights were supposedly sold for a song. Let's not even get into how the metaphor fails on a structural level in that Web3 isn't a valuable resource simply awaiting discovery and exploitation. Its illusion of riches shares more in common with El Dorado than the "New World."

It might appear unfair to expect Galanis to have studied history, rather than basing offensive flights of fancy on colonialist myths. Then again, history was the man's area of study at Duke. Engadget made several attempts to contact Cameo to allow Galanis to explain precisely what he might have meant by this analogy, and have yet to hear back. "Trying to apply 21st [century] criteria to ages past should be done with great care," professor Fowler wrote, "[Galanis] may have something to say, but it is hard to dig through the rhetoric to get to his point, if he has any."

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It's Apple pre-order day, and not just for the M1-powered iPad Air or the latest iPhone SE. At its "Peek Performance" event this week, Apple unveiled new green versions of the iPhone 13 series, bringing the total number of colors for the non-Pro models to six. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are now available in five shades, and you can now pre-order this new "Alpine Green" version on Apple's website.

While the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13's new hues look earthier and closer to a leafy green, the Pro flagships come with a sort of frosted finish that helps them better reject smudges. It also makes the color a little paler and adds a metallic sheen.

There's nothing else different about these new iPhones. They're last year's iPhone 13s, but green. Intrigued? Then take a look at these pictures I took of the new gadgets under different lighting conditions. 

I have included photos of the two new iPhone 13s alongside other green phones like the sage Pixel 5 and the Pixel 5a. The latter's official color is called "Mostly Black," but it definitely feels more like "Off Green." My favorite is still the pastel green iPhone 12, which will reign in my heart as the best verdant gadget. At least, until someone comes up with a Matcha-colored (or flavored) phone. Or lime. Or pandan. You're welcome for the color inspiration, phone makers.

Now's a good moment to get a cellular Galaxy Watch 4. Woot is offering the 44m LTE version in green at an all-time low price of $225. That's better than we saw in February, and a whopping $105 below the official sticker. It's substantially less expensive than its non-cellular counterpart, in fact. Just remember that Woot's return policy isn't the same as its parent Amazon, and that inventory might run out.

The Galaxy Watch 4 rejuvenated Samsung's smartwatch lineup. The switch from Tizen to Wear OS gave it a more robust app ecosystem, and the improved health tracking (including continuous blood oxygen detection) will help with your fitness regimen. Add the attractive display, a newer processor and a touch-based rotating bezel and you'll have a watch that should be appealing all day round, whether you're working out or streaming from Spotify.

There are some limits. We found the battery life to be short, and the body mass scans weren't consistent at review time. And unlike some Wear OS watches, it's a no-go if you're an iPhone user. Provided those aren't obstacles, though, the Galaxy Watch 4 remains one of the best values in Android-friendly smartwatches — especially at this price.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into all of the news from Apple’s first 2022 event. What’s so great about the revamped iPhone SE? Is the new iPad Air better than the iPad Mini? And who really needs the Mac Studio anyway? Also, we chat about Android 12L and other Google news, the recently announced Magic Leap 2 and our fond memories of illicit filesharing services.

Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

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Topics

• Apple announces iPhone SE (Gen 3) – 2:52

• The iPad Air now has an M1 chip – 12:26

• Apple’s next step in processing power, the M1 Ultra – 20:07

• Mac Studio announcement – 25:43

• Apple Studio Display – 29:05

• Android 12L coming to larger screens later this year – 35:52

• Google promises Chrome 99 will be faster on Android and Macs – 39:57

• New Pixel update brings Samsung exclusives to Pixel – 41:18

• Magic Leap 2 announced – 45:17

• Limewire is now…an NFT marketplace?? – 50:51

• Carl Pei’s Nothing to announce 2022 roadmap – 55:20

• Working On – 57:06

• Picks – 1:02:29

• Interview with Upload creator Greg Daniels – 1:11:13

Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos and Luke Brooks
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned operators of cryptocurrency ATMs in the UK to shut down their machines or else face enforcement action. In its announcement, the financial watchdog said that it hasn't granted any of the crypto firms registered with it the permission to operate ATM services. That means all crypto ATMs in the UK are illegal. 

"Crypto ATMs offering cryptoasset exchange services in the UK must be registered with us and comply with UK Money Laundering Regulations," the regulator wrote. As The Telegraph reports, there are around 81 functional crypto ATMs in Britain based on data from the Coin ATM Radar tracker, located mostly inside supermarkets and convenience stores.

These ATMs allow users to deposit cash in exchange for cryptocurrency, which they can then transfer to their digital wallets. The regulator previously raised concerns that the machines could be used for money laundering, because they require minimal background checks, especially for small deposits. 

Gidiplus, a Bitcoin ATM operator, tried to overturn the FCA's refusal to grant it a license. The regulator argued that bad actors could take advantage of its machines' weak identity checks on people depositing less than £250. Money launderers and illegal businesses could potentially use multiple "mules" to do small transactions in order to avoid getting noticed by authorities. The UK's Upper Tribunal ruled against Gidiplus, which has since sold its ATMs to an Eastern European buyer. 

The regulator ended its announcement with a warning that cryptocurrency is high-risk and that people could lost their money if something goes wrong:

"We regularly warn consumers that cryptoassets are unregulated and high-risk which means people are very unlikely to have any protection if things go wrong, so people should be prepared to lose all their money if they choose to invest in them."