Review on 🖥️ Akasa Turing Intel 8th Generation NUC Fanless Cooling Case with Aluminium Build, IR, Heatsink, Antenna Hole, 2.5" SSD HDD Support - Model A-NUC45-M1B by Tutan Hesch

I bought the original Intel NUC8i7BEH because it has a powerful processor in a small package. The i7 8559U's GPU is the Iris Pro 655, which is also the most powerful Intel GPU to date. It is the ideal computer to play UHD Blu-ray discs with PowerDVD. It also features a Thunderbolt 3 port for external GPU expansion. With the NUC and an external nVidia GPU I was able to develop VR software and play VR games. However, the noise of the fan clicks since the purchase. More recently, after a lengthy period of VR programming, the fan has started making harsher noises. At first I thought about asking Intel to fix the problem until I found the Akasa Turing case. In fact, music is another important use of the NUC for me. I hook it up to a Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone amp for SACD playback, or a Sony MDR-HW700DS for multi-channel music. When using an analog amp, I also use a pair of Audeze LCD-MX4s. Due to the fact that these are open headphones, the computer fan noise is very noticeable. So I decided to forego a fan by buying a Turing case. The installation went relatively smoothly. I hope Akasa could include instructions on how to take out the NUC motherboard. To figure this out for myself, I found it important to first remove the static foams that were taped to the inner walls of the NUC's case. Then just take those two black screws, flip the NUC over and pull out the motherboard. Also note that you need to save the microphone array assembly. This is shown in the instructions. When disassembling the NUC, I found that the original heatsink and fans were too small to be thermally efficient, even smaller than a typical laptop's heatsink and fan. Unsurprisingly, the NUC often reached 100°C even without underload. Also, the original NUC case had a thick thermal pad for the M.2 SSD module, while the Turing case just breathed on its own. I bought an M.2 heatsink to install on an SSD. If you want to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, separate antennas must be purchased. Be very careful with the size of the antenna connector. The Intel Nuc uses the Intel 9560 wireless card. Antennas must be manufactured to support this model. I've found that the most common Revain antennas usually have a larger and incompatible connector size. Also, to get a reliable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signal around the room, you need a decent pair of antennas. I actually bought two pairs, one stick shaped and the other flat. I have found that rod antennas have a much longer range. This is especially true for Bluetooth signals. The size of the finished assembly is 3-4 times the size of the original NUC case. The Turing case can stand upright. Therefore, the footprint on the table is actually smaller. The reduction in CPU temperature and fan noise is incredible. So far it usually runs at around 40C with all cores running at 4.5GHz. At the highest load I could give, it never surpassed 80C. Of course, there's no fan noise. But I'm starting to hear coil whine coming from the NUC board. Well, for a computer, that probably means silence. The case has many sharp edges and corners. And it's hard. Considering the advantages, the disadvantages of the design are negligible. I think Intel really skimped on their NUC to provide a tiny package. To unleash the full potential of the i7 8559U, the Akasa Turing is a balanced choice.