ASRock NUCS BOX-155H 2024, Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB, Black

The ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX Series NUCS BOX-155H is a compact barebone mini PC with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, dual M.2 slots, and four display outputs. It's a flexible foundation for a custom small workstation, but you'll need to add your own RAM, storage, and OS. Gaming is a non-starter, and reliability scores are low, so this one's for tinkerers only.

The Core Ultra 7 155H brings 14 cores and 20 threads to the table, with a base clock of 1.4GHz. In our database, the CPU lands at the 56th percentile for this category, which is solidly middle of the pack. It won't embarrass itself in day-to-day productivity, but it's not going to outmuscle a full desktop chip either. The integrated Arc Graphics with 8 Xe-cores is fine for media playback and light photo editing, but the gaming score of 10.6 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. This is not a gaming machine.

The NPU is the interesting bit here. Intel claims up to 20x better performance per watt for AI tasks compared to previous generations. We can't verify that specific number in our testing, but the dedicated NPU does give this box some future-proofing for AI-accelerated apps like Windows Studio Effects or local language models. Just keep expectations realistic. The 120W power supply suggests the chip can stretch its legs under sustained load, but the fanned design means you'll hear it when it does.

Stacked against the Apple iMac M4, the ASRock loses on out-of-box simplicity and raw GPU performance. The iMac M4 is a complete system with a gorgeous display, while the ASRock is a bare chassis that needs parts. But the ASRock has more display outputs and upgradeability, which matters if you run multiple monitors or want to swap storage later. The Lenovo Legion 90YA003GUS and HP OMEN GT16-0364 are gaming-focused towers that absolutely crush the ASRock in graphics, but they're also much larger and draw way more power. The Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 is a more traditional desktop that offers better reliability scores, though it lacks the compact footprint and modern connectivity of the ASRock.

If you're comparing the ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX to other mini PCs, the main trade-off is flexibility versus convenience. The dual M.2 slots and four display outputs are genuinely useful for a compact workstation. But the reliability percentile of 11 is a red flag. We'd take a hard look at warranty coverage before committing.

At $650 to $690 USD, the ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX is priced like a mid-range mini PC, but it's not a complete system. You'll need to add DDR5 SODIMMs, an NVMe drive, and a Windows license if you want Windows. That can easily push the real cost past $900. Compare that to a Mac Mini M4, which starts around $599 with everything included except peripherals, and the value proposition gets shaky. The ASRock makes more sense if you already have spare laptop RAM and an SSD lying around, or if you specifically want the Intel NPU for AI tinkering. Otherwise, you're paying a premium for the privilege of assembling your own machine.

The ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX Series NUCS BOX-155H is a barebone mini PC that sits in a weird spot. It's not a full desktop, and it's not a plug-and-play mini PC either. You get the chassis, motherboard, and Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, but you'll need to bring your own RAM, storage, and operating system. Listings we track put it around $650 to $690 USD, or about $982 CAD if you're shopping north of the border.

So is the ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX good for a compact workstation? That's the real question. The Core Ultra 7 155H is a 14-core Meteor Lake chip with integrated Intel Arc Graphics and a dedicated NPU for AI workloads. On paper, that's a solid foundation for a small home office rig or a light content creation box. But the barebone nature means the out-of-box experience is more involved than something like a Mac Mini or a prebuilt Lenovo.

For people who enjoy picking their own DDR5 sticks and NVMe drives, this is a flexible little platform. For everyone else, the missing memory and storage might feel like homework. We'll dig into whether the performance justifies the effort.

Skip the ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX if you want a plug-and-play experience. Gamers should look elsewhere entirely, the integrated Arc Graphics simply can't keep up with even budget discrete GPUs. If you need a reliable daily driver for work, the 11th percentile reliability score is a legitimate concern, and something like a Dell Tower Plus or a Mac Mini M4 will give you more peace of mind. And if you don't enjoy opening up a chassis and sourcing your own parts, this barebone kit will frustrate you. It's for builders who know exactly what they're getting into.

Should you buy the ASRock NUC Ultra 100 BOX Series NUCS BOX-155H? If you're a tinkerer who wants a compact Intel platform with Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and an NPU for AI experiments, it's a reasonable starting point. The dual M.2 slots and quad display outputs give it real utility as a tiny workstation. Just know that you're buying a project, not a product.

For most people, the answer is probably no. The barebone nature, weak gaming performance, and concerning reliability scores make it a tough sell against more polished alternatives. The Mac Mini M4 offers better performance per dollar for general use, and prebuilt mini PCs from other vendors often include RAM and storage at similar prices. This ASRock is for a specific kind of buyer, and that buyer knows who they are.