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ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board vs Radxa ROCK 5B+: Comparison
ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board vs Radxa ROCK 5B+: the gpu model difference
Gpu model is the dividing line, ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board Intel Iris Xe Graphics against Radxa ROCK 5B+ Arm Mali-G610 MC4. There is a split on connectivity as well, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2.5GbE, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort via USB-C on the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board versus USB 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI in and out, official... on the Radxa ROCK 5B+.
Which should you buy, ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board or Radxa ROCK 5B+?
Buy the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board for OEM digital signage and kiosk systems and custom thin client or medical cart builds, though it is not built for hobbyist or budget-constrained projects and GPIO-driven hardware projects. Take the Radxa ROCK 5B+ for desktop replacement and home NAS builds, the rear M.2 NVMe slot, 2.5GbE, and PoE support combine into a genuinely strong package. It is equally the pick for buyers wanting strong general performance without AI as the primary goal, the RK3588's eight-core design delivers real multitasking headroom. It is not the one for buyers whose primary goal is serious AI or machine learning work, the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super is the right choice for that specific need. Our rating of the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board (8/10): A serious, laptop-grade embedded x86 platform for OEM integrators, not a hobbyist SBC and priced accordingly. Our rating of the Radxa ROCK 5B+ (8.5/10): the most thoughtfully designed RK3588 board, with rear M.2 NVMe, 2.5GbE and PoE making it a genuinely strong desktop or NAS base.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board and Radxa ROCK 5B+ differ on memory?
Yes. Memory reads Up to 64GB DDR5 SODIMM on the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board versus Up to 32GB on the Radxa ROCK 5B+.
Is the Onboard Storage the same on the ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board and Radxa ROCK 5B+?
It is. Both are listed at 2 GB, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- ASUS
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- Radxa
Model Number
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- NUC 13 Pro Board (NUC13ANBi7)
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
Memory
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- Up to 64GB DDR5 SODIMM (dual channel)Best
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- Up to 32GB
SoC Model
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- 4 Performance-cores + 8 Efficient-cores (12C/16T) up to 5.0GHz
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- Rockchip RK3588, octa-core (4x 2.2-2.4GHz performance + 4x efficiency cores)
GPU Model
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- Arm Mali-G610 MC4
Onboard Storage
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- 2 GB
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- 2 GB
Connectivity
- ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
- 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2.5GbE, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort via USB-C
- Radxa ROCK 5B+
- USB 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI in and out, official PoE HAT support
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board if you want the higher memory (Up to 64GB DDR5 SODIMM (dual channel) vs Up to 32GB).
Choose Radxa ROCK 5B+ if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board | Radxa ROCK 5B+ |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $549.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ASUS NUC 13 Pro Board
8 / 10 Expert Rating
A serious, laptop-grade embedded x86 platform for OEM integrators, not a hobbyist SBC and priced accordingly.
Radxa ROCK 5B+
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
The most thoughtfully designed RK3588 board, with rear M.2 NVMe, 2.5GbE and PoE making it a genuinely strong desktop or NAS base.