Computing

NUC 11 Extreme: I’m Still Not a Fan of Fans

I shall try not to drone on about the passing of my trusty Airtop-PC. Suffice it to say, it’s truly dead now so I must move on. I’ve tried the laptop-as-a-desktop thing, and while it’s a good stop-gap measure, it left me wanting something better. So, I rather impulsively bought a used NUC 11 Extreme to try something that is at least different, if not better.

I’ve long been interested in the NUC line. The NUC 11 Extreme is built for gaming, with an i9-11900KB CPU, 64 GB of DDR4 RAM and an RTX3060 Ti GPU. It has good specs on paper. While a few years behind the cutting edge, it should handle everything I need to do. It’s certainly vastly better than the Airtop-PC from 2016.

NUC 11 Extreme Beast Canyon

However….there is a catch. This beast (it’s literally known as “Beast Canyon”) has no fewer than 6 fans! There’s a CPU fan, two large GPU fans and a trio of 90mm fans arrayed across the entire top of the case.

This is stark contrast to the Airtop-PC which was a completely fanless, dead silent, workstation. After almost ten years of zero fan noise in my office I’m not clear if this will be acceptable.

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Memory Prices Are Nuts!

About 18 months, Stella needed a new desktop computer. Seeking to be frugal, while still delivering performance, and minimizing the footprint on her desk, I settled upon a refurbished Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Tiny.

Lenovo ThinkStation P360 tiny i7-12700T P1000 32GB RAM 2TB SSD Wifi Windows 11

Specifications:

  • CPU: i7-12700T
  • GPU: nVidia T1000
  • Memory: 32GB RAM
  • Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
  • OS: Windows 11Pro

For under $800, this little wonder was a really nice solution for her. It delivered quite a leap in performance from her old system. She makes considerable use to the Adobe Creative Suite, so a dedicated GPU is a real advantage.

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I’m just not happy with a laptop as my new desktop computer

Early in December I finally transitioned from my old Airtop-PC to the aforementioned Lenovo P14s as my primary desktop computer. Over the holidays I received a USB-C dock that also serves as a monitor shelf. That allowed me to reorganize my desk.

The laptop stays tucked away under the shelf. One USB-C cable runs to the dock/hub, which feeds the monitor, connects to Ethernet and the USB keyboard. A Logitech MX Master 3 BT mouse rounds it all out.

Mobile Pixels Aluminum Monitor Riser with Docking Hub

I have to power the laptop separate from the hub. The hub doesn’t provide the wattage that the P14 demands. Since I had a spare USB-C power supply, that was not a problem.

The trouble is, I’m just not happy with this arrangement. It’s not really a good replacement for the old desktop.

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Refreshing my Lenovo X1 Carbon Laptop

As mentioned previously, back in September I bought a computer to replace my vintage but beloved desktop computer. At the time, I was concerned about the prospect of higher prices driven by new tariffs. Also, I saw a good deal on a configuration that was suitable.

The Lenovo P14s that I bought is a laptop, technically a mobile workstation, but to be used in a desktop role. Compared to the X1 Carbon, it’s a chunky beast, so it’s largely deskbound. That’s where I really need the more powerful system.

That means that my Lenovo X1 Carbon (Gen 7 from 2019) will remain my primary laptop for a while longer. I have an investment in accessories that are not all transferable to another laptop. As it was a very nice computer when originally purchased, it’s useful life can be significantly extended with only some minor updates.

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Sunday Afternoon at The Micro Center

The Micro Center ExteriorLast weekend I ventured out to our local Micro Center. I hadn’t been there for several years. It was an interesting and enjoyable experience, even if I didn’t buy anything on this occasion. In some fashion, it was a grounding experience.

I have a long relationship with The Micro Center. When I first moved here from Toronto in 1998 it was an eye-opening place. That was before Amazon.com, when computer stores were still a thing, and software was bought on floppy disk or CD-ROM. The Micro Center was a place I could go and lay hands on things before making a purchase. As a lark, one day I was there with Stella and I hugged a fancy new computer. Thereafter, she started to call it “The Michael Center.”

On Sunday, August 10th, 2025 The Micro Center in Houston was busy! It had not occurred to me that this was the last weekend before kids started back to school. It was also a tax-free weekend for back to school supplies. The place was fully of families getting things their kids would need for school.

The Lenovo Twins

I was there just to look around the place, but I really wanted to lay hands on a Lenovo T14 laptop. It’s one model in the running to replace my 2019 X1 Carbon and my aged desktop. I found a T14 there on display along side a T16. This was enough to convince me that 16” is just too big a laptop for my tastes. I wish I’d brought my X1 Carbon with me. The T14 is markedly heavier, but had a built-in Ethernet port and is vastly more upgradable over time.

Lenovo T14 Gen 5

I came away from the Lenovo display wanting to get hands on their P14 model, which is a mobile workstation. Sadly, such was not available at The Micro Center.

It’s really difficult to move away from the X1 Carbon. It’s basically ideal for mobile applications. However, soldered in memory means that the only upgrade opportunity is the NVMe drive.

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