ASUS ROG NUC 16 vs Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

Black ASUS ROG NUC 16 gaming mini PC standing vertically with its RGB logo illuminated
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny standing vertically, viewed from the front-left
VS

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ASUS ROG NUC 16

Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD

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Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

13AC002JUS: Core Ultra 7 265T, 32GB DDR5-5600, 1TB PCIe 4.0 Opal SSD, Windows 11 Pro

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Amazon results may include other models. Verify the processor, memory, storage, and seller before buying.

iThese are manufacturer-sourced specifications, not MiniPCBench test results. Confirm the exact processor, memory, storage, price, and availability before buying.
Memory
Storage

1Is it fast for normal work?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Cinebench 2024 single-core 136 points
  • 7-Zip compression 156.204 GIPS
  • Business configuration Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Cinebench 2024 single-core Not available
  • 7-Zip compression Not available
  • Business configuration 20 cores / 32GB

2Can it handle sustained work?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Cinebench 2024 multi-core 2010 points
  • Cinebench R23 multi-core 35512 points
  • Exact sustained limit unknown Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Cinebench 2024 multi-core 1244 points
  • Cinebench R23 multi-core Not available
  • Exact sustained limit unknown Not independently tested

3Can it game?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Cyberpunk 2077 4K 43.28 fps
  • Cyberpunk 2077 1440p 92.43 fps
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4K 49 fps
  • Integrated graphics Not available
  • PCIe expansion caveat Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Cyberpunk 2077 4K Not available
  • Cyberpunk 2077 1440p Not available
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4K Not available
  • Integrated graphics Integrated Intel Graphics
  • PCIe expansion caveat Low-profile PCIe x8

4Is it loud or hot?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Gaming CPU package temperature 82.5 °C
  • Gaming GPU temperature 76.3 °C
  • Gaming noise 51.9 dBA
  • Cinebench load noise Not available
  • Reviewer conclusion Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Gaming CPU package temperature Not available
  • Gaming GPU temperature Not available
  • Gaming noise Not available
  • Cinebench load noise 43 dB(A)
  • Reviewer conclusion Load fan criticized

5How much electricity does it use?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Gaming CPU package power 46.9 W
  • Gaming GPU power 173 W
  • Idle wall power Not available
  • Full-load wall power Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Gaming CPU package power Not available
  • Gaming GPU power Not available
  • Idle wall power 6 W
  • Full-load wall power 123 W

6Can I upgrade and connect everything?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Memory is upgradeable Yes
  • Storage is upgradeable Yes
  • Thunderbolt is present Yes
  • Tool-less service access 2x memory and 2x M.2 slots
  • Memory and storage Not available
  • Native I/O Not available
  • Service documentation Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Memory is upgradeable Yes
  • Storage is upgradeable Not available
  • Thunderbolt is present Not available
  • Tool-less service access Not available
  • Memory and storage 2 SO-DIMM / 3 M.2
  • Native I/O 7 USB / GbE / Wi-Fi 6E
  • Service documentation Official service guides

7Is it good value?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • US list price $3,799
  • Exact-SKU price Not available
  • Amazon availability Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • US list price Not available
  • Exact-SKU price $2,376.36
  • Amazon availability No exact ASIN verified

8Will it be dependable?

ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Limited warranty 3 years
  • Review-unit disclosure Loan unit
  • Onsite warranty Not available
  • Business security Not available
  • No long-term exact-unit record Not available

Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Limited warranty Not available
  • Review-unit disclosure Not available
  • Onsite warranty 1-year onsite
  • Business security vPro / dTPM 2.0
  • No long-term exact-unit record Long-term data unavailable

References

  1. ASUS. ASUS ROG NUC 16 technical specifications. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: RNUC16JNK9X289AU: Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD

  2. ASUS. Warranty Information for NUC Products. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: ASUS NUC products purchased from authorized distributors

  3. ALKtech. Is this the most powerful mini gaming PC yet? ASUS ROG NUC 16 Unboxing & Review. Video review. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, 32GB DDR5-6400, 2TB SSD

    Disclosure: ALKtech states that ASUS Singapore supplied the review unit on loan. The accompanying article contains Amazon affiliate links.

  4. Lenovo. ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Intel) - 13AC002JUS. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: 13AC002JUS: Core Ultra 7 265T vPro, integrated Intel Graphics, 32GB DDR5-5600, 1TB PCIe 4.0 TLC Opal SSD, Windows 11 Pro, AX211 Wi-Fi 6E, 135W adapter

    Disclosure: Manufacturer exact-SKU specifications, live US price, warranty, and official product gallery. Manufacturer performance claims are not treated as measurements.

  5. Lenovo PSREF. ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Product Specifications Reference. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: M90q Gen 6 family specification covering Core Ultra 200 desktop processors, integrated or optional Arc A310 graphics, two SO-DIMMs, three M.2 SSDs, and optional rear modules

    Disclosure: Manufacturer family specification. Optional features are not attributed to 13AC002JUS unless the exact-SKU page confirms them.

  6. ComputerBase. Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 im Test: Lenovos Mini-PC für Desktop-CPUs ist schnell und flexibel. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: M90q Gen 6 Tiny with Core Ultra 5 245, 32GB DDR5-5600, 135W adapter, Windows 11; exact storage model not used here

    Disclosure: Lenovo loaned the review unit. ComputerBase states that Lenovo had no influence, there was no publication obligation or NDA, and the article contains marked affiliate links.

  7. Lenovo Support. Hardware Maintenance Manual - ThinkCentre M70q Gen 6 and ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: M70q Gen 6 and M90q Gen 6 service procedures and replaceable components

    Disclosure: Manufacturer service manual used only for repairability and component-access documentation.

  8. Newegg / Lenovo storefront. Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny Desktop 13AC002JUS. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: 13AC002JUS: Core Ultra 7 265T vPro, 32GB DDR5-5600, 1TB PCIe 4.0 TLC Opal SSD, integrated graphics, Windows 11 Pro

    Disclosure: Exact-SKU US price and configuration check. The listing was sold and shipped by Lenovo and had no customer reviews when checked.

Value for money

No value comparison is available. It requires eligible test scores and at least four current price observations in seven days.

Specification differences

Differences supported by the listed manufacturer specifications

Higher listed specifications for ASUS ROG NUC 16

  • Supports 64 GB more memory

Higher listed specifications for Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)

  • Provides 3 storage slots versus 2
  • Uses a smaller 1.19 liter enclosure
  • Has a manufacturer list price about $1,423 lower

Verified specifications

Manufacturer-sourced specifications and current testing status

Processor

SpecificationROG NUC 16ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)
CPUIntel Core Ultra 9 290HX PlusIntel Core Ultra 7 265T with vPro
Cores / threads24 / 2420 / 20
Processor default TDPNot disclosed35 W
Integrated graphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU with 16GB GDDR7Integrated Intel Graphics

Memory and storage

SpecificationROG NUC 16ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)
Memory typeDDR5-6400 CSODIMMDDR5-5600 SO-DIMM
Maximum memory128 GB64 GB
Upgradeable memoryYesYes
Storage slots23

Connectivity

SpecificationROG NUC 16ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)
Ethernet2.5GbEIntel I219-LM Gigabit Ethernet with Wake-on-LAN
WirelessWi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 2x2 with vPro and Bluetooth 5.3
USB4YesNo
ThunderboltYesNo

Size and price

SpecificationROG NUC 16ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 Tiny (Core Ultra 7 265T)
Enclosure volume3.02 liters1.19 liters
List price$3,799$2,376
Product classCompact high-end gamingManaged office fleets and compact systems that need unusually broad internal expansion