Remember those cool yet powerful mini PCs Intel has? As much as we love the idea of the concept, Intel said that it will no longer produce its own Next Unit of Compute (NUC) mini PCs. Instead, Intel will approach brand partners to manufacture these NUC PCs. While they did not give a concrete explanation on why it will stop making its own NUC mini PCs, Intel sent this statement to The Verge:

We have decided to stop direct investment in the Next Unit of Compute (NUC) Business and pivot our strategy to enable our ecosystem partners to continue NUC innovation and growth. This decision will not impact the remainder of Intel’s Client Computing Group (CCG) or Network and Edge Computing (NEX) businesses. Furthermore, we are working with our partners and customers to ensure a smooth transition and fulfillment of all our current commitments – including ongoing support for NUC products currently in market.

One possible speculation about this move is that Intel is trying to streamline its business, as its revenue has plunged for the past two quarters, with its Client Computing Group–the business unit that’s involved with Intel’s NUCs–being the most affected.

Intel initially launched the NUC back in 2013 as a tiny PC that’s meant to showcase the latest processors and bring in the possibilities of compact computing. In later years, this has evolved into more powerful systems that can carry dedicated GPUs inside its tiny chassis. Despite the novel idea, Intel faced challenges–especially with the likes of the Apple Silicon-powered Mac Mini and similar offerings from Dell and Lenovo, and with newer GPUs being bigger than ever and more challenging to fit in a compact case.