ASUS ROG NUC 16 Intel U9-290HX/ RTX5070Ti/ DDR5 32GB/ 1TB SSD/ Win 11 Home - White
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
ASUS ROG NUC 16 Moonlight White (RNUC16JNK9X389A3) - Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus / RTX 5070 Ti / 32GB DDR5 / 1TB SSD / Windows 11 Home - 3 Years Onsite Local Warranty
The value pick of the ROG NUC 16 range, in Moonlight White. Identical chassis, processor, memory, storage and cooling to the flagship - the only difference is the GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU with 12GB of GDDR7 in place of the RTX 5080's 16GB. That saves roughly S$1,000 while keeping the 24-core Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, 32GB of DDR5-6400 and full five-display output.
All of it in a 3.2 kg chassis measuring 282.5 × 189.5 × 56.5 mm that stands vertically, lies flat, or hides behind a monitor. Windows 11 Home, 3-year onsite local warranty through SourceIT.
RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU - where the money goes, and doesn't
12GB of GDDR7 and 992 AI TOPS with fifth-generation Tensor Cores, FP4 and DLSS 4.5. Against the RTX 5080's 16GB and 1,334 AI TOPS, that is roughly three-quarters of the AI throughput and three-quarters of the frame buffer. For 1440p gaming, video editing, 3D work and most local inference, it is the better value. The 12GB frame buffer is the thing to think about: 4K texture packs with ray tracing, and larger local language models, are where 16GB starts to matter. If you know you will be loading models above roughly 12GB, buy the 5080 instead - the rest of the machine is the same.
Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus - the same CPU as the flagship
Eight performance cores and sixteen efficient cores, 24 threads total, 5.5 GHz maximum turbo, 36MB Intel Smart Cache, built on TSMC N3B. Note the thread count: 24 cores yield 24 threads, because this generation's P-cores do not run Hyper-Threading. Size per-thread licensing against 24, not 32.
The integrated Intel AI Boost NPU is rated by Intel at 13 peak TOPS (INT8) - below the 40 TOPS Microsoft requires for Copilot+ PC features. This machine is not a Copilot+ PC. The AI performance is in the GPU, not the NPU.
Three fans, a vapour chamber and a dedicated SSD heatsink
Three 102 × 102 × 17 mm fans, a vapour chamber covering 72% of the thermal area, and a separate SSD heatsink measured by ASUS at 59°C. Sustained-load acoustics below 38 dB(A), chassis validated to MIL-STD-810H. With a lower-TGP GPU than the 5080 configuration, this variant has more thermal headroom to work with, not less.
Still a 380W adapter
Both the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti configurations ship with the 380W (20VDC, 19A) external power adapter. Dropping to the 5070 Ti does not shrink the brick. Plan for its physical size behind the unit and for the load on a shared circuit or UPS, and note that it uses the ASUS rectangular DC jack rather than USB-C.
Five displays, and tool-less upgrades
Two HDMI 2.1 FRL, two DisplayPort 2.1 and one Thunderbolt 4 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 drive up to five 4K displays, with 8K@60Hz available on two DisplayPort 2.1 outputs at UHBR20. Two DIMM slots and two M.2 2280 slots open without tools, and the second M.2 slot ships empty.
Datasheet - Processor, Graphics, Memory & Storage
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus |
| Cores / threads | 24 cores (8 Performance + 16 Efficient) / 24 threads |
| Max turbo frequency | 5.5 GHz. P-core base 2.7 GHz, E-core base 1.8 GHz, E-core max turbo 4.7 GHz |
| Cache | 36 MB Intel Smart Cache (plus 40 MB L2) |
| Processor power | Intel base power 55 W, maximum turbo power 160 W. ASUS configures cTDP at 45-75 W in this chassis |
| Lithography | TSMC N3B |
| NPU | Intel AI Boost, 13 peak TOPS (INT8). Below the 40 TOPS Copilot+ PC threshold |
| Integrated graphics | Intel Graphics, 4 Xe-cores |
| Discrete graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, 12 GB GDDR7, 992 AI TOPS. Fifth-gen Tensor Cores, FP4, DLSS 4.5, ray tracing |
| Memory installed | 32 GB DDR5-6400, 2 × 16 GB CSO-DIMM, dual channel |
| Memory slots | 2, tool-less access. Accepts DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM or DDR5-6400 CSO-DIMM |
| Memory maximum | See Sourcing Notes - ASUS publishes conflicting figures (64 GB on the spec table, 128 GB on the product page) |
| Storage installed | 1 TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD, with dedicated SSD heatsink |
| Storage slots | 2 × M.2 2280, tool-less. Supports 1 TB-4 TB PCIe 4.0 x4 and 1 TB-4 TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe. Second slot empty as shipped |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home |
Datasheet - I/O, Networking, Display & Physical
| Front I/O | 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 × 3.5 mm combo audio jack |
| Rear I/O | 1 × Thunderbolt 4 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1, 4 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 × HDMI 2.1 FRL, 2 × DisplayPort 2.1, 1 × RJ45 LAN, 1 × DC input (ASUS rectangular jack), 1 × Kensington lock slot |
| Display support | Up to five 4K displays. 8K@60Hz via DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 on two outputs; 4K@120Hz or 8K@60Hz via HDMI 2.1 FRL |
| Wireless | Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750x (Gig+), Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Wired network | Realtek RTL8125D, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet |
| Audio | Realtek ALC3342-CG HD audio codec, 3.5 mm headset combo jack |
| Cooling | 3 × 102 × 102 × 17 mm fans, vapour chamber with 72% thermal coverage, dedicated SSD heatsink. ASUS-published sustained-load acoustics below 38 dB(A) |
| Orientation | Vertical or horizontal, patented removable stand. Built-in G-sensor detects orientation and adjusts thermal profile |
| Durability | MIL-STD-810H validated |
| Power adapter | 380 W external adapter, 20 VDC / 19 A |
| Dimensions | 282.5 × 189.5 × 56.5 mm (11.12 × 7.46 × 2.22 in) |
| Weight | 3.2 kg (7.05 lb) |
| Colour | Moonlight White with illuminated ROG logo |
| Model | RNUC16JNK9X389A3 (White) |
| ASUS part number | 90AS00S2-M00350 |
| Barcode | 199291652897 |
How This Compares to the RTX 5080 Model
| Identical | Chassis, cooling, Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, 32 GB DDR5-6400, 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, all I/O, five-display support, 380 W adapter, Windows 11 Home, 3-year onsite warranty |
| Graphics memory | 12 GB GDDR7 here, versus 16 GB on the RTX 5080 model |
| AI throughput | 992 AI TOPS here, versus 1,334 on the RTX 5080 model |
| Choose this one if | You game at 1440p, do video and 3D work, or run local models comfortably under 12 GB. The saving is substantial and nothing else is compromised |
| Choose the 5080 if | You game at 4K with ray tracing and high texture settings, or you load local language models above roughly 12 GB. Frame buffer is not something you can add later |
In the Box
| Included | ROG NUC 16 system with removable stand |
| 380 W AC adapter and power cord | |
| Safety information, regulatory insert, warranty card | |
| Not included | Keyboard, mouse, monitor, VESA mount plate |
Warranty & Support
| Warranty term | 3 years onsite, local Singapore warranty |
| Administered by | SourceIT and the local ASUS distribution channel. Contact us for the current service process before raising a claim |
| Extended cover | Ask SourceIT for ASUS extended warranty options where available for this model |
Datasheet & Downloads
| ASUS product page | ROG NUC 16 (NUC16JNK) |
| ASUS specifications | ROG NUC 16 technical specifications |
| Processor specifications | Intel ARK - Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus |
| GPU comparison | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPU comparison |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 12GB of graphics memory enough?
For 1440p gaming, video editing, 3D and most local AI work, comfortably. Where it becomes the limit is 4K with high-resolution texture packs and ray tracing, and local language models larger than about 12 GB. Graphics memory cannot be upgraded later, so decide this at purchase.
Is this a Copilot+ PC?
No. The NPU is 13 peak TOPS against Microsoft's 40 TOPS requirement. The AI capability is in the RTX 5070 Ti.
Why is the power brick the same size as the 5080 model?
ASUS uses the 380 W adapter for both the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti configurations. Only the RTX 5060 model drops to a 280 W adapter.
Is the White model identical to the Black one?
Yes, apart from chassis finish. Only the part number differs (90AS00S2-M00350 for White, 90AS00S1-M00340 for Black).
Will the white finish discolour?
ASUS does not publish a UV or yellowing specification for the Moonlight White finish. If the unit will sit in direct sunlight, that is worth weighing - and worth asking us to raise with ASUS if it matters to your deployment.
Does it have 24 or 32 threads?
24. Eight P-cores, sixteen E-cores, no Hyper-Threading on the P-cores this generation.
Sourcing Notes & Points to Verify
SourceIT builds listings from independent sources - the distributor build sheet, the system vendor and the silicon vendor - and prints the disagreements rather than smoothing them over.
| Maximum memory: 64 GB or 128 GB? | ASUS's specification table reads "Max Capacity: 64GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM x 2 or 64GB DDR5-6400 CSO-DIMM x 2", readable as 64 GB total or 64 GB per module. ASUS's product page states "up to 128GB". Intel's silicon ceiling is 256 GB. Ask SourceIT to confirm with ASUS if the ceiling is decisive for you. |
| Processor name | ASUS's global page lists "Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 290HX"; other regional pages list "290HX Plus". Intel's ARK carries the part as Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus (SKU 245960, Q1'26). We have used Intel's name |
| Graphics memory not on ASUS's table | ASUS's specification table names the GPU but does not always state its memory. The 12 GB GDDR7 and 992 AI TOPS figures above are NVIDIA's published specifications for the RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU |
| Power figures | ASUS quotes cTDP 45-75 W for the processor; Intel quotes 55 W base and 160 W maximum turbo. Different measures, both printed above |
| Regional SKU suffix | ASUS's global pages list equivalents under suffixes such as ...389A6 and ...38AA6. SourceIT supplies the Singapore-channel RNUC16JNK9X389A3 White, ASUS part number 90AS00S2-M00350 |
| Bundled software offers | ASUS has promoted a Game Pass bundle with some ROG NUC configurations. Eligibility varies by region and period - confirm with SourceIT at time of order |
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