Intel® NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC
NUC12WSi3 / NUC12WSi5 /
NUC12WSv5 / NUC12WSi7 /
NUC12WSv7
Technical Product Specification
Regulatory Models: NUC12WSK (Slim Kit, Mini PC)
NUC12WSH (Tall Kit)
NUC12WSB (Board)
Includes “Lite” versions of above models
July 2022
Revision 1.0
Intel® NUC Board NUC12WS may contain design defects or errors known as errata that may cause the product to deviate from published
specifications. Current characterized errata, if any, are documented in Intel® NUC Board NUC12WS Specification Update.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
iv
Revision History
Revision
Revision History
Date
1.0
First release of the Intel NUC Board/Kit NUC12WS Technical Product Specification
April 2022
Disclaimer
THIS PRODUCT SPECIFICATION APPLIES TO ONLY THE STANDARD INTEL NUC BOARD NUC12WS WITH BIOS IDENTIFIER
WSADL357.00XX OR WSADLV57.00XX.
INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH INTEL® PRODUCTS. NO LICENSE, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, BY ESTOPPEL OR OTHERWISE, TO ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IS GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN INTEL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR SUCH PRODUCTS, INTEL ASSUMES NO
LIABILITY WHATSOEVER, AND INTEL DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, RELATING TO SALE AND/OR
USE OF INTEL PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIABILITY OR WARRANTIES RELATING TO FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT.
UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED IN WRITING BY INTEL, THE INTEL PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED NOR INTENDED FOR
ANY APPLICATION IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE INTEL PRODUCT COULD CREATE A SITUATION WHERE PERSONAL
INJURY OR DEATH MAY OCCUR.
All Intel NUC Boards are evaluated as Information Technology Equipment (I.T.E.) for use in personal computers (PC) for
installation in homes, offices, schools, computer rooms, and similar locations. The suitability of this product for other PC
or embedded non-PC applications or other environments, such as medical, industrial, alarm systems, test equipment, etc.
may not be supported without further evaluation by Intel.
Intel Corporation may have patents or pending patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property
rights that relate to the presented subject matter. The furnishing of documents and other materials and information does
not provide any license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any such patents, trademarks, copyrights, or
other intellectual property rights.
Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice.
Designers must not rely on the absence or characteristics of any features or instructions marked “reserved” or
“undefined.” Intel reserves these for future definition and shall have no responsibility whatsoever for conflicts or
incompatibilities arising from future changes to them.
Intel processor numbers are not a measure of performance. Processor numbers differentiate features within each
processor family, not across different processor families: Go to:
Learn About Intel® Processor Numbers
Intel NUC may contain design defects or errors known as errata, which may cause the product to deviate from published
specifications. Current characterized errata are available on request.
Contact your local Intel sales office or your distributor to obtain the latest specifications before placing your product
order.
Intel, the Intel logo, Intel NUC and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
Copyright © 2022 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
The SuperSpeed USB Trident® logo is a registered trademark owned by USB Implementers Forum, Inc. and any use of
such mark by Intel Corporation is under license.
The Adopted Trademarks HDMI, HDMI High-Definition Multimedia Interface, HDMI trade dress, and the HDMI Logos are
trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc in the United States, and other countries.
v
Preface
This Technical Product Specification (TPS) specifies the board layout, components, connectors,
power and environmental requirements, and the BIOS for Intel® NUC Board/Kits NUC12WS. Some
features are only available on certain SKUs.
Intended Audience
The TPS is intended to provide detailed, technical information about Intel® NUC Board, Kit, and
Mini PCs NUC12WS and its components to the vendors, system integrators, and other engineers
and technicians who need this level of information. It is specifically not intended for general
audiences.
What This Document Contains
Chapter
Description
1
An overview of the features and specifications of the Intel® NUC NUC12WS
2
The figures, layouts, and physical description of the Intel® NUC NUC12WS Board
3
Detailed descriptions of the features and specifications
4
Technical references and considerations
5
An overview of BIOS features and specifications
Typographical Conventions
This section contains information about the conventions used in this specification. Not all these
symbols and abbreviations appear in all specifications of this type.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE
Notes call attention to important information.
CAUTION
Cautions are included to help you avoid damaging hardware or losing data.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
vi
Other Common Notation
#
Used after a signal name to identify an active-low signal (such as USBP0#)
GB
Gigabyte (1,073,741,824 bytes)
GB/s
Gigabytes per second
Gb/s
Gigabits per second
KB
Kilobyte (1024 bytes)
Kb
Kilobit (1024 bits)
kb/s
1000 bits per second
MB
Megabyte (1,048,576 bytes)
MB/s
Megabytes per second
Mb
Megabit (1,048,576 bits)
Mb/s
Megabits per second
TDP
Thermal Design Power
xxh
An address or data value ending with a lowercase h indicates a hexadecimal value.
x.x V
Volts. Voltages are DC unless otherwise specified.
x.x A
Amperes.
*
This symbol is used to indicate third-party brands and names that are the property of their respective
owners.
vii
Board Identification Information
Basic Intel® NUC Board NUC12WS Identification Information
AA Revision
BIOS Revision
Notes
M36953-302
M46425-302
M46422-302
WSADL357.00XX
1
M46423-302
M36952-302
WSADLV57.00XX
1
Basic Intel® NUC Board NUC12WS “Lite” Identification Information
AA Revision
BIOS Revision
Notes
M63410-302
M63398-302
M63355-302
WSADL357.00XX
1
M63394-302
M63350-302
WSADLV57.00XX
1
Notes:
1. The AA number is found on a small label on the component side of the board.
Production Identification Information
Intel® NUC Products NUC12WS Identification Information
Product Name
Intel® NUC Board
NUC12WSKi3
NUC12WSBi3
NUC12WSHi3
NUC12WSKi5
NUC12WSBi5
NUC12WSHi5
NUC12WSKv5
NUC12WSBv5
NUC12WSHv5
NUC12WSKi7
NUC12WSBi7
NUC12WSHi7
NUC12WSKv7
NUC12WSBv7
NUC12WSHv7
Intel® NUC Products NUC12WS “Lite” Identification Information
Product Name
Intel® NUC Board
NUC12WSKi30Z
NUC12WSBi30Z
NUC12WSHi30Z
NUC12WSKi50Z
NUC12WSBi50Z
NUC12WSHi50Z
NUC12WSKv50Z
NUC12WSBv50Z
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
viii
NUC12WSHv50Z
NUC12WSKi70Z
NUC12WSBi70Z
NUC12WSHi70Z
NUC12WSKv70Z
NUC12WSBv70Z
NUC12WSHv70Z
Specification Changes or Clarifications
The table below indicates the Specification Changes or Specification Clarifications that apply to
the Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS.
Specification Changes or Clarifications
Date
Type of Change
Description of Changes or Clarifications
March 17, 2022
Errata
On SKUs with the 2nd LAN expandability option the 2nd LAN LED will blink
even if the 2nd LAN is disabled. There is no impact to the primary LAN
connector.
Errata
Current characterized errata, if any, are documented in a separate Specification Update. See for
the latest documentation.
Online Support
To Find Information About…
Visit this World Wide Web site:
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS
http://www.intel.com/NUC
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC Support
http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
High level details for Intel NUC
Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS
https://ark.intel.com
BIOS and driver updates
https://downloadcenter.intel.com
Tested memory
http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
Integration information
http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
Processor datasheet
https://ark.intel.com
Regulatory documentation
http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
ix
Table of Contents
1 Product Description ............................................................................................... 13
1.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
1.1.1 Summary of Mini PC SKUs ................................................................................................. 13
1.1.2 Summary of Kit and Board SKUs..................................................................................... 13
1.1.3 Feature Summary .................................................................................................................. 14
2 Product Layout ........................................................................................................ 17
2.1 Board Layout .............................................................................................................................................. 17
2.1.1 Board Layout (Bottom) ........................................................................................................ 17
2.1.2 Board Layout (Top) ............................................................................................................... 19
2.1.3 Front Panel ............................................................................................................................... 20
2.1.4 Back Panel ................................................................................................................................ 20
2.1.5 Chassis Expandability Options ......................................................................................... 21
2.1.6 Block Diagram ......................................................................................................................... 22
3 Feature Descriptions .............................................................................................. 23
3.1 Graphics Subsystem ............................................................................................................................... 23
3.1.1 Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics ......................................................................................................... 23
3.1.2 Intel® UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors .................................................. 23
3.1.3 Display Emulation .................................................................................................................. 24
3.2 SATA Interface ........................................................................................................................................... 24
3.3 Real-Time Clock Subsystem ................................................................................................................ 25
3.4 LAN Subsystem ......................................................................................................................................... 26
3.4.1 RJ-45 LAN Connector with Integrated LEDs .............................................................. 26
3.5 Hardware Management Subsystem ................................................................................................. 26
3.5.1 Fan Monitoring ........................................................................................................................ 26
3.5.2 System States and Power States .................................................................................... 26
4 Technical Reference ............................................................................................... 29
4.1 Connectors and Headers....................................................................................................................... 29
4.1.1 Signal Tables for the Connectors and Headers ........................................................ 29
4.2 Mechanical Considerations .................................................................................................................. 39
4.2.1 Chassis Images ........................................................................................................................ 39
4.2.2 Form Factor .............................................................................................................................. 41
4.3 Thermal Considerations ........................................................................................................................ 43
4.4 Reliability ..................................................................................................................................................... 44
4.5 Environmental ........................................................................................................................................... 44
5 Overview of BIOS Features ................................................................................... 46
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 46
5.2 BIOS Updates ............................................................................................................................................. 46
5.2.1 BIOS Recovery ......................................................................................................................... 46
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
x
5.3 Boot Options .............................................................................................................................................. 46
5.3.1 Boot Device Selection During Post................................................................................. 47
5.3.2 Power Button Menu .............................................................................................................. 47
5.4 Hard Disk Drive Password Security Feature .................................................................................. 48
5.5 BIOS Security Features .......................................................................................................................... 49
5.6 BIOS Error Messages ............................................................................................................................... 49
List of Figures
Figure 1. Major Board Components (Bottom) with Pin 1 Indicators ...................................................... 17
Figure 3. Major Board Components (Top)......................................................................................................... 19
Figure 4. Front Panel Connectors ........................................................................................................................ 20
Figure 5. Back Panel Connectors ......................................................................................................................... 20
Figure 6. Back Panel Faceplate .............................................................................................................................. 21
Figure 8. Block Diagram ........................................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 9. LAN Connector LED Locations........................................................................................................... 26
Figure 10. Connection Diagram for Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch) ............................................ 33
Figure 11. Location of the BIOS Security Jumper ........................................................................................ 35
Figure 12. Connection Diagram for the Internal Power Supply Connector ....................................... 38
Figure 13. Tall Chassis Image Front .................................................................................................................... 39
Figure 14. Slim Chassis Image Front ................................................................................................................... 39
Figure 15. Tall Chassis Image Back Panel ......................................................................................................... 40
Figure 17. Tall “Lite” Chassis Image Back Panel ............................................................................................. 40
Figure 18. Slim Chassis Image Back Panel ........................................................................................................ 41
Figure 19. Slim “Lite” Chassis Image Back Panel ........................................................................................... 41
Figure 20. Board Dimensions ................................................................................................................................. 42
Figure 21. Board Height Dimensions .................................................................................................................. 43
List of Tables
Table 1. Feature Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Table 2. Additional Features .................................................................................................................................. 16
Table 3. Components Shown in Figure 1 ....................................................................................................... 18
Table 4. Components Shown in Figure 3 ......................................................................................................... 19
Table 5. LAN Connector LED States ................................................................................................................... 26
Table 6. Systems States .......................................................................................................................................... 27
Table 7. Wake-up Devices and Events .............................................................................................................. 27
Table 8. SATA Combined Data/Power Header .............................................................................................. 29
Table 9. Internal USB 2.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch) ........................................................................................ 29
Table 11. M.2 2280 Module (Mechanical Key M) Connector .................................................................... 30
Table 12. M.2 2230 Module (Mechanical Key E) Connector .................................................................... 31
Table 13. M.2 2242 Module (Mechanical Key B) Connector ..................................................................... 32
Table 14. Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch) ................................................................................................ 33
Table 15. States for a One-Color Power LED ................................................................................................. 34
Contents
xi
Table 16. States for a Dual-Color Power LED ................................................................................................ 34
Table 17. BIOS Security Jumper Settings ........................................................................................................ 35
Table 18. Fan Header Current Capability ......................................................................................................... 37
Table 19. Internal Power Supply Connector Pins .......................................................................................... 38
Table 20. Environmental Specifications ........................................................................................................... 44
Table 21. Acceptable Drives/Media Type for BIOS Recovery................................................................... 46
Table 22. Power Button Menu Options ............................................................................................................. 47
Table 23. Master Key and User Hard Disk Drive Password Functions .................................................. 48
Table 24. Supervisor and User Password Functions .................................................................................... 49
Table 25. BIOS Error Messages ............................................................................................................................. 49
13
1 Product Description
1.1 Overview
1.1.1 Summary of Mini PC SKUs
Product Codes and MM#s for the SKUs below can be found at https://ark.intel.com.
Processor
Chassis
AC Cord (C5)
Type C
RAM
Storage
OS
Intel® Core™ i7-1260P
Processor
Slim
US or EU
No
2 x 8 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Pro
Standard
Intel® Core™ i7-1260P
Processor
Tall
CN
Yes
2 x 8 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Home
Plus
Intel® Core™ i5-1240P
Processor
Slim
US or EU
No
2 x 4 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Pro
Standard
Intel® Core™ i5-1240P
Processor
Tall
CN
Yes
2 x 4 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Home
Standard
Intel® Core™ i3-1220P
Processor
Slim
US or EU
No
2 x 4 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Pro
Standard
Intel® Core™ i3-1220P
Processor
Tall
CN
Yes
2 x 4 GB
500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD
Win11 Home
Standard
1.1.2 Summary of Kit and Board SKUs
Product Codes and MM#s for the SKUs below can be found at https://ark.intel.com.
Processor
Chassis
Features
AC Cord (C5)
TPM
Intel® Core™ i7-1270P
Processor with Intel® vPro®
Technology
Slim
-
US, EU, or No Cord
WW1
“Lite” SKU3
No Cord
WW1
Tall
-
US, EU, or No Cord
WW1
“Lite” SKU3
No Cord
WW1
Board
-
N/A
WW1
Intel® Core™ i7-1260P
Processor
Slim
-
US, EU, or No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, or No Cord
-
Tall
-
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
Board
-
N/A - “Lite” SKU3
N/A
-
Intel® Core™ i5-1250P
Processor with Intel® vPro®
Technology
Slim
-
US, EU, or No Cord
WW1
“Lite” SKU3
No Cord
WW1
Tall
-
US, EU, or No Cord
WW1
“Lite” SKU3
No Cord
WW1
Board
-
N/A
WW1
Intel® Core™ i5-1240P
Processor
Slim
-
US, EU, or No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, or No Cord
-
Tall
-
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
Board
-
N/A - “Lite” SKU3
N/A
-
Intel® Core™ i3-1220P
Processor
Slim
-
No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, or No Cord
-
Tall
-
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
“Lite” SKU3
US, EU, CN, or No Cord
-
Board
-
N/A
-
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
14
“Lite” SKU3
N/A
-
1
“WW” refers to worldwide
2
“CN” refers to China
3
“Lite” SKU refers to SKUs with no back panel USB Type C ports
1.1.3 Feature Summary
Table 1 summarizes the major features of Intel® NUC Board, Kit, and Mini PC NUC12WS.
Table 1. Feature Summary
Board Dimensions
4.0in by 4.0in (104.1mm by 101.6mm)
Max Chassis
Dimensions
Slim Chassis: 117mm by 112mm x 37mm (including feet)
Tall and Dual LAN Chassis: 117mm x 112mm x 54 mm (including feet)
Processor
Intel® NUC Boards, Kits, and Mini PCs NUC12WS have a soldered-down 12th generation
Intel® Core™ quad-core or dual-core processor with up to 28 W TDP
• Intel® Core™ i7-1270P Processor with Intel® vPro® Technology, MM# 99AVAA
• Intel® Core™ i7-1260P Processor, MM# 99AVA9
• Intel® Core™ i5-1250P Processor with Intel® vPro® Technology, MM# 99AVAC
• Intel® Core™ i5-1240P Processor, MM# 99AVAD
• Intel® Core™ i3-1220P Processor, MM# 99AW7A
More information about Intel® processors can be found at https://ark.intel.com
Memory
Two 260-pin 1.2 V DDR4 SDRAM Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (SO-DIMM)
sockets
• Support for DDR4 2400/2666/3200 MHz SO-DIMMs
• Support for 8 Gb and 16 Gb technology
• Support for up to 64 GB of system memory with two SO-DIMMs using 32 GB
memory modules
• Support for non-ECC memory
• Support for 1.2 V JEDEC memory only
Note: 2 Gb and 4 Gb memory technology (SDRAM Density) is not supported
More information about tested memory can be found at http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
Graphics
Integrated graphics support for processors with Intel® Graphics Technology:
• Supports up to quad 4K60Hz displays (2 x DP/Type C + 2 x HDMI 2.0b)
• Supports a single 8K60Hz panel, supported by joining two pipes over a single port
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support
• Four display pipes – supporting blending, color adjustments, scaling, and dithering
• Support for HDCP 1.4 and 2.3
• Codecs supported are detailed in Section 3.1
• Supporting Persistent Display Emulation on HDMI ports only
Audio
Realtek audio is delivered through a 3.5mm stereo headset jack. The processor supports
four High-Definition audio streams on four digital ports simultaneously.
The processor supports the following audio formats over HDMI* and DisplayPort*: AC-3
Dolby* Digital, Dolby* Digital Plus, DTS-HD*, LPCM, 192 Khz/24 bit, 6 Channel, and Dolby*
TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio*.
More information about software and drivers can be found at
https://downloadcenter.intel.com
Storage
One M.2 PCIe Gen4 connector supporting M.2 22x80 (key type M) for NVMe only
One M.2 connector supporting M.2 22x42 (key type B) for SATA SSD, PCIe x1 or USB 3.2
expandability
Product Overview
15
One SATA 6.0 Gb/s combined data and power connector for 2.5 inch HDD
Communication
Intel® Wi-Fi 6E1 AX211 (Gig+) M.2 2230 add-in card (Mini PC and Kit only) via M.2 2230 (key
type E) connector
• 802.11ax R2 2x2, both with 160Mhz channel support + Bluetooth v5.2
• Maximum transfer speed up to 2.4 Gbps
• Supports PCIe and USB
• Intel® AMT/vPro support on Core i5 vPro and Core i7 vPro SKUs only
More information about Intel® wireless products can be found at https://ark.intel.com
To obtain drivers visit https://downloadcenter.intel.com
Gigabit (10/100/1000/2500 Mbps) LAN subsystem using the Intel® i255-LM Gigabit
Ethernet Controller (vPro SKUs) and Intel® i255-V Gigabit Ethernet Controller (non-vPro
SKUs)
• PCIe 3.1 5GT/s support for x1 width (Lane)
• Single-port integrated multi-gigabit (up to 2.5G) – standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet
interface for 2500BASE-T, 1000BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 10BASE-TE connections (IEEE
802.3, 802.3u, 802.3bz, and 802.3ab)
• Full wake up support (S4 WOL not supported)
• Supports for packets up to 9.5 KB (Jumbo Frames)
More information about Intel® Ethernet controllers can be found at https://ark.intel.com
†
Thunderbolt™
2 x Thunderbolt™ ports (back panel)
• USB4 compliant
• 15W (5V/3A) port bus power, 7.5W (5V/1.5A) port bus power
• Thunderbolt networking
• Protocol support:
PD Modes Supported: TBT3, USB4, USB3, DP-alt/MF
TBT3 Tx/Rx rates: 40G (2x 20.625), 20G (2x 10.3125)
PCI Express Tunneling: 32 Gbps (PCI Express* 3.0 x4 compliant)
USB4 Tx/Rx rates: 40G (2x 20), 20G (2x 10)
USB3 Native: USB 3.2 Gen 2 x1 (10G)
USB3 Tunneling: USB 3.2 Gen 2 x1 (10G)
USB2: 480 Mpbs
DP1.4a, HBR3
DisplayPort Tunneling:
Port 1: 2 streams (~35 Gbps, Thunderbolt 4 certified)
Port 2: 2 stream (~35 Gbps, Thunderbolt 4 certified)
More information about the location of the Thunderbolt™ ports can be found in Section
2.1.4 later in this document
USB Ports and Headers
†
2 x USB 4 ports via Type C/Thunderbolt™ (on back panel, shared with Thunderbolt™ as
described above)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (2 front panel and 1 back panel)
1 x USB 2.0 port (1 back panel)
2 x USB 2.0 Headers (internal)
More information about the location of the USB ports and headers can be found in Section
2 later in this document
More information about the pinout of the USB ports and headers can be found in Section
4.1 later in this document
TPM
Worldwide discrete TPM on Core i5 vPro and Core i7 vPro SKUs only
Intel® Platform Trust Technology (Intel® PTT) supported on Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7
SKUs
More information about TPM and Intel® PTT is available on https://intel.com/support
Power
AC Adapter
• Core i3 ships with a 90W 19V adapter
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
16
• Core i5, Core i5 vPro, Core i7, and Core i7 vPro ship with a 120W 20V adapter
Internal Power Header
• 4-pos/dual row (2x2) right-angled header
Power Input
• 12V
DC
to 20V
DC
+/- 5% with DC voltage protection
Operating
Temperatures
Intel® BIOS provides options to select an External Ambient Temperature Tolerance. Users
can select 0-35C, 0-40C, or User Defined. Each option impacts system power, performance,
and cooling settings.
BIOS
Intel® BIOS resident in the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Flash device
Support for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), Plug and Play, and System
Management BIOS (SMBIOS)
Operating System (Mini
PCs only)
Intel® NUC Mini PCs NUC12WS ship with Windows 11 Pro 64-bit, Windows 11 Home Plus
64-bit, or Windows 11 Home preinstalled
More information about available Intel® NUC Mini PCs NUC12WS can be found in Section
1.1.1 Summary of Mini PC SKUs. For Product Codes and MM#s visit https://ark.intel.com
Hardware Monitor
Subsystem
Hardware monitoring subsystem including:
Voltage sense to detect out of range power supply voltages
Thermal sense to detect out of range thermal values
One processor fan header
Fan sense input used to monitor fan activity
Fan speed control
†
Not available on “Lite” SKUs
1
May not be available in all countries
Table 2. Additional Features
Chassis Expandability
and Replaceable Lids
Intel® NUC Mini PCs and Kits NUC12WS ship with a replaceable lid that allows you to
replace the cover of the NUC with a full range of cosmetic and functional lids
More information about Intel NUC replaceable lids is available on intel.com at this URL and
https://intel.com/nuclidsupport
The Tall chassis provides a back-panel expansion bay. More information about chassis
expandability options can be found in Section 2.1.5 later in this document
HDMI CEC API
Built-in support for HDMI CEC is available on both HDMI ports, which may be enabled in the
BIOS for display power control, as well as via an API supporting other HDMI CEC functions.
More information about the HDMI CEC API specification is available on
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000056864/intel-nuc.html
Sustained Operation
Qualified for 24x7 sustained operation
Auto RTC Reset
A Real-Time Clock (RTC) reset will be triggered after three consecutive unsuccessful boot
attempts.
Delayed AC Start
Short delay after AC power is applied before unit is ready to power on to protect the system
against voltage fluctuations in environments where multiple devices are being powered on
simultaneously
Reflectivity
All surfaces meet 20GE (20 Gloss Level/Gloss Units) of shininess by measurement of Glanz
Kensington Security Slot
Available on the left side of the chassis when viewed from the front
Cable Locking Arm
Intel® NUC Mini PCs and Kits NUC12WS ship with a cable locking arm on the back panel of
the chassis. The cable locking arm reduces stress on the power adapter cable in certain
positions and prevents unintended losses of power
VESA Mount
Intel® NUC Mini PCs and Kits NUC12WS ship with a VESA mount and screws for attaching
the system to compatible screens and monitors
More information about Intel NUC VESA mounts is available on intel.com at this URL
Product Overview
17
2 Product Layout
2.1 Board Layout
2.1.1 Board Layout (Bottom)
Figure 1 shows the location of the major components on the bottom of Intel® NUC Board
NUC12WS.
Figure 1. Major Board Components (Bottom) with Pin 1 Indicators
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
18
Table 3. Components Shown in Figure 1
Item from Figure 1
Description
A
12-20 V DC Input Jack
B
HDMI 2.0b Port 1 with Built-In CEC Support
C
LAN Connector
D
Back Panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 / USB 2.0
E
HDMI 2.0b Port 2 with Built-In CEC Support
F
BIOS Security Header
G
Front Panel Header
H
Intel® Management Engine BIOS Extension (Intel® MEBX) Reset Header
I
M.2 2230 Module Connector (Key Type E) (Wireless card on Mini PCs and Kits only)
J
CMOS Battery Connector
K
USB 2.0 Header
L
USB 2.0 Header
M
M.2 2280 Module Connector (Key Type M) (NVMe Only)
N
Front Panel USB 3.2 Gen 2
O
Front Panel USB 3.2 Gen 2
P
3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack
Q
Front Panel Power Button
R
DDR4 SO-DIMM 0 Socket
S
DDR4 SO-DIMM 1 Socket
T
M.2 2242 Module Connector (Key Type B)
U
Combined Data/Power SATA Connector
V
Standby Power LED
Product Overview
19
2.1.2 Board Layout (Top)
Figure 2 shows the location of the major components on the bottom-side of Intel® NUC Board
NUC12WS.
Figure 2. Major Board Components (Top)
Table 4. Components Shown in Figure 2
Item from Figure 2
Description
A
Fan and Thermal Solution
B
Fan Header
C
CMOS Battery
D
12-20 V DC 2x2 Power Connector
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
20
2.1.3 Front Panel
Item
Description
A
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (black)
B
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (black)
C
3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack
D
Front Panel Power Button
Figure 3. Front Panel Connectors
2.1.4 Back Panel
Item
Description
A
12-20 V DC Input Jack
B
HDMI 2.0b Port 1
C
LAN Connector
D
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (blue) / USB 2.0 Port (black)
E
HDMI 2.0b Port 2
†F †
Thunderbolt™ Port 2
†G †Thunderbolt™ Port 1
Figure 4. Back Panel Connectors
†
Not available on “Lite” SKUs
Product Overview
21
2.1.5 Chassis Expandability Options
The tall chassis provides a back-panel expansion bay that includes a removeable faceplate for
when no ports are installed and an internal removeable bracket that is pre-punched for attaching
one DB9 port. Some 3rd party expandability dongles are available from https://gorite.com and a
specification is available for the design of 3rd party add in cards.
Figure 5. Back Panel Faceplate
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
22
2.1.6 Block Diagram
Figure 6. Block Diagram
†
TBT/USB4 not available on “Lite” SKUs
Product Overview
23
3 Feature Descriptions
3.1 Graphics Subsystem
Intel® NUC Boards NUC12WS support Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics (Core™ i7 vPro, i7, i5 vPro, and i5
processors) or Intel® UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors (Core™ i3 processor).
3.1.1 Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics implements a high-performance and low-power HW acceleration for video
decoding operations for multiple video codecs.
The HW decode is exposed by the graphics driver using the following APIs:
• Direct3D* 9 Video API (DXVA2), Direct3D11 Video API, Direct3D12 Video API, Intel Media
SDK, MFT (Media Foundation Transform) filters, and Intel VA API.
• Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics supports full HW accelerated video decoding for
AVC/HEVC/VP9/JPEG and AVI.
Intel® 12th Gen Processors implements a low-power low-latency fixed function encoder and highquality customizable encoder with hardware assisted motion estimation engine which supports
AVC, MPEG-2, HEVC, and VP9. The HW encode is exposed by the graphics driver using the
following APIs:
• Intel® Media SDK and MFT (Media Foundation Transform) filters.
• Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics supports full HW accelerated video encoding for
AVC/HEVC/VP9/JPEG.
There is hardware support for image processing functions such as De-interlacing, Film cadence
detection, Advanced Video Scaler (AVS), detail enhancement, gamut compression, HD adaptive
contrast enhancement, skin tone enhancement, total color control, Chroma de-noise, SFC (Scalar
and Format Conversion), memory compression, Localized Adaptive Contrast Enhancement (LACE),
spatial de-noise, Out-Of-Loop De-blocking (from AVC decoder), and 16 bpc support for denoise/de-mosaic. The HW video processing is exposed by the graphics driver using the following
APIs:
• Direct3D* 9 Video API (DXVA2), Direct3D* 11 Video API, OneVPL, MFT (Media Foundation
Transform) filters, Intel® Graphics Control Library, and Intel VA API.
Intel® 12th Gen Processors support the following transcoding features:
• High performance high quality flexible encoder for video editing and video archiving, lower-
power low latency encoder for video conferencing, wireless display, and gam streaming,
lossless memory compression for media engine to reduce media power, high-quality
Advanced Video Scaler (AVS) and low power Scaler and Format Converter.
Notes:
1. Resolution support is subject to memory bandwidth availability
2. Single 8K at 60 Hz display, supported by monitors that accept dual DP input for tiled screen
3.1.2 Intel® UHD Graphics for 12
th
Gen Intel Processors
Intel® UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors features the following:
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
24
• DirectX* 12.1 support
• OpenGL* 4.6 support
• Max HDMI resolution 4096x2304 at 60Hz
• Max DP resolution 7680x4320 at 60Hz
†
• OpenCL* 3.0 support
†
Not available on “Lite” SKUs
3.1.3 Display Emulation
Display emulation is supported using the HDMI ports so that the system may be remotely
accessed in a headless configuration or be capable of tolerating display connectivity interruptions
without the operating system redetecting and rearranging the overall display layout. The display
emulation feature may be enabled in BIOS Setup with the following checkboxes:
• “Virtual display emulation”: provides a 1280x1024 virtual display when no displays are
connected to the system and provides an additional 1280x1024 virtual display if one
display is attached to the system. If two displays are attached to the HDMI ports these
displays will be enabled and no virtual displays will be provided.
• “Persistent display emulation”: emulates that both displays are always connected to the
system no matter their actual connection status. The EDID information from each display
will remain programmed through S3, S4, S5 and G3 power states until the feature is
disabled.
• When “Persistent display emulation” is enabled another drop-down menu
(“Inconsistent Display Device”) will become visible that allows the user to select
the behavior of the system when the display device EDID is inconsistent with the
EDID stored by the system.
▪ “Block boot” (default selection): the BIOS will display a warning message
with options and will wait indefinitely for a user selection.
▪ “Countdown”: the BIOS will display a warning message with options and
will wait 10 seconds before booting.
NOTE
When using “Persistent display emulation” it would be expected behavior for the system not to
properly drive displays different than those connected when the feature was enabled, as the EDID
parameters of the initially connected displays are still being driven by the system. In order to
retrain the system for different displays, the persistent display emulation feature must be disabled
in the BIOS, the system rebooted, and then the persistent display emulation feature must be
reenabled.
3.2 SATA Interface
The board provides the following SATA interfaces:
• One SATA 6.0 Gb/s combined Data and Power connector
• Accepts up to 7mm in height 2.5” drives
The PCH provides independent SATA ports with a theoretical maximum transfer rate of 6 Gb/s. A
point-to-point interface is used for host to device connections.
Product Overview
25
3.3 Real-Time Clock Subsystem
A coin-cell battery (CR2032) powers the real-time clock and CMOS memory. When the computer
is not plugged into a wall socket, the battery has an estimated life of three years. When the
computer is plugged in, the standby current from the power supply extends the life of the battery.
The clock is accurate to 13 minutes/year at 25 ºC with 3.3 VSB applied via the power supply 5 V
STBY rail.
NOTE
If the battery and AC power fail, date and time values will be reset and the user will be notified
during the POST.
When the voltage drops below a certain level, the BIOS Setup program settings stored in CMOS
RAM (for example, the date and time) might not be accurate. Replace the battery with an
equivalent one. Figure 2 on page 19 shows the location of the battery.
System can power on from G3/AC power loss state without the Real-Time Clock battery.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
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3.4 LAN Subsystem
3.4.1 RJ-45 LAN Connector with Integrated LEDs
Two LEDs are built into the RJ-45 LAN connector (shown in Figure 7).
Item
Description
A
Link LED (Green)
B
Data Rate LED (Green/Yellow)
Figure 7. LAN Connector LED Locations
Table 5 describes the LED states when the board is powered up and the LAN subsystem is
operating.
Table 5. LAN Connector LED States
LED
LED Color
LED State
Condition
Link
Green
Off
LAN link is not established
Solid
LAN link is established
Blinking
LAN activity is occurring
Data Rate
Green/Yellow
Off
10/100 Mb/s data rate is selected
Yellow
1000 Mb/s data rate is selected
Green
2500 Mb/s data rate is selected
3.5 Hardware Management Subsystem
3.5.1 Fan Monitoring
Fan monitoring can be implemented using third-party software.
3.5.2 System States and Power States
Table 6 describes the ACPI states supported by the processor.
Product Overview
27
Table 6. Systems States
State
Description
G0/S0/C0
Full On: CPU operating. Individual devices may be shut to save power. The different
CPU operating levels are defined by Cx states.
GO/S0/Cx
Cx State: CPU manages C-states by itself and can be in lower power states.
G1
Suspend-To-RAM (STR): The system context is maintained in system DRAM, but
power is shut to non-critical circuits. Memory is retained and refreshes continue. All
external clocks are shut off; RTC clock and international oscillator clocks are still
toggling.
G1/S4
Suspend-To-Disk (STD): The context of the system is maintained on the disk. All
power is then shut to the system except to the logic required to resume. Externally
appears the same as S5 but may have different wake events.
G2/S5
Soft Off: System context not maintained. All power is shut except for the logic required
to restart. A full boot is required when waking.
G3
Mechanical Off: System context not maintained. All power shut except for the RTC. No
“Wake” events are possible because the system does not have any power. This state
occurs if the user removes the batteries, turns off a mechanical switch, or if the system
power supply is at a level that is insufficient to power the “waking” logic.
3.5.2.1 Wake-up Devices and Events
Table 7 lists the devices or specific events that can wake the computer from specific states.
Table 7. Wake-up Devices and Events
Devices/events that wake up the
system…
…from this sleep
state
Comments
Power switch
S0iX, S4, S51
RTC alarm
S0iX, S4, S51
Option for monitor to remain in sleep
state
LAN
S0iX, S5
1, 3, 4
“S5 WOL after G3” is supported; monitor
to remain in sleep state
WIFI
S0iX Bluetooth
S0iX
USB
S0iX, S4, S5
1, 2, 3
Wake S4, S5 controlled by BIOS option
(not after G3)
PCIe
S0iX, S41
Via WAKE; monitor to remain in sleep
state
HDMI CEC
S0iX, S4, S51
Wake S4, S5 controlled by BIOS option
Notes:
1. S4 implies operating system support only.
2. Will not wake from Deep S4/S5. USB S4/S5 Power is controlled by BIOS. USB S5 wake is controlled by BIOS. USB S4
wake is controlled by OS driver, not just BIOS option.
3. Windows Fast startup will block wake from LAN and USB from S5.
4. WoL from S4 via Magic Packet is not supported. For more information go to support.intel.com.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
28
NOTE
The use of these wake-up events from an ACPI state requires an operating system that provides
full ACPI support. In addition, software, drivers, and peripherals must fully support ACPI wake
events.
29
4 Technical Reference
4.1 Connectors and Headers
CAUTION
Only the following connectors and headers have overcurrent protection: back panel USB Type A
and Type C, front panel USB, internal USB headers, internal power header, and DC Vin jack.
All other connectors and headers are not overcurrent protected and should connect only to
devices inside the computer’s chassis, such as fans and internal peripherals. Do not use these
connectors or headers to power devices external to the computer’s chassis. A fault in the load
presented by the external devices could cause damage to the computer, the power cable, and the
external devices themselves.
Furthermore, improper connection of USB header single wire connectors may eventually overload
the overcurrent protection and cause damage to the board.
4.1.1 Signal Tables for the Connectors and Headers
Table 8. SATA Combined Data/Power Header
Pin
Signal Name
Pin
Signal Name
1
+5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin))
2
+5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin))
3
+5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin))
4
+5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin))
5
NC 6 NC 7 NC 8 DEVSLP
9
GND
10
GND
11
SATA_RX_P
12
SATA_RX_N
13
GND
14
SATA_TX_N
15
SATA_TX_P
16
GND
Connector is vertical 0.5mm contact pitch ZIF FPC/FFC with lock
Table 9. Internal USB 2.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch)
Pin
Signal Name
1
5 V 1
2
D -
3
D + 4 GND
1
The two USB 2.0 headers on the board can deliver 1A per port.
Connector is Molex part number 53398-0471, 1.25mm Pitch PicoBlade* Header, Surface Mount,
Vertical, Lead-Free, 4 Circuits.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
30
Table 10. M.2 2280 Module (Mechanical Key M) Connector
Pin
Signal Name
Pin
Signal Name
74
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
75
GND
72
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
73
GND
70
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
71
GND
68
SUSCLK(32kHz) (O)(0/3.3V)
69
PEDET (NC-PCIe)
66
Connector Key
67
N/C
64
Connector Key
65
Connector Key
62
Connector Key
63
Connector Key
60
Connector Key
61
Connector Key
58
N/C
59
Connector Key
56
N/C
57
GND
54
PEWAKE# (I/O)(0/3.3V) or N/C
55
REFCLKP
52
CLKREQ# (I/O)(0/3.3V) or N/C
53
REFCLKN
50
PERST# (O)(0/3.3V) or N/C
51
GND
48
N/C
49
PETp0
46
N/C
47
PETn0
44
N/C
45
GND
42
N/C
43
PERp0
40
N/C
41
PERn0
38
DEVSLP (O)
39
GND
36
N/C
37
PETp1
34
N/C
35
PETn1
32
N/C
33
GND
30
N/C
31
PERp1
28
N/C
29
PERn1
26
N/C
27
GND
24
N/C
25
PETp2
22
N/C
23
PETn2
20
N/C
21
GND
18
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
19
PERp2
16
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
17
PERn2
14
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
15
GND
12
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
13
PETp3
10
DAS/DSS# (I/O)/LED1# (I)(0/3.3V)
11
PETn3
8
N/C 9 GND 6 N/C 7 PERp3
4
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
5
PERn3
2
3.3V (4A total for pins 74, 72, 70, 18, 16, 14, 12, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
3
GND
1
GND
Technical Reference
31
Table 11. M.2 2230 Module (Mechanical Key E) Connector
Pin
Signal Name
Pin
Signal Name
74
3.3V (2A total for pins 74, 72, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
75
GND
72
3.3V (2A total for pins 74, 72, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
73
WT_CLKP
70
UIM_POWER_SRC/GPIO1/PEWAKE1#
71
WT_CLKN
68
CLKREQ1#
69
GND
66
PERST1#
67
WTD0P
64
REFCLK0
65
WTD0N
62
ALERT#/A4WP_IRQ# (I)(0/3.3)
63
GND
60
I2C CLK/A4WP_I2C_CLK (O)(0/3.3)
61
WT_D1P
58
I2C DATA/A4WP_I2C_DATA (I/O)(0/3.3)
59
WT_D1N
56
W_DISABLE1# (O)(0/3.3V)
57
GND
54
W_DISABLE2# (O)(0/3.3V)
55
PEWAKE0# (I/O)(0/3.3V)
52
PERST0# (O)(0/3.3V)
53
CLKREQ0# (I/O)(0/3.3V)
50
SUSCLK(32kHz) (O)(0/3.3V)
51
GND
48
COEX1 (I/O)(0/1.8V)
49
REFCLKN0
46
COEX2(I/O)(0/1.8V)
47
REFCLKP0
44
COEX3(I/O)(0/1.8V)
45
GND
42
CLink_CLK (I/O)
43
PERn0
40
CLink_DATA (I/O)
41
PERp0
38
C-Link RESET* (I) (0/3.3V)
39
GND
36
UART RTS/BRI_DT (I) (0/1.8V)
37
PETn0
34
UART CTS (O) (0/1.8V)
35
PETp0
32
UART TXD/RGI_DT (I) (0/1.8V)
33
GND
30
Connector Key
31
Connector Key
28
Connector Key
29
Connector Key
26
Connector Key
27
Connector Key
24
Connector Key
25
Connector Key
22
UART RXD/BRI_RSP (O) (0/1.8V)
23
WGR_CLKP
20
UART WAKE# (O) (0/3.3V)
21
WGR_CLKN
18
GND/LNA_EN
19
GND
16
BT_LED (LED2#)
17
WGR_D0P
14
PCM_OUT/I2SSD_OUT/CLKREQ0
15
WGR_D0N
12
PCM_IN/I2SSD_IN
13
GND
10
PCM_SYNC/I2SWS/RF_RESET_B
11
WGR_D1P
8
PCM_CLK/I2SSCK
9
WGR_D1N
6
LED1#
7
GND
4
3.3V (2A total for pins 74, 72, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
5
USB_D-
2
3.3V (2A total for pins 74, 72, 4, 2 (0.5A per pin))
3
USB_D+
1
GND
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
32
Table 12. M.2 2242 Module (Mechanical Key B) Connector
Pin
Signal Name
Pin
Signal Name
74
3.3V
75
CONFIG_2 or N/C
72
3.3V
73
GND
70
3.3V
71
GND
68
SUSCLK(32kHz) (O)(0/3.3V)
69
PEDET (NC-PCIe / GND= SATA)
66
N/C
67
N/C
64
N/C
65
N/C
62
N/C
63
N/C
60
N/C
61
N/C
58
N/C
59
N/C
56
N/C
57
GND
54
PEWAKE# (I/O)(0/3.3V)
55
REFCLKP
52
CLKREQ# (I/O)(0/3.3V)
53
REFCLKN
50
PERST# (O)(0/3.3V)
51
GND
48
N/C
49
PETp0/SATA-A+
46
N/C
47
PETn0/SATA-A-
44
N/C
45
GND
42
N/C
43
PERp0/SATA-B-
40
N/C
41
PERn0/SATA-B+
38
DEVSLP (O)
39
GND
36
N/C
37
USB3.0-Tx+
34
N/C
35
USB3.0-Tx-
32
N/C
33
GND
30
N/C
31
USB3.0-Rx+
28
N/C
29
USB3.0-RX-
26
N/C
27
GND
24
N/C
25
N/C
22
N/C
23
N/C
20
N/C
21
CONFIG_0 or N/C
18
Connector Key
19
Connector Key
16
Connector Key
17
Connector Key
14
Connector Key
15
Connector Key
12
Connector Key
13
Connector Key
10
DAS/DSS# (I/O)/LED1# (I)(0/3.3V)
11
GND
8
N/C 9 USB_D-
6
N/C 7 USB_D+
4
3.3V 5 GND 2 3.3V 3 GND
1
CONFIG_3 or N/C
Technical Reference
33
4.1.1.1 Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch)
This section describes the functions of the front panel header. Table 13 lists the signal names of
the front panel header. Figure 8 is a connection diagram for the front panel header.
Table 13. Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch)
Pin
Signal Name
Description
Pin
Signal Name
Description
1
HDD_POWER_LED
Pull-up 750Ω to +5V
2
POWER_LED_MAIN
[Out] Front panel LED (main
color) Pull-up 300Ω to +5V
3
HDD_LED#
[Out] HDD activity LED
4
POWER_LED_ALT
[Out] Front panel LED (alt
color)
5
GROUND
Ground
6
POWER_SWITCH#
[In] Power switch
7
RESET_SWITCH#
[In] Reset switch
8
GROUND
Ground
9
+5V_DC (1A) (Vcc)
VCC5 (1A current rating)
10
Key
No pin
11
5Vsby (2A)
5VSB (2A current rating)
12
3.3Vsby (1A)
3VSB (1A current rating)
Figure 8. Connection Diagram for Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch)
4.1.1.1.1 Hard Drive Activity LED Header
Pins 1 and 3 can be connected to an LED to provide a visual indicator that data is being read from
or written to a hard drive. Proper LED function requires a SATA hard drive or optical drive
connected to an onboard SATA connector.
4.1.1.1.2 Reset Switch Header
Pins 5 and 7 can be connected to a momentary single pole, single throw (SPST) type switch that is
normally open. When the switch is closed, the board resets and runs the POST.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
34
4.1.1.1.3 Power/Sleep LED Header
Pins 2 and 4 can be connected to a one- or two-color LED. Table 14 and Table 15 show the
possible LED states.
Table 14. States for a One-Color Power LED
LED State
Description
Off
Power off
Blinking
Standby
Steady
Normal operation
Table 15. States for a Dual-Color Power LED
LED State
Description
Off
Power off
Blinking (white)
Standby
Steady (white)
Normal operation
NOTE
The LED behavior shown in Table 14 is default – other patterns may be set via BIOS setup.
4.1.1.1.4 Power Switch Header
Pins 6 and 8 can be connected to a front panel momentary-contact power switch. The switch
must pull the SW_ON# pin to ground for at least 50 ms to signal the power supply to switch on or
off (the time requirement is due to internal debounce circuitry on the board). At least two seconds
must pass before the power supply will recognize another on/off signal.
4.1.1.2 BIOS Security Jumper
CAUTION
Do not move a jumper with the power on. Always turn off the power and unplug the power cord
from the computer before changing a jumper setting. Otherwise, the board could be damaged.
Figure 9 shows the location of the BIOS Security Jumper. The 3-pin jumper determines the BIOS
Security program’s mode.
Technical Reference
35
Figure 9. Location of the BIOS Security Jumper
Table 16 describes the jumper settings for the three modes: normal, lockdown, and configuration.
Table 16. BIOS Security Jumper Settings
Function/Mode
Jumper Setting
Configuration
Normal
1-2
The BIOS uses current configuration information and passwords for
booting.
Lockdown
2-3
The BIOS uses current configuration information and passwords for
booting, except:
• All POST Hotkeys are suppressed (prompts are not displayed and
keys are not accepted. For example, F2 for Setup, F10 for the Boot
Menu).
• Power Button Menu is not available (see Section 5.3.2 Power Button
Menu).
BIOS updates are not available except for automatic Recovery due to
flash corruption.
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC NUC12WS{X} Technical Product Specification
36
Configuration
None
BIOS Recovery Update process if a matching *.bio file is found. Recovery
Update can be cancelled by pressing the Esc key.
If the Recovery Update was cancelled or a matching *.bio file was not
found, a Config Menu will be displayed. The Config Menu consists of the
following (followed by the Power Button Menu selections):
[1] Suppress this menu until the BIOS Security Jumper is
replaced.
[2] Clear BIOS User and Supervisor Passwords.
[3] Reset Intel® AMT to default factory settings.
[4] Clear Trusted Platform Module.
WARNING! Data encrypted with the TPM will no longer be
accessible if the TPM is cleared.
[F2] Intel® Visual BIOS.
[F4] BIOS Recovery.
See Section 5.3.2 Power Button Menu
4.1.1.3 Intel® Management Engine BIOS Extension (Intel®
MEBX) Reset Header
The Intel® MEBX reset header (see Figure 1) allows you to reset the CMOS values to the factory
defaults in situations when the system may have become unresponsive, such as after a failed
BIOS update. It achieves this by placing a low on the reset pin of the Real Time Clock (RTC).
Momentarily shorting pins 1 and 2 with a jumper will accomplish reset CMOS values to default.
CAUTION Always turn off the power and unplug the power cord from the computer before
installing an MEBX reset jumper. The jumper must be removed before reapplying power. The
system must be allowed to reach end of POST before reset is complete. Otherwise, the board could
be damaged.
NOTE After using the MEBX Reset, a “CMOS battery failure” warning will occur during the next
POST. This is expected and does not indicate a component failure.
CAUTION Care must be taken to avoid inadvertent shorting of the bottom cover screw to the
header during bottom cover reassembly. Assemble the bottom cover before reapplying power to
the system.
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4.1.1.4 Fan Header Current Capability
Table 17 lists the current capability of the fan headers.
Table 17. Fan Header Current Capability
Fan Header
Maximum Available Current
Processor fan
1 A
4.1.1.5 Power Supply Connectors
NOTE External power voltage, 12-20 (±5%) V DC, is dependent on the type of power
supply used. System power requirements will depend on actual system configurations chosen
by the integrator, as well as end user expansion preferences. It is the system integrator’s
responsibility to ensure an appropriate power budget for the system configuration is properly
assessed based on the system-level components chosen.
CAUTION
There is no isolation circuitry between the external DC jack and the internal 2 x 2 power connector.
It is the system integrator’s responsibility to ensure no more than one power supply unit is or can
be attached to the board at any time and to ensure the external DC jack is covered if the internal 2
x 2 power connector is to be used. Simultaneous connection of both external and internal power
supply units could result in potential damage to the board, power supplies, or other hardware.
The board has the following power supply connectors:
• External Power Supply – the board can be powered through a 12-20 V DC connector on the
back panel. The back-panel DC connector is compatible with a 5.5 mm/OD (outer diameter)
and 2.5 mm/ID (inner diameter) plug, where the inner contact is +12-20 V DC and the shell is
GND. The maximum current rating is 10 A.
• Internal Power Supply – the board can alternatively be powered via the internal 12-20 V DC
2 x 2 power connector, where pins 1 and 2 are +12-20 V DC and pins 3 and 4 are GND. The
maximum current rating is 10 A (5A per pins 1 and 2).
The connector used is Molex Micro-Fit (3mm pitch), right-angled, 4-pos/dual row (2x2).
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Table 18. Internal Power Supply Connector Pins
Pins
Signal Name
1,2
+12-20V
3,4
GND
Figure 10. Connection Diagram for the Internal Power Supply Connector
Technical Reference
39
4.2 Mechanical Considerations
4.2.1 Chassis Images
Figure 11. Tall Chassis Image Front
Figure 12. Slim Chassis Image Front
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Figure 13. Tall Chassis Image Back Panel
Figure 14. Tall “Lite” Chassis Image Back Panel
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Figure 15. Slim Chassis Image Back Panel
Figure 16. Slim “Lite” Chassis Image Back Panel
4.2.2 Form Factor
The board is designed to fit into a custom chassis. Figure 17 illustrates the mechanical form factor
for the board. Dimensions are given in inches [millimeters]. The outer dimensions are
104.1 millimeters (front to back) by 101.6 millimeters (side to side).
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Figure 17. Board Dimensions
Technical Reference
43
Figure 18 shows the height dimensions of the board. Dimensions are in mm.
Figure 18. Board Height Dimensions
4.3 Thermal Considerations
CAUTION
Failure to ensure appropriate airflow may result in reduced performance of both the processor
and/or voltage regulator or, in some instances, damage to the board.
All responsibility for determining the adequacy of any thermal or system design remains solely
with the system integrator. Intel makes no warranties or representations that merely following the
instructions presented in this document will result in a system with adequate thermal
performance.
CAUTION
Ensure that the ambient temperature does not exceed the board’s maximum operating
temperature. Failure to do so could cause components to exceed their maximum case temperature
and malfunction. For information about the maximum operating temperature, see the
environmental specifications in Section 4.5.
CAUTION
Ensure that proper airflow is maintained in the processor voltage regulator circuit. Failure to do
so may result in shorter than expected product lifetime.
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4.4 Reliability
The demonstrated Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is done through 24/7 testing. Full Intel®
NUC systems in chassis with memory, SSD or HDD, and a fan are ran at 100% on time for 90 days
continuously while running system wide stress inducing software in a 40 °C ambient air
temperature chamber. The demonstrated MTBF for Intel NUC Board NUC12WS is >50,000 hours.
4.5 Environmental
Table 19 lists the environmental specifications for the board.
CAUTION
If the external ambient temperature exceeds 40 oC, further thermal testing is required to ensure
components do not exceed their maximum operating temperature.
Table 19. Environmental Specifications
Parameter
Specification
Temperature
Sustained Storage Limits (i.e.
warehouse)
-20 C to +40 C
Short Duration Limits (i.e. shipping)
-40 °C to +60 °C
Ambient Operating – NUC Kit*
Up to 0 C to +40 C
Ambient Operating – NUC Board*
0 C to +50 C (Local ambient temperature inside the chassis)
* Processor performance may automatically decrease when the system
operates in the top 5 °C of the ambient operating temperature ranges above.
Shock (Board)
Unpackaged
50 g trapezoidal waveform
Velocity change of 170 inches/s²
Packaged
Free fall package drop machine set to the height determined by the weight
of the package.
Product
Weight
(pounds)
Non-palletized Product
drop height (inches)
Palletized drop heights (single
product) (inches)
<20
36
N/A 21-40
30
N/A 41-80
24
N/A
81-100
18
12
100-120
12
9
Shock (System)
Unpackaged
25g trapezoidal waveform
Velocity = 250 inches/sec, 2 shock table drops in each of 6 directions
Vibration (Board)
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Unpackaged
Random profile 5 Hz @ 0.01 g^2/Hz to 20 Hz @ 0.02 g^2/Hz(slope up)
20 Hz to 500 Hz @ 0.02 g^2/Hz (flat)
Input acceleration is 3.13g RMS
Vibration (System)
Unpackaged
Random profile 5 Hz @ 0.001 g^2/Hz to 20 Hz @ 0.01 g^2/Hz(slope up)
20 Hz to 500 Hz @ 0.01 g^2/Hz (flat)
Input acceleration is 2.20g RMS
Packaged
Random Profile: 0.001 g^2/Hz to 20 Hz @ 0.01 g^2/Hz (slope up)
20 Hz to 500 Hz @ 0.01 g@/Hz (flat)
Input acceleration is 2.20g RMS
Note: The operating temperature of the board may be determined by measuring the air temperature from the junction of
the heatsink fins and fan, next to the attachment screw, in a closed chassis, while the system is in operation.
Note: Before attempting to operate this board, the overall temperature of the board must be above the minimum
operating temperature specified. It is recommended that the board temperature be at least room temperature
before attempting to power on the board. The operating and non-operating environment must avoid condensing
humidity.
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5 Overview of BIOS Features
5.1 Introduction
The board uses an Intel AMI BIOS core that is stored in the Serial Peripheral Interface Flash
Memory (SPI Flash) and can be updated through multiple methods (see Section 5.2). The SPI
Flash contains the BIOS Setup program, POST, the PCI auto-configuration utility, LAN EEPROM
information, and Plug and Play support. The SPI Flash includes a 32 MB flash memory device.
The BIOS Setup program can be used to view and change the identification information and the
BIOS settings for the system. The BIOS Setup program is accessed by pressing <F2> after the
POST memory test beings and before the operating system boots.
5.2 BIOS Updates
The BIOS can be updated using one of the following methods:
1. Express BIOS (Windows-based) Update
2. F7 Update
3. Power Button Menu Update
4. UEFI Shell Update
More information and instructions on how to use each of these methods can be found at BIOS
Update and Recovery Instructions. All BIOS update files for Intel NUCs are available on Download
Center.
5.2.1 BIOS Recovery
It is unlikely that anything will interrupt a BIOS update; however, if an interruption occurs the
BIOS could be unstable. Table 20 lists the drives and media types that can be used for BIOS
recovery. The BIOS recovery media does not need to be made bootable. More information about
BIOS recovery methods and instructions can be found at BIOS Update and Recovery Instructions.
Table 20. Acceptable Drives/Media Type for BIOS Recovery
Media Type
(Note)
Can be used for BIOS recovery?
Hard disk drive (connected to SATA or USB)
Yes
USB flash drive
Yes
NVME SSD (M.2 interface)
Yes
NOTE Supported file systems for BIOS recovery: NTFS (sparse, compressed, or encrypted
files are not supported), FAT32, EXT
5.3 Boot Options
In the BIOS Setup program, the user can choose to boot from a hard drive, removeable driver, or
the network. The default setting is for the hard drive to be the first boot device, the removeable
drive second, and the network third.
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NOTE The network can be selected as a boot device. This selection allows booting from the
onboard LAN or a network add-in card with a remote boot ROM installed. Pressing the <F12> key
during POST automatically forces booting from the LAN. To use this key during POST, the User
Access Level in the BIOS Setup program’s Security menu must be set to Full.
5.3.1 Boot Device Selection During Post
Pressing the <F10> key during POST causes a boot device menu to be displayed. The menu
displays the list of available boot devices.
5.3.2 Power Button Menu
As an alternative to Configuration Mode or normal POST hotkeys, the user can use the power
button to access a menu with BIOS and boot options. The Power Button Menu is accessible via
the following sequence:
1. System is in S4/S5 (not G3).
2. User pushes the power button and holds it down for 3 seconds.
3. The Power Button LED will be white color for the first 3 seconds. After 3 seconds, switch
Power Button LED to yellow color to signal the user to release the power button.
4. User releases the power button before the 4-second shutdown override.
If this boot path is taken, the BIOS will use default settings, ignoring settings in VPD where
possible. At the point where Setup Entry/Boot would be in the normal boot path, the BIOS
will display the following prompt and wait for a keystroke:
If an unrecognized key is hit, then the BIOS will do nothing and wait for another keystroke. If
one of the listed hotkeys is hit, the BIOS will follow the indicated boot path. Password
requirements must still be honored.
Table 21. Power Button Menu Options
Keystroke
Option
Description
[ESC]
Normal Boot
[F2]
BIOS Setup Menu
[F3]
Disable Fast Boot
Note: Will only be displayed if at least one Fast Boot optimization is
enabled.
If Disable Fast Boot is selected, the BIOS will disable all Fast Boot
optimizations and reset the system.
[F4]
BIOS Recovery
The BIOS will search for a matching .CAP file from the \EFI\Intel folder in
the supported media with the supported file system. If a matching
recovery capsule is found, the BIOS will display the following:
BIOS will Recover to <BIOSID> in 20 seconds.
[ESC] Cancel Recovery
Recovery will proceed if not cancelled via the ESC key within 20 seconds.
The BIOS shall display the recovery progress. If a BIOS .CAP file was not
detected (or the BIOS Recovery was cancelled) then the BIOS will reset
the system and continue normally to POST.
[F5]
Restore BIOS Settings
The BIOS will restore the current setup settings and the current defaults
to the build time defaults in the case of a boot issue caused by setup
variable changes.
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[F7]
Update BIOS
BIOS Update during the BDS phrase. The BIOS will update independent of
any OS loading and provides a menu UI accessible during boot up. This is
not a recovery tool and will not overwrite a corrupt BIOS or ME firmware.
[F9]
Remote Assistance
Note: Will only be displayed if Remote Assistance is supported.
[F10]
Enter Boot Menu
[F12]
Network Boot
5.4 Hard Disk Drive Password Security Feature
The Hard Disk Drive Password Security feature blocks ready and write access to the hard disk
drive until the correct password is given. Hard disk drive passwords are set in BIOS Setup and are
prompted for BIOS POST. For convenient support for resuming from S3, the system BIOS will
automatically unlock drives on resume from S3. Valid password characters are A-Z, a-z, and 0-9.
Passwords may be up to 32 characters in length.
The User hard disk drive password, when set, will be required on each power cycle until the
Master Key or User hard disk drive password is submitted.
The Master Key hard disk drive password, when set, will not lock the drive. The Master Key hard
disk drive password exists as an unlock override if the User hard disk drive password is forgotten.
Only the User hard disk drive password, when set, will cause a hard disk to be locked on a system
power cycle. Table 22 show the effects of setting the hard disk drive passwords.
Table 22. Master Key and User Hard Disk Drive Password Functions
Password Set
Password During Boot
Neither
None
Master only
None
User only
User only
Master and User Set
User
During every POST, if a User hard disk drive password is set, POST execution will pause with the
following prompt to force the User to enter the Master Key or the User hard disk drive password:
“Enter Hard Disk Drive Password:”
Upon successful entry of the Master Key or User hard disk drive password, the system will continue
with normal POST.
If the hard disk drive password is not correctly entered, the system will go back to the above
prompt. The User will have three attempts to correctly enter the hard disk drive password. After
the third unsuccessful attempt, the system will halt with the following message:
“Hard Disk Drive Password Entry Error”
A manual power cycle will be required to resume system operation.
NOTE As implemented on the Intel NUC12WS board, the hard disk drive password security
feature is only supported on the SATA Port 0 (M.2) or the SATA port 1 (onboard SATA connector).
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5.5 BIOS Security Features
The BIOS includes security features that restrict access to the BIOS Setup program and who can
boot the computer. A Supervisor and User password can be set for the BIOS Setup program and
for botting the computer, with the following restrictions:
• The Supervisor password gives unrestricted access to view and change all the Setup
options in the BIOS Setup program. This is Supervisor Mode.
• The User password gives restricted access to view and change Setup options in the BIOS
Setup program. This is User Mode.
• If only the Supervisor password is set, pressing the <Enter> key at the password prompt of
the BIOS Setup program allows the user restricted access to Setup.
• If both the Supervisor and User passwords are set, users can enter either the Supervisor or
User password to access Setup. Users have access to Setup regardless to which password
is used.
• Setting the User password restricts who can boot the computer. The password prompt
will be displayed before the computer boots. If only the Supervisor password is set, the
computer boots without asking for a password. If both passwords are set, the user can
enter either password to boot the computer.
• For enhanced security, use different passwords for the Supervisor and User passwords.
• Valid password characters are A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and special characters. Passwords may be up
to 20 characters in length.
• To clear a set password, enter a blank password after entering the existing password.
Table 23 shows the effects of setting the Supervisor password and User password. This table is
for reference only and is not displayed on the screen.
Table 23. Supervisor and User Password Functions
Password Set
Supervisor Mode
User Mode
Setup Options
Password to
Enter Setup
Password
During Boot
Neither
Any user can
change all options
Any user can change
all options
None
None
None
Supervisor only
Can change all
options
Can change a limited
number of options
Supervisor Password
Supervisor
None
User only
N/A
Can change all
options
Enter Password
Clear User Password
User
User
Supervisor and
User set
Can change all
options
Can change a limited
number of options
Supervisor Password
Enter Password
Supervisor or
User
Supervisor or
User
5.6 BIOS Error Messages
Table 24 lists the error messages and provides a brief description of each.
Table 24. BIOS Error Messages
Error Message
Explanation
CMOS Battery Failure
The battery may be losing power. Replace the battery soon.
CMOS Checksum Error
The CMOS checksum is incorrect. CMOS memory may have been corrupted. Run Setup to
reset values.
Memory Size Decreased
Memory size has decreased since the last boot. If no memory was removed, then the
memory may be bad.
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CMOS Timer Not Set
The battery may be losing power. Replace the battery soon.
Processor Thermal Trip
Processor overheated.
Auto RTC Reset
The system triggers RTC clear to recover the system back to the normal condition from
consecutive boot failure.
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