Intel® NUC Products

NUC11PA[x]i3/NUC11PA[x]i5/
NUC11PA[x]i7
Technical Product Specification
Regulatory Models: NUC11PAK (Slim Kit/Mini PC)
NUC11PAH (Tall Kit/Mini PC)
NUC11PAQ (Kit/Mini PC Wireless Charging)

April 2022
Revision 6.0

Intel NUC NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7 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 Products
NUC11PA[x]i3/NUC11PA[x]i5/NUC11PA[x]i7 Specification Update.
Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Revision History
Revision Revision History Date
1.0 First release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and January 2021
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification
2.0 Second release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and January 2021
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification
3.0 Third release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and April 2021
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification
4.0 Fourth release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and August 2021
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification
5.0 Fifth release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and September 2021
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification
6.0 Sixth release of Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and April 2022
NUC11PA[x]i7 Technical Product Specification

1.1 Disclaimer
This product specification applies to only the standard Intel NUC Board, Kit or System with BIOS identifier
PATGL357.86A.
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.

iv
Preface
This Technical Product Specification (TPS) specifies the board layout, components, connectors,
power and environmental requirements, and the BIOS for Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs
NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7

Intended Audience
The TPS is intended to provide detailed, technical information about Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs
NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7 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 A description of the features and hardware used on Intel NUC Boards NUC11PAB
2 A map of the resources of the Intel NUC Board
3 The features supported by the BIOS Setup program
4 A description of the BIOS error messages and POST codes
5 A description of the features of Intel NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5
and NUC11PA[x]i7

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.

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

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.

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Board Identification Information
Basic Intel® NUC Board NUC11PA(x)i3 Identification Information
AA Revision BIOS Revision Notes
M11790-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,4
M68269-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,3,4

Notes:
1. Where, v = version, y = year, d = date, t = time
2. The AA number is found on a small label on the SO-DIMM sockets.
3. This identifies the board as a “Lite SKU”.
4. The Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 processor is used on this AA revision consisting of the following component:
Device Stepping S-Spec Numbers
Intel Core i3-1115G4 B1 SRK08

Basic Intel® NUC Board NUC11PA(x)i5 Identification Information

AA Revision BIOS Revision Notes
K90634-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,4
M68265-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,3,4

Notes:
1. Where, v = version, y = year, d = date, t = time
2. The AA number is found on a small label on the SO-DIMM sockets.
3. This identifies the board as a “Lite SKU”.
4. The Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 processor is used on this AA revision consisting of the following component:
Device Stepping S-Spec Numbers
Intel Core i5-1135G7 B1 SRK05

Basic Intel® NUC Board NUC11PA(x)i7 Identification Information

AA Revision BIOS Revision Notes
K90104-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,4
M68262-xxx PATGL357.vvvv.yyyy.dddd.tttt 1,2,3,4

Notes:
1. Where, v = version, y = year, d = date, t = time
2. The AA number is found on a small label on the SO-DIMM sockets.
3. This identifies the board as a “Lite SKU”.
4. The Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 processor is used on this AA revision consisting of the following component:
Device Stepping S-Spec Numbers
Intel Core i7-1165G7 B1 SRK02

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Production Identification Information

Intel® NUC Products NUC11PA(x)i(x) Identification Information
Product Name Intel® NUC Differentiating Features
Board
RNUC11PAKi3000 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAHi3000 NUC11PABi3 HDD-capable kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAQi30WA M11790-xxx HDD-capable kit with power adapter, Wireless Charging Lid, 500GB
SSD, 8GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM, Microsoft Windows 10 Home, “Intel®
NUC 11 Performance Mini PC, a Mini PC with Windows 10”
RNUC11PAHi30Z NUC11PABi3 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”, “Lite SKU”
M68269-xxx
RNUC11PAKi5000 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAHi5000 HDD-capable kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAQi5000 NUC11PABi5 HDD-capable kit with power adapter, Wireless Charging Lid, and
“Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
K90634-xxx
RNUC11PAQi50WA HDD-capable kit with power adapter, Wireless Charging Lid, 500GB
SSD, 16GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM, Microsoft Windows 10 Home, “Intel®
NUC 11 Performance Mini PC, a Mini PC with Windows 10”
RNUC11PAHi50Z NUC11PABi5 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”, “Lite SKU”
M68265-xxx
RNUC11PAKi7000 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAHi7000 HDD-capable kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
RNUC11PAQi7000 NUC11PABi7 HDD-capable kit with power adapter, Wireless Charging Lid, and
“Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”
K90104-xxx
RNUC11PAQi70QA HDD-capable kit with power adapter, Wireless Charging Lid, 500GB
SSD, 16GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM, Microsoft Windows 10 Home, “Intel®
NUC 11 Performance Mini PC, a Mini PC with Windows 10”
RNUC11PAHi70Z NUC11PABi7 Kit with power adapter, “Intel® NUC 11 Performance kit”, “Lite SKU”
M68262-xxx

Note: The maximum supported memory speed of the Intel NUC Board NUC11PAB is 3200 MHz

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Specification Changes or Clarifications
The table below indicates the Specification Changes or Specification Clarifications that apply to
the Intel NUC Products NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7.

Specification Changes or Clarifications

Date Type of Change Description of Changes or Clarifications
11 Apr 2022 Update Updated with specifications for “Lite SKUs”

Errata
Current characterized errata, if any, are documented in a separate Specification Update. See for
the latest documentation.

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Online Support

To Find Information About… Visit this World Wide Web site:

Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA[x]i3, http://www.intel.com/NUC
NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7
Intel NUC Board/Kit/Mini PC Support http://www.intel.com/NUCSupport
High level details for Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC https://ark.intel.com
NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and
NUC11PA[x]i7
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

x
Table of Contents
2 Product Description ..................................................................................14
2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 14
2.1.1 Summary of Mini PC SKUs .............................................................................. 14
2.1.2 Summary of Kit and Board SKUs.................................................................. 14
2.1.3 Feature Summary ............................................................................................... 15

3 Product Layout ...........................................................................................18

3.1 Board Layout ........................................................................................................................... 18
3.1.1 Board Layout (Bottom) ..................................................................................... 18
3.1.2 Board Layout (Top) ............................................................................................ 20
3.1.3 Front Panel ............................................................................................................ 21
3.1.4 Back Panel ............................................................................................................. 21
3.1.5 Block Diagram ...................................................................................................... 22

4 Feature Descriptions .................................................................................23

4.1 System Memory ..................................................................................................................... 23
4.1.1 Intel® NUC Mini PC Memory Information .................................................. 23
4.2 Wireless Charging ................................................................................................................. 23
4.3 Graphics Subsystem ............................................................................................................ 24
4.3.1 General Power and Memory Guidance for Optimal Graphics
Performance ......................................................................................................... 24
4.3.2 Intel® Iris Xe Graphics........................................................................................ 25
4.3.3 Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel Processors ............................. 26
4.3.4 Integrated Audio ................................................................................................. 26
4.4 SATA Interface ........................................................................................................................ 26
4.5 Real-Time Clock Subsystem ............................................................................................. 26
4.5.1 RJ-45 LAN Connector with Integrated LEDs ........................................... 27
4.6 Hardware Management Subsystem .............................................................................. 28
4.6.1 Fan Monitoring..................................................................................................... 28
4.6.2 System States and Power States ................................................................. 28

5 Technical Reference ..................................................................................30

5.1 Connectors and Headers.................................................................................................... 30
5.1.1 Signal Tables for the Connectors and Headers ..................................... 30
5.2 Mechanical Considerations ............................................................................................... 36
5.2.1 Form Factor ........................................................................................................... 36
5.3 Thermal Considerations ..................................................................................................... 38
5.4 Environmental ........................................................................................................................ 39

6 Overview of BIOS Features ......................................................................41

6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 41
6.2 BIOS Updates .......................................................................................................................... 41
Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

6.2.1 BIOS Recovery...................................................................................................... 41

6.3 Boot Options ........................................................................................................................... 42
6.3.1 Boot Device Selection During Post.............................................................. 42
6.3.2 Power Button Menu ........................................................................................... 42
6.4 Hard Disk Drive Password Security Feature............................................................... 43
6.5 BIOS Security Features ....................................................................................................... 44
6.6 BIOS Error Messages............................................................................................................ 45

List of Figures
Figure 1. Major Board Components (Bottom) with Pin 1 Indicators ................................... 18
Figure 2. Major Board Components (Top)...................................................................................... 20
Figure 3. Front Panel Connectors..................................................................................................... 21
Figure 4. Back Panel Connectors ...................................................................................................... 21
Figure 5. Block Diagram........................................................................................................................ 22
Figure 6. Wireless Charging Lid ......................................................................................................... 24
Figure 7. LAN Connector LED Locations........................................................................................ 27
Figure 8. Location of the BIOS Security Jumper ........................................................................ 35
Figure 9. Board Dimensions ................................................................................................................ 37
Figure 10. Board Height Dimensions .............................................................................................. 38

List of Tables
Table 1. Feature Summary .................................................................................................................. 15
Table 2. Additional Features ............................................................................................................... 16
Table 3. Components Shown in Figure 1 .................................................................................... 19
Table 4. Components Shown in Figure 2 ...................................................................................... 20
Table 5. Wireless Charging LED Behavior ...................................................................................... 23
Table 6. LAN Connector LED States ................................................................................................ 27
Table 7. Systems States ....................................................................................................................... 28
Table 8. Wake-up Devices and Events ........................................................................................... 28
Table 9. SATA Combined Data/Power Header ........................................................................... 30
Table 10. SDXC Card Reader Connector ....................................................................................... 31
Table 11. Internal USB 2.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch) .................................................................. 31
Table 12. Internal USB 3.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch) .................................................................. 31
Table 13. M.2 2280 Module (Mechanical Key M) Connector ................................................. 32
Table 14. Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch) ............................................................................. 33
Table 15. States for a One-Color Power LED .............................................................................. 33
Table 16. States for a Dual-Color Power LED ............................................................................. 34
Table 17. BIOS Security Jumper Settings ..................................................................................... 35
Table 18. Fan Header Current Capability ...................................................................................... 36
Table 19. Environmental Specifications ........................................................................................ 39
Table 20. Acceptable Drives/Media Type for BIOS Recovery................................................ 41
Table 21. Power Button Menu Options .......................................................................................... 42

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 Technical Reference

Table 22. Master Key and User Hard Disk Drive Password Functions ............................... 43
Table 23. Supervisor and User Password Functions................................................................. 44
Table 24. BIOS Error Messages .......................................................................................................... 45

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

2 Product Description

2.1 Overview
2.1.1 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) RAM Storage OS
Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 Wireless US, EU, UK, AU, 2 x 8 GB 500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD Win 10
Processor Charging or No Cord Home – WW1
CN Win 10
Home – CN2
Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Wireless US, EU, UK, AU, 2 x 4 GB 500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD Win 10
Processor Charging or No Cord Home – WW1
CN Win 10
Home – CN2
Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 Wireless US, EU, UK, AU, 2 x 4 GB 500 GB Gen4 NVMe SSD Win 10
Processor Charging or No Cord Home – WW1
CN Win 10
Home – CN2
1
“WW” refers to worldwide and indicates initial OS boot language of English
2
“CN” refers to China and indicates initial OS boot language of Simplified Chinese

2.1.2 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 AC Cord (C5)1 RAM Storage
Slim US, EU, or No Cord - -
US, EU, UK, AU, IN or - -
Tall No Cord
Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7
CN - -
Processor
Wireless US, EU, or No Cord - -
Charging
Tall, Lite US, EU, or No Cord - -
Slim US, EU, or No Cord - -
US, EU, UK, AU, IN or - -
Tall No Cord
Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
CN - -
Processor
Wireless US, EU, or No Cord - -
Charging
Tall, Lite US, EU, or No Cord - -
Slim US, EU, or No Cord - -
CN - -
Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 US, EU, UK, AU, IN or - -
Processor Tall No Cord
CN - -
Tall, Lite US, EU, or No Cord - -
1
“US” refers to the United States; “EU” refers to the European Union; “UK” refers to the United Kingdom; “AU”
refers to Australia/New Zealand; “IN” refers to India; “CN” refers to China

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 Technical Reference

2.1.3 Feature Summary

Table 1 summarizes the major features of Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i3,
NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7.
Table 1. Feature Summary
Form Factor 4.0 inches by 4.0 inches 117mm x 117mm x 48mm for tall chassis, 117mm x 117mm x
54mm for tall chassis with Wireless Charging, 117mm x 117mm x 35mm for slim chassis,
(including feet)
Processor A soldered-down 11th generation Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4 dual-core processor with up to a
(one of 3 models) maximum 28 W TDP (if thermal margin is available).
• 3.00 GHz base frequency, 4.10 GHz turbo frequency, 4 threads
• 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache
• Intel® UHD Graphics
• Integrated memory controller
• Integrated PCH
A soldered-down 11th generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 quad-core processor with up to a
maximum 28 W TDP (if thermal margin is available).
• 2.40 GHz base frequency, 4.20 GHz turbo frequency, 8 threads
• 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache
• Intel® Iris Xe Graphics
• Integrated memory controller
• Integrated PCH
A soldered-down 11th generation Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7 quad-core processor with up to a
maximum 28 W TDP (if thermal margin is available).
• 2.80 GHz base frequency, 4.70 GHz turbo frequency, 8 threads
• 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache
• Intel® Iris Xe Graphics
• Integrated memory controller
• Integrated PCH
Memory† • Two 260-pin 1.2 V DDR4 SDRAM Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (SO-DIMM)
sockets
• Support for DDR4 3200 MHz SO-DIMMs
• Support for 8 Gb and 16 Gb memory technology†
• Support for up to 64 GB of system memory with two SO-DIMMs using 16 Gb memory
technology†
• Support for non-ECC memory
• Support for 1.2 V low voltage JEDEC memory only
Note: 2 Gb and 4 Gb memory technology (SDRAM Density) is not compatible
Graphics • Integrated graphics support for processors with Intel® Graphics Technology:
• One High Definition Multimedia Interface* (HDMI*) v2.0b back panel connector
• 2 DisplayPort 1.4 signal via USB Type C front and back panel connectors
• 1 DisplayPort 1.4 mDP Port back panel connector
Audio • Intel® High Definition (Intel® HD) Audio via the HDMI and USB Type C interfaces through
the processor
• Standard SKU:
• Realtek HD Audio via a stereo microphone/headphone 3.5 mm jack on the front panel
• Quad digital microphone array (DMICS) connector (internal)
• Lite SKU:
• CMEDIA USB-C Audio via a mono microphone/stereo headphone 3.5mm jack on the
front panel
Storage • SATA ports:
― One SATA 6.0 Gbps port (black) for 2.5“ storage device

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

• One SATA 6.0 Gbps port is reserved for an M.2 storage module supporting M.2 2242
and M.2 2280 (key type M) modules
Note: Supports key type M (PCI Express* x4 and SATA)
Peripheral Interfaces • Thunderbolt™ 3 ports:
• One port is implemented via the external front panel Type C connector
• One port is implemented via the external back panel Type C connector
• PD Modes Supported: TBT3, USB3, DP-alt/MF
• 18W, 15W, 7.5W, and 4.5W supported port bus power
Visit this URL for more information about Thunderbolt™ technology
• USB 3.2 (Gen 2/10 Gbps) Type A ports:
• One port is implemented via the external front panel connectors (blue)
• Two ports are implemented via the external back panel connectors (blue)
• Consumer Infrared (CIR)
Expansion Capabilities • One M.2 connector supporting M.2 2280 (key type M) modules
• One Standard SDXC slot
• Two Thunderbolt™ 3 via front and back panel USB Type C connectors
BIOS • Intel® BIOS resident in the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Flash device
• Support for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), Plug and Play, System
Management BIOS (SMBIOS), and Modern Standby
Instantly Available PC • Suspend to RAM support
Technology • Wake on PCI Express, LAN, front panel, CIR, and USB ports
• Microsoft Modern Standby
LAN Gigabit (10/100/1000/2500 Mbps) LAN subsystem using the Intel® I225V Gigabit Ethernet
Controller
Hardware Monitor Hardware monitoring subsystem, based on an embedded controller, including:
Subsystem • 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
Wireless • Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201, 802.11ax, Dual Band, 2x2 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5.2
• Maximum Transfer speed up to 2.4 Gbps
• Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF) 12x16 soldered-down package
• Supports OFDMA, 1024QAM, Target Wake Time (TWT) and spatial reuse

Table 2. Additional Features

Chassis Expandability Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA(x) ship with a replaceable lid that allows you to
and Replaceable Lids 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
Wireless Charging Lid Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PAQx ship with a Wireless Charging lid attached. This
lid is connected via the Wireless Charging header on the bottom of the board. See Section
4.2
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
Auto CMOS Reset

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 Technical Reference

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
Kensington Security Slot Available on the right side of the chassis when viewed from the front
VESA Mount Intel® NUC Kits NUC11PA[x] 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

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

3 Product Layout

3.1 Board Layout

3.1.1 Board Layout (Bottom)
Figure 1 shows the location of the major components on the bottom of Intel® NUC Kits
and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7

Figure 1. Major Board Components (Bottom) with Pin 1 Indicators

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 Technical Reference

Table 3. Components Shown in Figure 1

Item from Figure 2
Description

A DC Input Jack
B mDP Jack
C LAN connector
D Dual USB 3.1 ports (blue)
E HDMI 2.0b Jack
F RGB LED Header
G DMIC Connector†
H Front Panel Header
I CPU Fan Header
J Wireless Charging Lid Header
K AX201 WIFI Connector
L BIOS SPI Part
M USB 3.0 Header
N SATA HDD connector (0.5 mm pitch)
O M.2 connector (key type M) for 2280 modules
P Consumer Infrared (CIR) sensor
Q HDD Activity LED
R Front panel USB 3.2 Type-C connector
S Power Indicator LED
T USB 3.1 port (blue)
U Front panel stereo microphone/headphone jack†
V Front panel power button
W BIOS Security Jumper
X Single-port USB 2.0 header (1.25 mm pitch)
Y DDR4 SO-DIMM1 socket
Z DDR4 SO-DIMM2 socket
AA Consumer Electronics (CEC) Header

†
Note: DMIC not available on Lite SKUs.
Microphone jack only supports mono input on Lite SKUs.

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

3.1.2 Board Layout (Top)

Figure 2 shows the location of the major components on the bottom-side of Intel® NUC
Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7.

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 SD Card Reader

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 Technical Reference

3.1.3 Front Panel

Item Description
A Front Panel Power Button
B Audio Jack
C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port (blue)
D Thunderbolt™ Port
E HDD Activity LED
F Consumer Infrared (CIR) sensor

Figure 3. Front Panel Connectors

3.1.4 Back Panel

Item Description
A HDMI 2.0b
B Thunderbolt™ Port
C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Ports
D LAN Connector
E mDP Port
F 19V DC Input Jack

Figure 4. Back Panel Connectors

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

3.1.5 Block Diagram

Figure 5. Block Diagram

†
Note: Quad Mic Array not available on Lite SKUs.
Microphone jack only supports mono input on Lite SKUs.

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 Technical Reference

4 Feature Descriptions

4.1 System Memory

Figure 1 illustrates the memory channel and SO-DIMM configuration.

4.1.1 Intel® NUC Mini PC Memory Information

Intel® NUC Mini PCs ship with 2 x 4 GB DDR4 3200 MHz SODIMMs or 2 x 8 GB DDR4
3200 MHz SODIMMs included. More information about available Intel® NUC Mini PCs
NUC11PA can be found in Section 2.1.1 Summary of Mini PC SKUs.

4.2 Wireless Charging

Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PAQ[x] features a Wireless Charging lid attached to
the system. System will auto negotiate and use the highest supported charging mode.
Supported charging modes are 5W, 7.5W, 15W (Fast Charging)

Table 5. Wireless Charging LED Behavior

LED Behavior Description Other Indicators
Blue Solid on for 4 seconds then off Startup sequence and ready to Any other LED sequence
accept device indicates other faults and
will continue until
Breathing on/off for 2-3 second periods for 60 seconds Charging
resolved. (OVP/UVP)
Breathing on/off for 1 second periods for 3 cycles then off Charging complete

Red Slow flash for 2 second periods for 60 seconds Foreign object detected

Solid on for 60 seconds then off Overheat

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Lid attaches via connector to bottom of board. See Figure 6 and Figure 1

Figure 6. Wireless Charging Lid

4.3 Graphics Subsystem

Intel® NUC Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7 support Intel® Iris® Xe
Graphics. NUC11PA[x]i3 supports Intel® UHD Graphics

4.3.1 General Power and Memory Guidance for Optimal

Graphics Performance
Intel® NUC Boards Kits and Mini PCs NUC11PA[x]i3, NUC11PA[x]i5, and NUC11PA[x]i7
graphics performance is significantly impacted by power levels and memory selection.
For the best performance:
• Allow for higher system power level budgets

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 Technical Reference

• Use DDR4-3200 32 GB and DDR4-3200 16 GB SODIMMs

o 128bit (Dual Channel) memory is better performing than 64bit (Single
Channel) memory
o A full list of tested memory modules are available on
https://compatibleproducts.intel.com

4.3.2 Intel® Iris Xe Graphics

Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics supports the following features:
• The HW decode is exposed by the graphics driver using the following APIs:
Direct3D* 9 Video API (DXVA2), Direct3D11 Video API, Intel Media SDK, MFT
filters, Intel VA API
o Full HW accelerated video decoding for
AVC/VC1/MPEG2/HEVC/VP9/JPEG/AV1
• The HW encode is exposed by the graphics driver using the following APIs: Intel
Media SDK, MFT filters
o Full HW accelerated video encoding for AVC/HEVC/VP9/JPEG
• Max resolution (with DSC or tiled screen) 7680x4320 at 60Hz1,2
• Max display frequency 1.3 GHz
• Up to quad 4K at 60Hz simultaneous displays
• Four display pipes – supporting blending, color adjustments, scaling and dithering
• Direct 3D* 2015, Direct3D* 12
• OpenGL* 4.5
• Open CL* 2.1
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) support
• HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) 2.3, 2.2, and 1.4
Notes:
1. Resolution support is subject to memory bandwidth availability
2. Single 8k at 60 Hz display, supported by monitors that accept dual input for tiled screen

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

4.3.3 Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel Processors

Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel Processors features the following:
• DirectX* 12.1 support
• OpenGL* 4.5 support
• Max HDMI resolution 4096x2304 at 60Hz
• Max DP resolution 7680x4320 at 60Hz
• OpenCL* 2.0 support

4.3.4 Integrated Audio

HDMI and DP interfaces can carry audio along with video. The processor supports three
HD audio streams over four digital ports simultaneously. The processor supports the
following audio formats over HDMI and DP:
• AC-3 Dolby* Digital
• Dolby* Digital Plus
• DTS-HD*
• LPCM, 192 kHz/24 bit, 6 channel
• Dolby* TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio*
Audio drivers are built into the Graphics driver and are available from Intel’s website.

4.4 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.

4.5 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 20 shows the location of the battery.

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 Technical Reference

LAN Subsystem

4.5.1 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 6 describes the LED states when the board is powered up and the LAN subsystem
is operating.

Table 6. LAN Connector LED States

LED LED Color LED State Condition
Off LAN link is not established
Link Green Solid LAN link is established
Blinking LAN activity is occurring
Off 10/100 Mb/s data rate is selected
Data Rate Green/Yellow Yellow 1000 Mb/s data rate is selected
Green 2500 Mb/s data rate is selected

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

4.6 Hardware Management Subsystem

4.6.1 Fan Monitoring
Fan monitoring can be implemented using third-party software.

4.6.2 System States and Power States

Table 7 describes the ACPI states supported by the processor.

Table 7. 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.

4.6.2.1 Wake-up Devices and Events

Table 8 lists the devices or specific events that can wake the computer from specific
states.
Table 8. Wake-up Devices and Events
Devices/events that wake up the …from this sleep Comments
system… state
Power switch S0iX, S4, S51
RTC alarm S0iX, S4, S51 Option for monitor to remain in
sleep state
LAN S0iX, S51, 3 “S5 WOL after G3” is supported;
monitor to remain in sleep state
WIFI S0iX, S4, S51, 3
Bluetooth S0iX, S41
USB S0iX, S4, S51, 2, 3 Wake S4, S5 controlled by BIOS
option (not after G3)

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 Technical Reference

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.

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.

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

5 Technical Reference

5.1 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.

5.1.1 Signal Tables for the Connectors and Headers

Table 9. SATA Combined Data/Power Header

Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name
1 +5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per 2 +5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin)) pin))
3 +5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per 4 +5V (2A total for pins 1, 2, 3, 4 (0.5A per
pin)) 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

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Table 10. SDXC Card Reader Connector

Pin Signal Name
1 CD/DAT3
2 CMD
3 VSS1
4 VDD1
5 CLK
6 VSS2
7 DAT0/RCLK+
8 DAT1/RCLK-
9 DAT2
10* VSS3
11* D0+
12* D0-
13* VSS4
14* VDD2
15* D1-
16* D1+
17* VSS5
The board has a full-sized Secure Digital (SD) card reader that supports the Secure
Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) format, 4.0 specification, UHS-II bus speed.

NOTE
*Pins 10-17 added with UHS-II v4.0 specification. Not present on all SD cards.

Table 11. Internal USB 2.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch)

Pin Signal Name
1 5V
2 D-
3 D+
4 GND

Connector is Molex part number 53398-0471, 1.25mm Pitch PicoBlade* Header,

Surface Mount, Vertical, Lead-Free, 4 Circuits.

Table 12. Internal USB 3.0 Header (1.25 mm pitch)

Pin Signal Name
1 USB_VBUS
2 USB1_N
3 USB1_P

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

4 GND
5 USBSS1_TX_N
6 USBSS1_TX_P
7 GND
8 USBSS1_RX_N
9 USBSS1_RX_P
10 N/C (Reserved)

Connector is Molex part number 53398-0471, 1.25mm Pitch PicoBlade* Header,

Surface Mount, Vertical, Lead-Free, 10 Circuits.

Table 13. 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

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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

5.1.1.1 Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch)

This section describes the functions of the front panel header. Table 14 lists the signal
names of the front panel header. Front Panel Header (2.0 mm Pitch) is a connection
diagram for the front panel header.

Table 14. 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) Power 10 Key No pin

5.1.1.1.1 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.

5.1.1.1.2 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.

5.1.1.1.3 Power/Sleep LED Header

Pins 2 and 4 can be connected to a one- or two-color LED. Table 15 and Table 16 show
the possible LED states.

Table 15. States for a One-Color Power LED

LED State Description
Off Power off
Blinking Standby
Steady Normal operation

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Table 16. 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 15 is default – other patterns may be set via BIOS
setup.

5.1.1.1.4 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.

5.1.1.2 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 8 shows the location of the BIOS Security Jumper. The 3-pin jumper determines
the BIOS Security program’s mode.

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 Technical Reference

Figure 8. Location of the BIOS Security Jumper

Table 17 describes the jumper settings for the three modes: normal, lockdown, and
configuration.

Table 17. 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 6.3.2 Power Button
Menu).
BIOS updates are not available except for automatic Recovery due to
flash corruption.

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

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 6.3.2 Power Button Menu

5.1.1.3 Fan Header Current Capability

Table 18 lists the current capability of the fan headers.

Table 18. Fan Header Current Capability

Fan Header Maximum Available Current
Processor fan 1A

5.1.1.4 Power Supply Connectors

NOTE External power voltage, 19 (±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.

5.2 Mechanical Considerations

5.2.1 Form Factor
The board is designed to fit into a custom chassis. Figure 9 illustrates the mechanical
form factor for the board. Dimensions are given in inches [millimeters]. The outer
dimensions are 104.8 millimeters (front to back) by 105.7 millimeters (side to side).

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 Technical Reference

Figure 9. Board Dimensions

37
Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

Figure 10 shows the height dimensions of the board. Dimensions are in mm.

Figure 10. Board Height Dimensions

5.3 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 5.4.

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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 Technical Reference

5.4 Environmental
Table 19 lists the environmental specifications for the board.

CAUTION
If the external ambient temperature exceeds 35 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. -20 °C to +40 °C
warehouse)
Short Duration Limits (i.e. shipping) -40 °C to +60 °C
Ambient Operating – NUC Kit* 0 °C to +35 °C

Ambient Operating – NUC Board* 0 °C to +35 °C

* 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 Non-palletized Product Palletized drop heights (single
Weight drop height (inches) product) (inches)
(pounds)
<20 36 N/A
21-40 30 N/A
41-80 24 N/A
81-100 18 12
100-120 12 9

Vibration (System)
Unpackaged Random profile 5 Hz to 40 Hz @ 0.015 g^2/Hz to 500 Hz @ 0.00015
g^2/Hz(slope down)
Input acceleration is 1.09 gRMS
Packaged Random profile 5 Hz to 40 Hz @ 0.015 g^2/Hz to 500 Hz @ 0.00015
g^2/Hz(slope down)
Input acceleration is 1.09 gRMS
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

39
Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

room temperature before attempting to power on the board. The operating and non-operating
environment must avoid condensing humidity.

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 Technical Reference

6 Overview of BIOS Features

6.1 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
6.2). 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
256 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 ssystem boots.

6.2 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.

6.2.1 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

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

6.3 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.

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.

6.3.1 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.

6.3.2 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 Front Panel Power Button LED will be on for the first 3 seconds. After 3
seconds, the LED will begin to blink in the following pattern: 0.25 seconds off, 0.25
seconds on, 0.25 seconds off 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

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 Technical Reference

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.
[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

6.4 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

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Intel NUC Kit/Mini PC NUC11PA{X} Technical Product Specification

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 NUC11PAB 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).

6.5 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 to Password
Password Set Supervisor Mode User Mode Setup Options Enter Setup During Boot
Neither Any user can Any user can change None None None
change all options all options
Supervisor only Can change all Can change a limited Supervisor Password Supervisor None
options number of options
User only N/A Can change all Enter Password User User
options Clear User Password
Supervisor and Can change all Can change a limited Supervisor Password Supervisor or Supervisor or
User set options number of options Enter Password User User

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 Technical Reference

6.6 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.
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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