I’m going to buy a NUC 9 Ghost Canyon, please talk me out of it!

Why not get a less expensive machine (good CPU, RAM, SSD but using the IGP) for your work machine and use your current work system as the gaming PC, if that's the "gaming computer" you're referring to. If you're using the current machine just for work, or would be only using it for work if you got the NUC 9, but it has a good GPU, then you're just wasting electrical power and leaving performance on the table. The big machine may not be as nice-looking sitting upstairs but you'd save the cost of an RTX 3050, and a regular mini PC would be less than the NUC 9 and you could get it pretty well maxed out still. Or get a more basic mini PC and use the difference in price to add to what you would have spent on the GPU and get a really good upgrade for the gaming computer.

I understand the desire to just get some cool tech for the hell of it, and if you've just got money laying around and no debt to throw it at, then get whatever you want. (Might I suggest you spend a few coins on something for the wife as well? Doing that first might smooth the way for having the new PC accepted.)

Personally I'd probably spend the money on something with a slightly less custom, difficult to work with design, like a standard ITX case which would also cost less. Taking the NUC 9 apart to replace anything looks horrible. It has to be stripped down just to access memory or SSDs.

Are you getting a particular good deal on it? i7-9750H is a 6C/12T Coffee Lake up to 4.5ghz which is not bad but not remarkable by today's standards.

Linear Prime said:

I just want it!

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That I totally understand...

The video card you mention is not great. I would just use the integrated graphics if you can't get something better in there and actually use it for some more high end gaming. Otherwise you are kind of spending a lot on a form factor with a CPU that was high end and adding a GPU that was never high end and is now even more low end. If you want a fancy small form factor machine, there are plenty that can take a decent size graphics card. Or you can get a much cheaper mini PC with integrated graphics that work great for a media machine or steam link client. I get the want factor, but if you have to ask people to talk you out of it, you probably already know it is not a great decision. If you have a decent computer you use all day for work and for gaming... maybe spend the money on something nice for a bit of outdoor fun? My wife bought me one of these a couple years ago and it has been a ton of fun. https://www.redcatracing.com/products/redcat-machete-4s-1-6-scale-brushless-electric-monster-truck

Lots of others for less (or more) money too.

Very nice! I hope you have enjoyed them both!