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Hi Greg. I don't have a "NUC" per se (which is a specific type of mini PC) but I do use a mini-PC, which is a Beelink U55. This is the same form factor as a NUC but uses 12V power instead of the 15-19V for normal NUCs. This means less to worry about if you're in the field to try and boost your portable power supply up to the required voltage.
The benefits?
Yes there are the 5 USB ports, though I also use a Pegasus Astro Powerbox Advance Gen2 which has another 4 USB ports if needed. There's no benefit for power management.
But, like Rodney says, it means I can cable manage a lot easier. I used to use a laptop, but the cables coming down onto the ground or side table or wherever I stored the laptop meant it'd snag a lot.
Also, I don't like leaving laptops out in the field or out at night. Who knows who can come by and steal stuff! So it's all mounted on top of my scope now.
Here are a couple of recent images. I'm still working on cable management, and nearly done.
You'll also see a portable travel router (white) right on top. Sometimes I use that, sometimes I don't. This was taken at my parent's house, so I didn't actually need it because I just piggy back their wi-fi. But when camping, I use that router because it creates a solid hotspot I can remote into.
Speaking of which, I either use a laptop or my iPad to remote into the PC to control it.
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