Compute Stick is the attempt of Intel to create a smaller PC
than the desktop and small-form-factor without sacrificing the performance too
much. By utilizing the Atom SoC, Compute Stick is able to handle the home
entertainment function and supporting light productive activities. And perhaps
you already know that Intel has decided to embed Skylake in its new Compute
Stick.
New variant of Compute Stick was announced at CES 2016 in
last January. It's powered by Intel Core M3 and M5. Although the Core M is not
as powerful as the Core i series, but of course Skylake will improve the
performance of the device. There is good news for those who are waiting for
this new variant, the Compute Stick Skylake will begin to be released on April
29, 2016.
Intel Compute Stick is basically a desktop PC with Windows
10 platform which comes in small size, nearly the same with the size of a USB
flash drive. The advantage of Compute Stick if compared to a desktop or mini PC
is that it doesn't take much space, it can be used as a solution if you want to
create a home theater PC (HTPC). By plugging it into the HDMI port, you can
change the regular HDTV into a smart TV.
The potential of Compute Stick is interesting, but many
people are still skeptical about its practical use. In addition to the above
scenario, Compute Stick can be easily slipped into your pants pocket and in
theory you can setup a PC wherever you are - for example connected to a TV in a
hotel room. But the limitations of the port, memory, and storage space can be
obstacles; plus you still need a set of keyboard and mouse.
There are three new Compute Stick variants that will soon be
launched: STK2m364CC (US$ 300), STK2m3W64CC (US$ 395), and STK2mv64CC (US$
485). The STK2m364CC is carrying M3-6Y30 Core processor speed of 2.2GHz, but
it's not bundled with the operating system. Meanwhile the STK2m3W64CC has been
equipped with Windows 10, and also similar chip.
The Compute Stick STK2mv64CC is the most high-end variant.
It's equipped with M5-6Y57 Core processor with speeds up to 2.8 GHz. As the STK2m364CC,
it's not accompanied by the OS. The device is also supported by Intel vPro, the
management and security tool that allows the administrator to guide the user to
handle the problem, delete data, and also turning off the PC remotely, a hint
that the STK2mv64CC is prepared for the enterprise.
Other specifications of these three variants are quite
similar: LPDDR3-1866 4GB RAM, integrated Intel HD Graphics 515 GPU, 64GB
storage, three USB 3.0 ports, microSDXC card reader, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and
Bluetooth 4.2.