What is intel compute stick. Review and testing of the Intel Compute Stick microcomputer based on the Intel Atom x5-Z8300 SoC. Possible use cases

Bay Trail single-chip systems are found today in smartphones, tablets, compact motherboards, and microcomputers. Silvermont's architecture proved to be a significant step forward for Intel and allowed it to strengthen its position in the mobile market. Perhaps the most successful was the Z3700 series, which even opened a second wind to the microcomputer segment.

With four cores and a typical consumption of 2 or 2.2 W, these models have made it possible to create products with support for the Windows operating system, able to cope with the common mass tasks of the "typewriter" - the Internet, office, multimedia. At the same time, one must understand that such a reduction in capacity did not pass without leaving a trace. The chips targeted by the manufacturer for the tablet segment have significant limitations in terms of hardware configuration, including the maximum amount of RAM in 1, 2 or 4 GB and the lack of modern fast external peripheral interfaces. However, experience has shown that such products are very interesting for a certain category of users, especially considering their relatively low price.

This spring we have already tested one of these models, and today we will get acquainted with a microcomputer developed by Intel itself, which they called the Intel Compute Stick. One of the key characteristics of the device is ease of use - "Connect, Compute, It's that simple."

This solution in the "HDMI-dongle" format is interesting for its compact size, sufficient performance for popular tasks and affordable cost. The company is positioning the device as an addition to monitors or televisions, turning them into a "real computer". Use cases include basic office PC, multimedia, thin client, and video ads.

Two modifications of the device are presented:

Windows 8.1 with Bing, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB storage
with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, 1GB RAM and 8GB storage

The rest of the characteristics of these modifications are the same. The first version took part in this testing.

Delivery set and appearance

Intel has the experience and capabilities to ensure the attractiveness of its solutions on the shelves of retail chains, photos in catalogs of online stores, and simply in the hands of the user. The Intel Compute Stick comes in a brightly designed sturdy cardboard box that some smartphone vendors might envy. Glossy and matte varnish is used, there are photos of the device, technical specifications, description of ports and connectors. In Russian - just a couple of words with an explanation of the configuration.

In the upper part of the box, the computer itself is located in a special insert. The rest of the space is occupied by a short (20 cm) HDMI cable ("mom-to-dad"), a meter-long Micro-USB cable, a 5 V 2 A power supply with a set of plugs for different sockets, a quick start guide and a card for activating an annual subscription to antivirus McAfee. All this is quite enough for working with a computer.

True, there are some small remarks on individual elements. In particular, the HDMI cable could be made rigid with shape memory, and the cable outlet on the power supply could be placed on the side rather than at the end. Still, when we talk about compactness, spending 11 cm from the plane of the outlet is not very convenient.

On the manufacturer's website in the support section, you can download driver and BIOS updates for this device. True, for the second, there is a certain remark about the complexity of the installation process. Of course, against the background of the almost complete lack of support for similar unnamed products, this is not bad, but nevertheless, in this case, it was worth somehow simplifying and improving these points.

The computer case is made of sturdy black plastic. At the same time, one element is glossy, which can hardly be called the best choice, given the positioning of the model, and the second is matte. Overall dimensions excluding the HDMI connector are 38 × 104 × 12.5 mm.

On one of the short ends there is a connector for connecting to a monitor. Fortunately, the manufacturer used a full-sized HDMI variant, so in most cases no adapters are required. However, it should be noted that the width of the model's case is quite large, so it will not be convenient to use it with all TVs. In this case, a complete extension cord will be useful.

The disadvantage of using this format is the complexity of placement in a rack with equipment or at a great distance from the receiver, since the required cables of sufficient length are found in the range of specialized stores much less often than traditional options. Perhaps it was worth adding a compact adapter to the HDMI jack in the box.

On the upper glossy cover of the device, in addition to the manufacturer's logo, you can see two ventilation grilles (one more pair is present at the ends). Moreover, a fan is visible under the large one. Yes, despite the low declared power consumption of the device, it has an active cooling system. As we will see in the tests, this solution provides no CPU throttling even under high load, but it leads to the fact that the model can no longer be called a silent model. There is also a blue power LED and a lanyard hole on the edge that can probably be used for basic anti-theft protection.

All connectors and ports of the model are located on the long ends. On one memory card slot with a latch. You may need some kind of tool to install or remove the card. On the other hand, it does not protrude from the body during operation.

On the other hand, we see the power button. Perhaps it is too close to HDMI, but still quite convenient due to its shape. Next comes Micro-USB for powering the computer and standard USB 2.0 Type A for connecting peripherals.

The model identification numbers can be seen on the bottom cover of the system. It is understood that the device is so light (55 g) that it will simply "hang" on the HDMI connector or extension cable. Not the best option in terms of reliability. Especially considering the relatively weak Micro-USB and the high likelihood of simultaneous use of the "large" USB port.

In general, we see that for the sake of the compact size, we had to make some compromises in design. The solution is more a product for geeks or a sample for other companies than a truly mass product for the end consumer.

Specifications

The solution uses SoC Intel Atom Z3735F as the main element of the hardware platform. We have already met this model in past publications. An SDP of 2.2 W is specified for this chip, so it is quite appropriate for this device format. The model has four cores with support for 64-bit computing. In the absence of a load, their frequency is reduced to 500 MHz, its nominal value is 1.33 GHz, and in overclocking mode (Burst) it can reach 1.83 GHz. Today, when automatic frequency control technologies are actively used, the exact values do not make much sense, since the criteria for their selection are set, among other things, by the system manufacturer.

As we wrote earlier, this processor modification is one of the youngest in the family. It only supports 2 GB of single-channel RAM, does not have a USB 3.0 controller, and the maximum video output resolution is FullHD.

The device in question contains 2 GB of DDR3L-1333. Out of the box, the operating system already occupies about 700 MB, so there is no need to talk about the possibility of efficient multitasking with resource-intensive applications.

Intel HD Graphics supports DirectX 11 and OGL 3.2 and has hardware video decoders for popular video formats (not including H.265). HDMI video output allows you to connect monitors with resolutions up to 1920 × 1080, and is also the only wired option to output audio from your computer.

As with other microPCs based on such a platform, we tried to test the media center scenario with the device considered in this article. It should be noted that due to the limited speed of the wireless module, the use of this model for full video viewing in maximum quality and with HD sound is not a very convenient option. In addition, here, too, we encountered certain difficulties with the bitstreaming of multichannel audio tracks. So in this case, we can rather speak only of basic functions for watching online video or files with stereo tracks and a low bit rate.

The device is equipped with one standard (Type A) USB 2.0 port. It can be used to connect keyboard, mouse, storage devices and other standard devices. Unfortunately, there was no room on the hull for at least one more port. So, in fact, the most convenient option would be to use a computer with input devices connected via Bluetooth, or work with a USB hub in the monitor.

The built-in SSD in this model appears in the device manager as Samsung MBG4GC. It has eMMC interface and 32GB capacity. The disk has a 6.35 GB operating system recovery partition, so that about 22.55 GB is left for the user, and 19.8 GB is free out of the box. After installing the latest updates at the time of testing, the amount of free space is reduced to 16.9 GB. Note the presence of a microSDXC port in the computer, so that it is relatively easy to expand the amount of space for storing user data.

The only standard option for connecting to the network is the built-in Wi-Fi controller based on the Realtek RTL8723BS chip, connected via SDIO, since there are no other methods in this platform. This chip was introduced last year and provides the implementation of an 802.11b / g / n wireless adapter with support for the 2.4 GHz band and a maximum connection speed of 150 Mbps, as well as Bluetooth 4.0. There is no mention of BLE support in the device specifications.

The product also includes the implementation of wireless connection of displays, which is supported by Windows as standard. When working with the Netgear PCTV3000 adapter, the resolution of the additional monitor was 1366 × 768, video and sound could be output to it.

The Micro-USB port is used to power the computer. The stated requirements for the power supply are 5 V 2 A. We will try to estimate the real consumption in the testing section.

It is quite expected that there are no possibilities for changing the configuration in such a compact case. The only thing left for the user is to install a memory card to increase disk space.

The modification in question comes with a 32-bit version of the Microsoft Windows with Bing operating system. No additional software is installed on your computer, except for the bundled antivirus subscription, but you will need to download it yourself.

When the device is turned on for the first time, the user will be prompted to specify several parameters of the operating system, including the ability to select the interface language (Russian is present in the list). Further operation of the product is no different from traditional personal computers.

Testing

Since we have already met such a platform in tablets and microcomputers, the approximate level of its performance is known. The product is suitable for mass tasks that are not demanding on the speed of computing - browsing Internet sites (with a reasonable number of tabs in the browser), working with e-mail, editing simple office documents, consuming multimedia content (photos, music, videos), communicating over the network, casual games and so on.

The main remarks in this case relate to the small amount of RAM and the low performance of network access. The first problem can be dealt with by launching only the applications that are currently needed, and the second can be solved using external network adapters with a USB interface.

As we wrote above, the system performance in the case of such solutions depends not so much on the main platform, but on the settings of the processor operating modes, the choice of RAM modules and the characteristics of the system storage. So let's start this section by checking the individual components.

Computing cores of a single-chip system operate at a frequency of 500 MHz in idle mode. When a load appears in the form of processor stress tests of the AIDA64 program, they are overclocked to 1583 MHz. The core temperature in this mode is about 60 degrees. As a reminder, this product has a built-in fan that keeps heat at a reasonable level throughout the entire operating temperature range from 0 to 35 degrees.

If you put a load on all the components of the system at once, then the temperatures rise to about 70 degrees, but even in this mode, throttling does not occur. As for clock frequencies, the cores switch between 1333 and 1583 MHz states.

You can see the maximum declared frequency of 1833 MHz on a single-threaded load, for example, in the LinX test, launched in one thread.

As we can see, the fan helps a lot to provide a high level of performance and provide a comfortable temperature regime. The price of this is the slightly increased size of the computer case and the noise produced by the fan compared to some other similar solutions. Fortunately, if there is no load and heating, it is completely off. It is not possible to determine the exact parameters of the fan operation algorithm. Observing it during stress tests showed that it probably turns on when temperatures reach about 60 degrees and turns off when they drop to 50 degrees. In this case, the fan speed is constant and it is impossible to check it using software. These characteristics lead to the fan running almost constantly during Futuremark's tests.

Comparison with the previous system, which was not equipped with an active cooling system, is clearly in favor of Intel's solution. Most likely, this will provide a higher level of performance in resource-intensive tasks due to the absence of a decrease in processor core frequencies.

Now let's look at the AIDA64 report on working with RAM. Recall that this SoC uses a single-channel memory controller.

The results are almost identical to those previously seen on this platform. A similar comment can be made for synthetic GPGPU tests.

So from the point of view of the processor and RAM parameters chosen by the manufacturer, there are no comments.

More important for the user is the speed of the system storage. Using the eMMC interface alone does not guarantee a specific performance. Much depends on both the controller and the flash memory chips.

In this case, we can say that the choice was quite successful - the streaming read and write speeds exceed 160 and 70 MB / s, respectively. This, of course, is not SATA or PCIe, but for this segment the values are very good.

At the same time, let's look at working with external drives - a SanDisk Ultra memory card and a solid-state drive connected via USB 2.0 (using a hub and additional power).

Considering that in this case we will rather not talk about exchanging large amounts of data with a standard disk, but direct work with external drives, the maximum speeds shown at the level of 20-30 MB / s can also be assessed as quite decent.

Today, the use of computers without network access is almost impossible, so the characteristics and speed of network adapters can be of great importance. In this case, the platform limits the manufacturer to the SDIO interface, and the wireless adapter installed in this model is not amazing and is similar to those installed in mass low-cost smartphones - 802.11n in the 2.4 GHz band with one antenna and a maximum connection speed of 150 Mbps. In ideal line-of-sight conditions a few meters away, it achieves a performance of 50 Mbps. However, in reality, given the format of the device and its likely location, things could be much worse. When installed behind a monitor and connected to a router that was located at a distance of about six meters behind one wall, the speed drops to 15 Mbps. Talking about comfortable work in this case is no longer easy. For example, after turning on the computer for the first time, he decided to download about one gigabyte of updates for the operating system ... In addition, such speeds significantly limit multimedia scenarios with network sources or media libraries.

Now let's move on to the integral benchmarks of Futuremark - PCMark 7, PCMark 8 and 3DMark. For comparison, the tables will show the performance of Foxconn Ultra Nano PC on a similar platform, which we tested a couple of months ago. Let's remind that synthetics showed similarity of participants in computational tests, difference in storage speed and significant differences in processor operation under high load. All tests were carried out with a connected monitor resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels.

PCMark 7 Scenarios	Intel Compute Stick	Foxconn Ultra Nano PC
PCMark score	2395	1993
Lightweight	2339	1934
Productivity	1807	1585
Entertainment	1579	1189
Creativity	4786	3424
Computation	5822	4570
System storage	4096	3059

Depending on the scenario, the advantage of the first participant ranges from 14 to 40%. Perhaps it will not work to explain this only with a faster drive. Most likely, the work of the central processor of the system also plays a role here. This version of the test does not have convenient tools for checking its parameters, but PCMark 8 reports are more informative. But let's look at the results first.

PCMark 8 Scenarios	Intel Compute Stick	Foxconn Ultra Nano PC
Home accelerated 3.0	1078	971
Creative accelerated 3.0	956	855
Work accelerated 2.0	1137	1143

In the first two tests, the Intel solution is about ten percent advantage, and the third works the same on these devices. The test of the system drive in the Intel Compute Stick failed due to its small size.

This version of the test suite has a useful ability to view the temperature (turquoise line) and frequency (purple line) graphs of the processor, which will allow us to compare the two systems in more detail. In this case, the graphs refer to the launch of the Creative template. The time scale is slightly different, but you can find some peculiarities.

First of all, it should be noted that the average temperature line for the Intel system is at 60 degrees, and for the opponent - at 80 degrees. As for the frequency, the first participant can boast of a stable 1583 MHz in the Music To Go and Video Editing Part 2 v2 templates, while the second solution sometimes has to drop the frequency to 500 MHz, which clearly affects the result.

Now let's look at the graphics tests of the 3DMark package. Despite the fact that the solutions can not be called gaming, graphics performance today still plays a role in other applications.

3DMark Scenarios		Intel Compute Stick	Foxconn Ultra Nano PC
Ice storm	Score	10861	8741
	Graphics score	10490	8737
	Physics score	12401	8756
Ice storm extreme	Score	6737	4719
	Graphics score	5975	4223
	Physics score	12173	8020
Cloud gate	Score	1022	1020
	Graphics score	1019	1044
	Physics score	1034	946

In Ice Storm scenarios, the Intel solution has a 20% to 50% advantage. But Cloud gate differs slightly in products. Let's see here what the situation with temperatures and frame rates was during the Ice Storm test.

As in the previous comparison, first let's pay attention to the temperature scale, and then to the dynamics of the frame rate. There is one more confirmation of the correctness of Intel's chosen solution with active cooling.

Despite the use in the considered model of one of the younger modifications of the Bay Trail-T family, we can say that it quite successfully copes with the tasks stated for it in terms of performance. Of course, there are some trade-offs in terms of multitasking, network speed and storage capacity, but if you understand these boundaries, the device can be in demand for many categories of users.

As a supplement, we present the power consumption values obtained in several scenarios. The model was connected to a monitor, a Logitech wireless receiver for keyboard and mouse was installed in the USB port, and there was a 32 GB memory card in the microSD slot. The evaluation was carried out by averaging over five minutes of measurements of the current consumed by the Micro-USB port in several scenarios: inactivity, data exchange over a wireless network, CPU stress test in AIDA64, stress test of all components in AIDA64.

As we can see, the requirements for the 2 A power supply are indicated with a large margin (although we did not take into account the use of external drives). The actual maximum power consumption in our configuration is only slightly above 5W. So in most practical scenarios of use, a computer may be quite sufficient and a regular USB output on a TV or other device.

Conclusion

Before evaluating the device, let's look at the prices. For the considered modification with Windows, the manufacturer indicates the recommended cost of $ 149, the version with Ubuntu is planned to be sold for $ 99. Considering that you only need a keyboard and a mouse for operation, these numbers look quite attractive. As expected from such a manufacturer as Intel, the computer has a good design and an interesting appearance, it is well assembled and has a sufficient package bundle. Separately, it is worth mentioning the effective solution to the issue of overheating, which ensures stable performance. However, we would recommend a potential buyer to carefully evaluate their requirements before purchasing this device.

The microcomputer is quite capable of handling the traditional basic set of Internet + Office + Multimedia tasks. This is facilitated by the efficient cores of the main chip, a decent graphics unit and fast system storage. The optimization of the Windows 8.1 operating system also plays a role. But approaching this solution like you would a familiar desktop computer, even an entry-level one, is perhaps not worth it. The limited amount of RAM can affect multitasking, and the lack of fast external interfaces reduces comfort when performing some tasks.

We have already mentioned above about the use cases for the Intel Compute Stick suggested by the manufacturer. Testing has shown that they all fit well into the concept and capabilities of the model. We can offer a few more - an additional computer for the kitchen, living room or nursery, a mobile solution for those users who often need to work in different places, an emulator of past generations of game consoles, a microserver, a home automation controller, a solution for transport. True, in almost every case, you will have to make some compromises, for example, in terms of connecting peripherals, appearance or ease of management, but, in general, we do not see significant problems in these tasks. It is also worth mentioning the need in some cases to independently resolve issues with additional software, for example, to implement a multifunctional media center.

It would be interesting to look at a similar microcomputer with older versions of the family, which, with a similar thermal package, have a faster RAM controller, support for 4 GB, increased frequencies of processor cores and graphics. True, most likely, this will be a completely different segment in terms of cost, since the chips themselves are more than twice as expensive, and the payment for them requires a more complex one. And there it is already not far from Intel NUC. In any case, a full-fledged x86 computer with an operating system for $ 150, and even under the Intel brand - this combination is clearly worth paying attention to.

Video review

In conclusion, we suggest watching our video review of the Intel Compute Stick microcomputer:

In recent years, the performance growth rate of Intel processors has slowed markedly, but significant progress has been made in the area of reducing power consumption and improving characteristics such as performance per watt. The result has been a noticeable surge of interest in mini-ITX computers and smaller form factors that have evolved from niche toys to viable mainstream solutions. Perhaps the Intel Compute Stick, which is a full-fledged computer slightly larger than a USB stick, is the culmination of this trend. Today we are considering this outlandish device and deciding whether it can be applied to anything on the farm.

Getting to know your device

The Intel Compute Stick comes in a small box, similar in size to a mobile phone box. In the box itself, besides the computer itself, there is a power supply, a USB-microUSB cable and an HDMI extension cable. The latter can only be welcomed, since the Compute Stick has a rather wide body. If you plug it directly into the TV, it can block adjacent connectors (in our case, this is what happened).

The number of connectors and controls on the Compute Stick is minimal. On one of the sides there is a USB 2.0 port, a microUSB connector (which serves to power the device) and a power button. On the other side there is a slot for microSD memory cards. In the upper part of the case there is nothing but the holes for the cooling system, and the entire lower surface is occupied by an extensive sticker with information about the device.

It is worth noting that the Atom Z3735F processor found in the Compute Stick is used in numerous tablets without active cooling. However, here it is cooled by a miniature fan that rotates at high speed and emits a very nasty (albeit quiet) high-frequency howl. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the fan speed is dependent on the load on the processor and integrated graphics. Personally, I experienced quite a lot of discomfort using the Compute Stick with an office monitor at a typical distance for such a scenario (less than a meter). However, if you connect a computer to a large-sized TV, then at a typical TV viewing distance of 2-3 meters, its acoustic characteristics do not cause discomfort.

Performance

The Intel Compute Stick is a typical Atom processor. Today's Atom is not nearly as helpless as it was several years ago, so its performance is quite sufficient for tasks such as working with documents, surfing the web, watching videos (including high definition) and even simple games. Unfortunately, we were not able to make formal performance measurements for a reason that will be described in more detail below.

Problems

Let's say right away that we ran into a number of problems while testing the Intel Compute Stick. Let's list them all.

System disk volume

The built-in eMMC storage in the Intel Compute Stick is only 32 GB, which is a bit by itself. Of these 32 GB, approximately 9 GB is occupied by the operating system recovery partition, so the user has to deal with a 23 GB system partition, of which less than 17 GB is free. After several rounds of installing updates to the Windows 8.1 operating system, the amount of free space on the drive drops below the 10 GB bar, which leads to big problems when installing updates and applications. In particular, because of this, we were unable to install the 3DMark benchmark on the Compute Stick.

Low speed of work with memory cards

Using a quality SanDisk UHS-I microSD card in the Compute Stick, we achieved a write speed of around 5MB / s and a read speed of 17MB / s. In the Apple MacBook Pro laptop, the same memory card showed a write speed of 33 MB / s, and a read speed of 49 MB / s. It's easy to guess that this puts a big and fat cross on the ability to fully use the microSD card as an ersatz disk for installing applications.

Ugly wifi adapter

The Intel Compute Stick uses a Realtek RTL8723BS dual-band wireless module with Wi-Fi 802.11n support. It does not support MIMO, so the maximum theoretical data rate with an access point is limited to 150 Mbps. In practice, with our editorial router TP-LINK WDR4300 (802.11n / 5 GHz), the data transfer rate did not exceed 10 Mbps, and such things as working with e-mail, web surfing, etc. were problematic. At the same time, the laptop standing next to it on the table behaved completely normal when working with the same access point.

Possible use cases

What can the Intel Compute Stick be used for? Several options come to mind.

Intel Compute Stick and Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad - HTPC Creation Kit

Office PC(in conjunction with a monitor equipped with an HDMI connector). In my opinion, the Compute Stick will be good as an ultra-budget machine for working with documents and playing solitaire (especially if you replace Windows with Linux).
HTPC. The Intel HD Graphics integrated into the Atom processor supports hardware decoding of HD video in a wide variety of formats, so the device is of interest as an HTPC (especially if you use special shell programs like Kodi). Personally, I see only two obstacles to this: firstly, the Compute Stick cannot output high-definition audio stream (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD) via HDMI, and secondly, the poor performance of the Wi-Fi module makes streaming video over the network problematic ... However, if desired, the second problem can be solved (for example, using an Ethernet adapter with a USB interface). In this scenario, the built-in Bluetooth module will be relevant, which can be used to connect a keyboard and mouse.
Thin client. Well, everything is clear here.

On my own behalf, I will add that in the office we use a mini-PC connected to a TV for presentations, access to the discussed websites, etc. This mini-PC was assembled four years ago, and its cost at that time was about $ 600. Today it, with certain reservations, could well be replaced with an Intel Compute Stick, which costs only $ 139, does not take up space at all and consumes several times less electricity.

In the dry residue

The Intel Compute Stick is a device that has a lot of sores (see the Problems section above). However, at the same time, this is one of the most interesting devices that fell into my hands over the past few years. The fact that a full-fledged computer can be crammed into a flash drive form factor and sold for $ 139 is in itself surprising and allows us to hope that it can be used for the widespread computerization of schools and other similar projects. Personally, I believe that the next generation of Compute Sticks will be free of children's ailments, but for now, in my opinion, you should refrain from buying.

The editors would like to thank the MOYO store chain for the kindly provided Intel Compute Stick for the review.

4 reasons to buy Intel Compute Stick:

low cost;
performance sufficient for simple tasks;
trouble-free playback of HD-video of different formats;
ultra-compact form factor.

2 reasons not to buy an Intel Compute Stick:

a large number of children's "sores";
noisy active cooling system.

Last year we met a couple of very interesting devices - microcomputers Intel Compute Stick and Modecom FreePC, which in appearance resemble either very large "flash drives" or CDMA modems with a USB interface. For all their unusualness, these products are full-fledged PCs that run the familiar Microsoft Windows operating system and are designed to perform a wide range of everyday tasks that are not resource-intensive. Meanwhile, despite the bold idea, both of its practical implementations, which we considered, turned out to be not without drawbacks. Not surprisingly, the ancestor of this class of devices, Intel, has introduced a new version of the Compute Stick STK1AW32SC microcomputer based on the Atom x5-Z8300 single-chip system.

Compared to the previous generation STCK1A32WFC, the new model has received a number of improvements, including in terms of expandability, but retained the same attractive retail price. Whether the newcomer managed to get rid of the "bottlenecks" of its predecessor - we will find out in the process of today's review, but for now I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the devices.

Model		Intel Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC
Official product page	intel.com	intel.com
CPU	Intel Atom x5-Z8300 (1.44 GHz, SDP 2W, 4 cores, 4 threads)	Intel Atom Z3735F (1.33 GHz, SDP 2.2 W, 4 cores, 4 threads)
RAM	2 GB DDR3L-RS SDRAM 1600 MHz	2 GB DDR3L-RS SDRAM 1333 MHz
Video card	Intel HD Graphics	Intel HD Graphics
Disk subsystem		eMMC 32 GB, 1x microSDXC UHS-I (up to 128 GB)
I / O ports	1x HDMI 1.4b, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0	1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x USB 2.0
Sound subsystem	Intel HD Audio	Intel HD Audio
Communications	1x Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n + ac, Bluetooth V4.0)	1x Realtek RTL8723BS (IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth V4.0)
Power Supply	External 15 W (5 V, 3 A)	External 10 W (5 V, 2 A)
Dimensions, mm	113x38x12	103.4x37.6x12.5
Pre-installed OS	Windows 10 Home	Windows 8.1 with Bing (free upgrade to Windows 10)
Recommended cost, $	139	139

Contents of delivery

The Intel Compute Stick that arrived at our test lab turned out to be an engineering prototype designed to demonstrate the technical capabilities of the product. Therefore, the design and shape of the shipping carton may differ significantly for retail copies.

On the reverse side, instead of technical characteristics, a description of the main advantage of the Compute Stick is given: the ability to use it to turn any monitor or TV with an HDMI input into a full-fledged, ready-to-use personal computer.

In addition to the device itself, the package includes:

user guide;
network adapter;
HDMI extension cable.

In general, the newcomer's set of accessories is not much different from that of last year's model, with the only difference that the complete WA-15105R AC adapter, providing 15 W (5 V, 3 A) output power, is equipped with a non-removable cord with a micro-USB connector type "B", while the previous generation product supplied the cable separately from the power supply.

Design

Intel Compute Stick 2016, like its predecessor, is made in the HDMI Dongle format, that is, the device is installed in a free HDMI connector of a digital monitor or TV, but power is supplied from an external network adapter. In the event that the TV is located close to the wall, a complete HDMI extension cable will come to the rescue. The microcomputer case is made of plastic, its dimensions are 113x38x12 mm. Compared to the 2015 model, the height and width have not changed, while the length has increased by 10 mm. On the top cover of the device, two groups of ventilation holes are visible, through one of them you can see a miniature fan of the active cooling system. There is also a power indicator and the Intel Inside logo.

On the reverse side there is a place for a sticker on which retail copies will have service information, including the model name and its serial number, as well as a hole plugged with a rubber stopper. There is a screw under it that holds the halves of the case.

At one end of the miniature PC, there is an HDMI 1.4b connector, designed to display images in 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second. There is no official support for 4K due to the hardware limitations of the platform used.

On the right side of the device there is a slot for microSDXC memory cards that supports UHC-I flash drives up to 128 GB, and a pair of small ventilation holes.

The left side of the newcomer carries USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 type "A" connectors, a micro-USB port for power supply, a power button and slots for fresh air supply to the cooling system.

After opening the case, the internal structure of the Compute Stick becomes visible. Most of the surface area of the PCB is occupied by a heat sink, which removes heat from the single-chip system.

The efficiency of the cooling system was a pleasant surprise; in the mode of maximum simultaneous load on the processor cores and the integrated video card, the temperature did not exceed 81 ° C, no signs of overheating and the inclusion of the clock skipping mode were noticed. The noise emitted by the cooler can be characterized as insignificant, which did not stand out against the general background of the living space.

The "heart" of the microcomputer is hidden under the radiator - SoC Intel Atom x5-Z8300, which is one of the versions of the economical Braswell platform, which has found application in nettops and low-end embedded solutions. This 14nm single-chip system has four processing cores based on the energy-efficient Silvermont microarchitecture. Among the expansion options Intel Atom x5-Z8300 added support for USB 3.0 and PCI Express bus, the presence of which could not boast of the Atom Z3735F, which is the basis of the previous generation Compute Stick. But, as in the case of its predecessor, the maximum amount of RAM of the novelty is limited by the platform's capabilities, which is why the microcomputer is equipped with only 2 GB of DDR3L-RS RAM, operating in single-channel mode at a frequency of 1600 MHz. If we compare the computational capabilities of the Atom x5-Z8300 and the Atom Z3735F, then, with the exception of a more subtle technological process, the first has a very small difference between them. The volumes of the cache memory of the first and second levels have not changed, the Turbo Boost clock speed has remained at the same mark of 1840 MHz, while in the standard mode there is a noticeable increase from 1330 to 1440 MHz. Both SoCs support SSE4.1, SSE4.2 SIMD instruction sets, 64-bit computing, AES encryption acceleration, and VT-x hardware virtualization. When it comes to energy efficiency, the Atom x5-Z8300's SDP is just 2W of power consumption in typical user scenarios, thanks in no small part to EIST technology, which reduces clock speeds and voltages when idle.

Much more significant changes have taken place in the part of the integrated Intel HD Grahics graphics card. For Atom x5-Z8300, the number of execution units (EU - Execution Units) in comparison with the Atom Z3735F video subsystem has tripled - from four to 12 pieces, and the EUs themselves received an 8th generation microarchitecture. API DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.2 are supported, and the clock frequency, depending on the load, can range from 200 to 500 MHz.

As for video decoding acceleration, the hardware processing unit supports most of the popular formats, including VC-1, H.264 and HEVC in resolutions up to 4K inclusive. This information is fully confirmed by the DXVA Checker diagnostic utility, and in practice Intel Compute Stick 2016 was able to play video in 3840x2160 resolution at 60 frames / s.

The single-chip support for the PCI Express 2.0 x1 interface made it possible to equip the device with a high-speed wireless adapter Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265, which provides operation in Wi-Fi networks of IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n + ac standards and Bluetooth V4.0 protocol. This allowed us to double the bandwidth of the network connection: from 6 to 12 MB / s.

Wireless bandwidth Intel Compute Stick STK1AW32SC (left) and Intel Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC (right)

The disk subsystem is represented by a 32 GB SanDisk DF4032 SSD connected to a single-chip system via an eMMC 5.0 interface. In terms of speed, compared to the Samsung MBG4GC solid-state drive, which was equipped with last year's Compute Stick, the difference is small: the newcomer is slightly faster in linear read and write operations, while the predecessor has a slight advantage when working with small files.

Disk performance Intel Compute Stick STK1AW32SC (left) and Intel Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC (right)

Thus, the main improvements in the new version of the Compute Stick concerned the wireless adapter and the integrated graphics subsystem, as well as the appearance of an additional USB 3.0 port. We will find out very soon how the use of the new Atom x5-Z8300 single-chip system affected the speed of the Intel microcomputer, but now let's take a look at UEFI Setup and the complete newbie software.

UEFI Setup

Despite its diminutive size, the Intel Compute Stick STK1AW32SC is equipped with a full-fledged UEFI Setup. The setup menu has a clear and simple graphical interface, and the number of options available for changing is minimized. The Main section displays information about the version of the control microcode, the SoC model and its mode of operation, as well as the date and time.

The System Identification Information submenu displays detailed information about the device, including its name, serial number, and hardware version.

The Configuration tab is responsible for the activity of additional controllers and expansion ports, as well as boot parameters, including managing the Secure Boot function.

Finally, in the Exit section, you can apply the change to the UEFI Setup settings, as well as restore the default values.

As you can see, the Intel Compute Stick firmware is completely devoid of any speed control options, but it offers all the necessary capabilities for administration and basic microcomputer settings.

Complete software

As for the software component of the Intel Compute Stick, there are two versions of it: STK1A32SC without an operating system, and STK1AW32SC, equipped with 32-bit Windows 10 Home, which has been in our test lab. Alas, the system had problems with activation, which is quite acceptable for a pre-sale engineering sample, especially since this fact did not in any way affect the stability and efficiency of its work.

Meanwhile, the presence of the operating system made it possible to evaluate the use of disk space, which is especially important with such a small amount of SSD, which the device is equipped with. As it turned out, of the 27.8 GB allocated for the system partition, Windows 10 Home, along with a set of drivers, takes up 10.2 GB, so a modest 17.6 GB remains available to users.

However, even they turned out to be enough to install an office suite and a set of test software, and if necessary, the Compute Stick can be equipped with a micro SDXC memory card or an external USB 3.0 drive can be connected. And, of course, there is always the possibility of using network storage, for example, the cloud service Microsoft OneDrive, in which each registered user is offered 15 GB for free.

In addition to the necessary drivers, the Compute Stick offers only one but very useful application - Intel Remote Keyboard, which noticeably improves the usability of the microcomputer. This program allows you to turn a smartphone or tablet running Android or iOS operating systems with a Compute Stick on the same Wi-Fi network into a touch keyboard and mouse.

To work on a mobile device, you will need to install a special application from Google Play or the App Store, go through the pairing procedure, after which you can enjoy full control of the microcomputer without using a traditional keyboard and mouse.

In general, there are no questions about the software component, in any case, the Intel Compute Stick microcomputer is not overloaded with unnecessary software, which only takes up precious space on the system disk, and the only third-party program - Intel Remote Keyboard is really useful and easy to use.

Test results

In performance tests, the Intel Compute Stick competed with the previous generation device. Such a comparison will answer the question: is there a big difference in performance and is there any point in hunting for a new model? Before testing, Microsoft Windows 10 Home operating systems on both microcomputers were restored to their original state, after which no performance adjustments were made. The following software was used to evaluate the speed of work:

Futuremark PCMark 8 v2.5.419;
TouchXPRT2014;
WebXPRT 2013 (Microsoft Edge);
Futuremark 3DMark v1.5.915.

Each of the tests was repeated at least three times, based on the results of which the arithmetic mean was calculated. If any of the results differed markedly from the other two, testing continued. For convenience, on the graphs, the new model STK1AW32SC is designated as Intel Compute Stick (2016), and the product of the previous generation STCK1A32WFC is designated Intel Compute Stick (2015), respectively.

Tests in the popular complex Futuremark PCMark 8 benchmark, which measures the overall level of performance in basic user scenarios, were carried out in Accelerated mode, which allows you to use OpenCL acceleration. The 2016 model showed noticeably better performance in the Home and Creative scenarios, apparently due to the more productive video core, while in the Work subtest the situation turned out to be exactly the opposite: the newcomer lagged behind noticeably and the reason for this was the low results in the LibreOffice program, obviously due to incompatibility with Intel Atom x5-Z8300 processor.

Unlike the previous benchmark, the TouchXPRT2014 test suite is more focused on measuring productivity when performing multimedia tasks: processing digital images, converting Full HD video content, mixing audio tracks, and creating animated presentations. In this case, the clock frequency of the computing cores plays a key role, and since it is equal for both participants, their identical results were not surprising.

To evaluate the speed of working with web applications in the Microsoft Edge browser, which is the main one for Windows 10, we ran the WebXPRT 2013 online benchmark. In this case, the Compute Stick 2016 turned out to be noticeably faster than its predecessor.

In the Futuremark 3DMark gaming test suite in the Sky diver scenario, one of the main advantages of Intel's new microcomputer - a powerful graphics subsystem - has more than doubled the average score of the previous generation model, and when physical effects are accelerated by computing cores, the advantage is reduced to 20%.

In the Cloud gate subtest from Futuremark, the 3DMark Compute Stick 2016 also outperformed its ancestor, although the victory was not as impressive as in the previous case. The gains ranged from 60% in the overall standings to 100% in the points of the graphics subsystem, while in the Physics test track, both devices showed very similar results.

conclusions

As expected, the 2016 Intel Compute Stick turned out to be much more interesting than the previous generation product, primarily due to the use of the advanced Intel Atom x5-Z8300 SoC. PCI Express 2.0, and an increase in the speed of the graphics subsystem, which should now be enough not only for casual projects, but also for games from 5 years ago. Also, one cannot fail to note the appearance of a second USB 3.0 port for connecting a variety of peripherals, which significantly enriches the device's expandability. The most pleasant impression was left by the well-thought-out cooling system, which does not allow the processor to overheat even under the most intense load. As for power consumption, no measurements were taken, but it's safe to say that the updated Intel Compute Stick fits into 15 W, which is provided by the bundled power supply. In short, in some aspects, progress is evident, which cannot but rejoice.

At the same time, compared to its predecessor, the volume of the built-in storage and the size of the RAM have not changed, and the long-awaited support for 4K image output has not appeared. However, there is a reasonable explanation for this: in an effort to provide a low recommended cost, which for the Compute Stick in 2016 is set at $ 139 for the version with Windows 10 Home, the manufacturer is forced to use a budget SoC with limited capabilities and tough to save on other components. But even in this configuration, the microcomputer is excellent for use as a home multimedia entertainment center, and in business, the Compute Stick can be used for organizing a signage, self-service kiosk, as well as a thin client or entry-level workstation. So, there is no requirement from the microcomputer for anything more. And for those who still want to get the performance of a full-fledged PC in the HDMI Dongle form factor, Intel has prepared a real gift: a Compute Stick based on energy-efficient Skylake processors with doubled RAM and solid-state drive will soon be presented. But, this is a completely different story!

Today, almost any TV, additional monitor, or even a projector equipped with an HDMI port can turn into a personal computer equipped with Windows 10. And it only takes a few seconds. The secret behind this magical transformation is a new generation of micro-desktops, like Intel's Compute Stick, priced at around RUB 13,500 ($ 159). They are only slightly larger than a USB dongle and plug into a redundant HDMI port.

Microcomputers like these provide a fresh look at the concept of a pocket PC. Starting with the original Computer Stick, which made a splash at CES 2015 and was modified in 2016, you can finally get a complete Windows desktop the size of a penknife that you can carry in your pocket. The latest version of the Computer Stick is currently priced at 13,500 rubles ($ 159) at retail, although this price may come down even further.

All this is part of the growing trend of miniaturization of such devices. Consoles like the Roku or Amazon Fire TV are about the size of a small book. Similar solutions are available for desktop computers as well. Unless, of course, you are willing to put up with some inconveniences.

The Computer Stick, like its counterparts, is by no means hi-end devices. In fact, they are somewhere on the level of inexpensive laptops under $ 200. They carry a low-power Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of flash storage (most of which is occupied by the operating system).

However, those who need to quickly turn a TV or monitor into a computer rarely need more than simple web surfing, watching streaming video or working with other online services for which this functionality is more than enough.

This year the Computer Stick is longer, but has an additional USB port.

Computer Stick 2016. What Has Changed?

The 2016 model has evolved in a positive direction. Outwardly, it is still the same small block with a matte surface and rounded corners. It is slightly longer than its predecessor, but this is forgivable, because now it has two USB ports (one USB 3.0 and the other USB 2.0) against one of its predecessor. The WiFi antenna now supports the 802.11ac standard (although WiFi issues were noted with its predecessor), and the Intel Atom processor has been updated to the latest version called Cherry Trail. Even with the old processor, though, last year's model played HD video very well. This is despite the fact that Atom processors, regardless of generation, are by no means designed for everyday work computers.

Specifications

Estimated price - 13,500 rubles ($ 159);
Processor - Intel Atom x5-Z8300, 1.44GHz;
RAM - 2048MB DDR3 SDRAM 1600MHz;
Video adapter - 128MB (dedicated) intel HD Graphics;
Permanent memory - 32GB SSD;
Operating system - Windows 10 Home (32-bit).

Design and functionality

The Compute Stick's design, regardless of generation, is sleek and minimalistic. At least it seems so at first glance. And of course, getting it up and running is a little trickier than just plugging it into the HDMI port.

First, you need food. So don't forget the Micro-USB cable and power supply. This time the cable is longer, a little less than a meter, but it's still an extra wire. Perhaps in the future, in some new version of HDMI, it will be possible to supply power directly through the video port, but this is still a long way off. Also, in case the dimensions do not allow you to insert the unit directly into the HDMI port of the TV, an additional HDMI cable is provided.

Next in line is the keyboard and / or mouse. There are several options here. You can connect wired versions (fortunately, there are now two USB ports). Alternatively, you can take advantage of the wireless options by connecting them via a USB radio or Bluetooth. The latter option is the most preferable because you don't need to occupy the USB ports with cables or radio modules. Especially considering that there are already enough cables.

Intel also offers an app called Intel Remote Keyboard, available for iOS and Android, which will allow you to connect an on-screen keyboard and touchpad from your smartphone or tablet. This is great if you only need basic system access or plan to use your mouse to navigate and your smartphone's on-screen keyboard to enter passwords or URLs.

Ports and connectors

Video - HDMI;
Audio - no;
Data - 1xUSB 3.0, 1xUSB 2.0, micro-SD cart reader up to 128GB;
Network - WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0;
No optical drive.

Performance

Last year's first generation Compute Stick performed well. The power was enough for Web surfing and a media player. But she was also prone to sudden slowdowns. The new processor installed on the 2016 version (or, if you look at the names, Cherry Trail vs. Bay Trail) shows similar or even more modest results in our benchmark tests, but you most likely won't even feel the difference. They both compete fairly well against another micro-PC, the Kangaroo Mobile Desktop Computer and Lenovo's low-cost 100S laptop. Defining a clear leader is difficult.

Well, as a dessert, do not forget about Windows 10. Recall that last year's version had only Windows 8. At the same time, Windows 10 is better optimized for weak machines, which somewhat smooths out the inconvenience of use.

According to the test results, the new model turned out to be a little faster than its predecessor (probably thanks to Windows 10 and the Edge browser), but the simultaneous launch of several tasks still causes lags. However, with basic tasks, such as launching Netflix or YouTube, the mini-PC can handle it.

The Computer Stick 2016 also does a good job with undemanding games, but the small amount of memory left after the operating system launches leaves a limited selection of legacy games like Torchlight or Amnesia: The Dark Descent that will run on almost any platform. If you want something more, then think about the slot for micro-SD-cards, which support cards up to 128GB.

Output

Micro PC prices have dropped a lot, hitting the $ 100 mark, so $ 159 for an Intel Computer Stick is expensive. And this despite the good performance of the (relatively) new configuration, as well as the two USB ports, which can be very useful.

Basically the same Asus Chromebit boasts better performance, even for a lower cost. But he has ChromeOS, which means no new applications. If you're looking for a more powerful Windows micro PC, check out Intel's latest Core M coming this year. But keep in mind that it will be twice as expensive.

As a device for watching video or surfing the web for everyday use or travel, secure transportation of business data or applications, or just trying to breathe new life into an old TV or monitor, the Compute Stick is pretty out of the price niche. But if Intel can bring the price down to $ 99, then I will say that it will be a must-have product for anyone interested in such functionality.

Pros: The second generation Intel Compute Stick has received several enhancements and is great for day-to-day web surfing and HD video playback.

Minuses: There is very little memory, so installing applications or downloading videos is problematic. Despite the modern design, additional adapters and a tangle of cables spoil the experience.

Outcome: Intel has fixed last year's pocket PC lapses, but be prepared for poor specs. However, for e-mail, social networks or videos - the resources provided are quite enough.