Intel presents new Compute Sticks

[wlanboy]

I like the idea to have your basic pc in your poket. The Chromecast showed perfectly how well that HDMI/USB only combo can work.


But I need/want a Windows 10 system too. Android is still not able to cope with desktop usage (hey Pixel).


So Intel showed two new versions of the Compute sticks. One with a Core-M and one with a Atom-X5 core - suggested retail price of $159:








2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. Core-M models with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage.


Two drawbacks of the Core-M models:
- Power adapter needed because they need 40W.
- $399 for the Core M3 version and $499 for the Core M5 version.


Way beyond anything I will buy for a mobile desktop. But the Atom versions looks promising.

 

[drmike]

Much too expensive.


There are versions of these and competing sticks out there with Linux support.  Haven't picked one up yet, but, definitely interesting.  Atoms I think all the cheaper ones are.  I vaguely recall Newegg having said sticks ~ $100.


Problem I have with the cheap sticks is the 2GB of RAM ceiling.  4GB of RAM is a game changer and rather required today in my opinion for a real workstation (heck having problems even staying in 4GB bounds).

 

[CenTex Hosting]

Keeping my eye on this one. Going to be fun to see what all comes out this year

 

[PowerUpHosting-Udit]

Not sure how many people would buy that for that heavy of a price tag, most people who would buy would be out of curiosity. 

 

[Stevensst]

I think that most people will buy this for multimedia purposes, connect to a TV, etc..

 

[drmike]

I think that most people will buy this for multimedia purposes, connect to a TV, etc..

Yes sir, that's going to be the volume of the purchases.


With so much competition for set top box space, I am ahhh weary of anyone intending on occupying that space.  TV's are SMART more and and more.  You have the very cheap Raspberry Pi's with KODI running that bunch of folks around here use and seem to work well enough... You have a ton of Android sticks and boxes and impossible to downplay the apps available on that ecosystem, it's sheer overload of app options.


Compute sticks mainly are left to outdo those on lower price (bad approach) or more features (which is going to be nearly impossible).  Leaves maybe better performance and real storage interfaces which is kind of niche since the stuff works decent already.  Then you have the whole desktop computing on the TV something I saw eons ago decades ago.   That zone, the TV in a living room is really not a good space for traditional computing.. Not a work zone.


Mind you competing with phones and tablets also.


I am waiting for dual virtualized options.  An ARM or Intel low power chip that can dual run say Android and Linux at same time and be able to rapid shift from one to other - both running at the same time.


Intel sticks are interesting,  not bad CPU Mark numbers considering the form factor.  Wanting to try one maybe in 2017.  Once these mature a bit more.