Intel Compute Stick gets bigger, but better
The second-gen mini-desktop gets two USB ports and faster Wi-Fi.
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
The idea of plugging a device about the size of a chunky USB memory key into any TV or monitor and turning it into a full-featured desktop computer helped make the Intel Compute Stick one of the most popular PCs from last year's CES 2015.
Since then, we've tested and reviewed that first-gen Compute Stick, with an Intel Atom processor and Windows 8, and found it to be a fun, if limited, experiment in minimalist computing. Similar systems followed from Asus and others, and the era of mini-desktop started to pick up steam.
The new, slightly longer, Compute Stick is in the foreground.
At CES 2016, Intel has announced the next generation of Compute Stick. The look and feel is similar, although this new version adds a little bit of length to the chassis. That's because rather than the single USB port on the first Stick, this new model has two ports (one USB 3.0, one USB 2.0), which is handy if you want to plug in wireless dongles for a keyboard and mouse, or any other peripherals. Of course, the smart move is connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, to avoid dongles altogether.
Also new for version 2.0 of the Compute Stick is faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which is important as one of the main complaints about the original version was the slow wireless performance over 802.11n. The Intel Atom processor has also gotten a generation jump, to the latest version, code-named Cherry Trail. Even with the older processor in last year's model, we were able to stream HD video just fine, although an Atom processor isn't going to be your all-day, every day computer, no matter the generation.
The new Intel Compute Stick is shipping now, for a suggested retail price of $159 in the US.
The original Compute Stick, next to the second-gen, Core M3 and Core M5 versions.
If you're looking for something faster, Intel is also planning versions of the Compute Stick with Core M3 and Core M5 processors, the same chips found in very high-end slim laptops and hybrids. Those are coming in February of this year, and will cost more, $399 for the Core M3 version and $499 for the Core M5 version.
See our complete CES 2016 coverage here.