David Hayward has a brief look at new micro computer
ARM hardware has enjoyed substantial growth these last few years, thanks to the fact that the design processes used to make the chips are relatively cheap, and they're small enough yet also powerful enough to fit into some exceptionally tiny places.
The chief destination for ARM processors is, of course, mobile phones, but tablets and other devices are a significant factor. More recently we enjoyed ARM-and Android-powered micro consoles and handheld consoles, which again prove that you can have quad-core power in a device that's the size of your hand.
The miniaturisation of ARM technology didn't stop there either, and soon enough devices were released that were not much bigger than USB flash pens - ones that plugged directly into the HDMI port of your monitor or TV and delivered an OS on a stick, for those who wanted a smarter approach to their entertainment.
The x86 family of processors hasn't had quite as much success. True enough, there were x86 tablets before the more popular ARM-based tablets and there still are, but the numbers haven't been anywhere near as huge as the number of ARM chips sold.
ARM is dominant in the high-performance, low-power industry, which is where small devices lie. The x86 is, naturally, more dominant in the desktop and server market, so for that reason, Intel (we'll refer to x86 processors as Intel processors from this point on) has never been all that bothered about creating the sort of low-power usage chips that ARM has done since its early days. Indeed, Intel has had its fair share of low-power products, but nothing like what ARM has produced.
One CPU that Intel has produced for some time, though, that has made a huge difference in the power use of x86 architecture is the Atom. The Atom processor is a CPU that has been made purely with low power, rather than speed, in mind. As it matured over the years, Intel adopted more technology, better processes and finally, in 2012, introduced the Atom SoC (System on Chip) platform, designed purely for smartphones and tablets.
The Z-range of Atom SoC models has seen service in many different devices, from the Asus ZenFone, to the VivoTab and MeMO Pad 7. One of the latest chips, the Z3735D, is being used in the Tesco Hudl 2 and it's this architecture family we're interested in here.
Amid the extreme and the glorious of the 2015 CES, a device that's not much bigger than a Chromecast took centre stage: the Intel Compute Stick. Its tablet-like hardware and presentation had journalists and consumers alike drooling, and it's not difficult to see why.
Hardware
The diminutive device packs a fairly decent hardware punch. In its heart you'll find a 64-bit quad-core Atom Z3735F CPU, the sibling of the Hudl CPU, which runs at 1.33GHz with a boost to 1.83GHz.
There's 2MB of L2 cache on this processor, along with a memory bandwidth of 10.6GB/S and an SDP of 2.2W. The graphics specification is handled by an Intel HD Bay Trail running at 311 MHz with a graphics boost frequency of 646MHz. While not an amazing graphical processor, the Bay Trail can outperform an Adreno 320, which is found in SoCs such as the Snapdragon 600 range. Roughly speaking, it's about the same overall performance as a Tegra 4 GPU.
The Z3735F is based on the Silvermont Atom architecture, which packs in a number of improvements over previous Atom-based processors. For one, there's an increase in performance - around 50% as stated on the Intel pages. And thanks to the smaller 22nm processes and the CPU being designed with tri-gate transistors, the energy efficiency of the CPU is greatly improved too, delivering a far more impressive performance-to-power ratio than previous models.
Alongside the processing powers of the Compute Stick, Intel has also packed in either 1GB or 2GB of RAM, 8GB or 32GB eMMC storage, a full-sized HDMI output, micro-SD card slot, a single USB 2.0 port and micro-USB for power. Finally, there's Bluetooth 4.0 and built-in wi-fi 802.11 b/g/n.
The RAM and storage selections are based on two versions that Intel plans to ship, which may be very soon, depending on when you're reading this (estimated around March). The 2GB version with 32GB eMMC storage is designed for Windows 8.1 (Bing Edition) as the core OS and will undoubtedly cost more. And the 1GB version with 8GB eMMC storage is designed for users to install Linux on, so it'll be somewhat cheaper.
Software
Windows 8.1 may not be everyone's cup of tea; the fact that it's near enough universally despised has had something of a negative effect on sales, to say the least. But Windows 8.1, in terms of the file system, is a far more efficient operating system than Windows 7. Booting times and overall operation is snappier, and there's more scope for future technologies to make use of what it can do.
It's also slightly smaller than the previous version of Windows, so even with 32GB of eMMC storage available, you'll still effectively have at least 25GB free for your own use once the OS is up and running. And let's not forget that this is an x86 PC, so whatever you can install on your 'normal' desktop, you'll be able to install on this device too.
Linux, on the other hand, is smaller and faster still. But again, it's not for everyone. Those who prefer Linux over Windows will no doubt already have an idea in mind as to what flavour of the OS they'll be installing, and for our testing we'll probably see how the latest version of Linux Mint runs.
One more note: we're not sure if you'll be able to install Windows 7 or earlier if you wanted to. We imagine you probably can, but since there's been no real-world testing yet, we can't confirm it. If you can, though, we suspect that it'll draw a wider audience who really don't want to stick with Windows 8.1.
PC On A Stick
So what can you do with the Compute Stick, and is it something we should be getting a little excited over?
The enthusiast in us cries yes, we're excited. The cynic, however, sees this as just another 'thing' that potentially offers lots, but due to its lack of computing power delivers very little.
Ignoring the cynic, though, let's have a quick think about the uses the Intel Compute Stick could offer. First of all, in its Windows guise, by hooking up a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, the Intel Compute Stick can make for a handy browser stick, portable enough to be carried with you in your pocket - although the power may be a bit bulky. Also it's a handy hot desk computer, for those who simply require basic office computing, and it'll work well in colleges and universities too, we imagine. We also imagine that when connected to a touchscreen monitor, Windows 8.1 will come into its own and work in the way Microsoft intended it to, but we'll have to wait to get hold of a Compute Stick before we can confirm that idea.
While triple-A gaming isn't going to be on the cards, there are still many older titles and independent games that can be played either stand-alone or through a browser. And while we're on the subject, don't forget the thousands of retro games available through emulation, which the Compute Stick could handle right up to PlayStation 2, Wii, GameCube and the like. Plus, as a side thought on our part, imagine the custom arcade machines you could build with a PC on a stick. There are several projects already forming in our mind.
In theory, the HD graphics should be enough to allow HD content to be streamed and played without too much difficulty. Therefore, we can assume that when connected to your LAN and with something like VLC installed, you'll be able to watch everything you have stored on your NAS drive. So effectively, this could make for a decent, tiny media centre.
The other version of the Compute Stick, the 1GB variety, will allow the user to install any version of Linux that you can install on a normal desktop. Linux being the way it is, it will no doubt work tremendously well, and there's no reason why all of the above scenarios won't work with it.
Clearly, the Intel Compute Stick has a lot of potential, and if used within the defining limits of its processing power, it'll happily do everything you ask of it. Don't hook one up and expect to be able to play Crysis on it, though.
Windows 8.1 Bing Edition
As you may have already read, the Intel Compute Stick is set to come installed with Windows 8.1 Bing Edition. If you're at a loss as to what exactly the Bing Edition is, then join the club. After a bit of reading up on it, though, we found out the following.
The Bing Edition of Windows 8.1 is simply the cheapest possible Windows OS to have pre-installed on any device. Previously, the cheapest edition was the Core Edition of Windows 8, but apparently when Windows 8.1 was released Microsoft changed things around a bit, because it likes doing that, and made the Bing Edition the cheapest.
How cheap is cheap, though? Well, it's pretty cheap, in that it costs nothing for a computer manufacturer to ship a PC, laptop or any other device with the Bing Edition installed.
The Bing Edition, though, has a set requirement, in that the computer manufacturers have to ship the OS with the default search engine as Bing for Internet Explorer. That's it. You, as the users, once you've got hands on the system, can change to whatever browser and search engine you like. But the manufacturer has to make sure that the OS points to Bing for internet searches. So now you know.
The Competition
The Intel Compute Stick isn't the first x86 PC on a stick, and due to its reception, it won't be the last either. There are a few companies that have already been developing sticks based on the Atom Z3735F and similar chips, and some are already available. One of these is the MeeGo Pad T01.
The MeeGo Pad T01 is a Chinese-made PC stick whose hardware mimics that of the Linux version of the Intel Compute Stick and has been available since at least October last year. It costs in the region of $110 (roughly £78), and you'll have to factor in import taxes on top of that. The key problem, though, is the fact that you'll have to bulk buy at least 500 units before you can get hold of one. Still, at least you'll have plenty of spares.
Another Chinese-based company, Beelink, which is quite well known in the micro computing market, has for some time been developing ARM-based sticks with Android installed for smart TV use. Recently, though, it's announced that it will start selling the same kind of things as the Windows version of the Intel Compute Stick, called the Pocket P2, but with USB 3.0 instead of the Compute Stick's USB 2.0 port.
There's no word on price yet, and you won't get a lot of information from their site either with regards as to when it'll be made available.
The best competition the Intel Compute Stick has at present is the already available Hannspree Micro PC (goo.gl/2T09gW)
As with the Compute Stick, this has an Atom Z3735F quad-core CPU, with 2GB of memory, 32GB eMMC storage and Windows 8.1 installed. Display output is via the HDMI part of the stick, and there's also a micro-USB, a single USB 2.0 port and micro-SD card reader, in addition to Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 b/g/n wi-fi.
Pricing varies depending on where you look online, but the average seems to be around the £150 mark. For example, Office Nerd sells one for £151 (goo.gl/R7G3Ca) and Expansys has them available for £169.99 (goo.gl/g0n4zp).
Either way, the Hannspree Micro PC is available now and offers the same level of performance as the Intel Compute Stick.
Conclusion
The final price of the Intel Compute Stick is still unknown, but others have speculated that it'll be available for around $150 (roughly £98). Unfortunately, the whole dollars-to-pounds conversion thing rarely works that way when the product hits the shelves. For that reason, and based on past experiences, the likelihood is that the Intel Compute Stick will probably cost the same as the Hannspree Micro PC, at around £150. Then again, maybe Intel intends to put the cat among the pigeons and offer a PC on a stick for under £100?
Whatever the final decision is, Intel may have a bit of a battle on its hands, since the Hannspree Micro PC is already available and will have had a good head start by the time the Compute Stick is even on the shelves. This advantage could work for Hannspree, as it could be ready to upgrade it at the drop of a hat if needs be, leaving Intel trailing behind. Despite the attention on the Compute Stick so far, then, if we were the betting sort, we'd put our money on the Hannspree Micro PC to come out on top. Time will tell, no doubt.
On a personal note, if the future of x86 micro PC computing is via a HDMI stick, then we're happy to climb into that bed - just as long as we always have the option of significantly more power through our desktop PCs as well.