Intel Beefs Up Its Compute Stick For Business

Intel's first-gen Compute Stick, announced at CES, is a tiny device that looks like an oversized USB drive. But it’s really a tiny, low-powered Windows PC. It can turn any HDTV or monitor into a bare-bones PC. It costs about $150 and is used as a digital signage tool, or it can power a digital classroom or serve as a point-of-sale device or information kiosk.

The Compute Stick ships in two SKUs. One is powered by the 6th-Generation Intel Core M processor, the other by the latest quad-core Intel Atom processor. Both provide improved graphics performance and better specs that include 2GB of RAM, 32 GB of onboard storage and its own 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios.

The Atom-based Compute Stick runs on the Cherry Trail quad-core x5-Z8300 and costs $160. The Skylake Compute Stick ships with Core m3-6Y30 chip and Windows 10 and will cost $300.