Intel previews latest 14nm-based Compute Stick and NUCs

Previously we reviewed the first generation of Intel Compute Sticks. We found it a little lacking in terms performance and also practicality due to its weak-ish Intel Atom Z3735F paired with a meager 2GB of RAM along with the lonely little USB 2.0 port. After doing that review, we were invited to an event where Intel and Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd. introduced the latest Compute Stick and NUCs to dealers and also several select media representatives.

The theme of the day was oriented towards server and enterprise class solutions, but sadly we missed that part as we went arrived at the event a little late. However we were just in time to catch their introduction of the Compute Stick and NUC by Wong Kay Vin, Marketing Manager at Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd.

The older Compute Stick was compared with the newer one in terms of performance and features offered. We are proud to inform you that our review was used as the basis for the comparison, and how the new Compute Stick compares favorably against the first generation.

This is a spec-sheet comparison but it is clear that the newer version is leaps and bounds better than the older Compute Stick in every way. The newer Atom processor, dual channel RAM, upgraded wireless chipset now with support for Wireless-AC and the addition of a USB 3.0 port makes the newer Compute Stick that much more practical from a consumer’s perspective. The previous wireless chipset proved problematic when trying to use Bluetooth peripherals with a WiFi connection active, but this will solve it. The addition of a USB 3.0 port also enable faster data transfer rates to USB 3.0 storage drives and opening up the USB 2.0 port to accept a USB wireless peripheral adapter. Nifty, I must say. And it comes with Windows 10 built-in, so it is about as plug-and-play as any computer can get.

I did catch the new Compute Stick in action. It looks virtually the same as the first generation model, aside from the extra length gained due to the new USB 3.0 port. Aside from that, every comment regarding its outlook is the same. It is small, sleek and hides behind your TV or display without any fuss. When I tried using it, it does appear more fluid than the previous model, but that can also be attributed to the improvements Windows 10 has compared to Windows 8.1. I can’t wait to put it through its paces in our labs to see how does it compare against the older model.

The Skylake NUCs were also introduced to us, with a few enhancements and of course new ultra-low voltage Skylake CPUs that will be paired with DDR4 SO-DIMM. The newer NUCs didn’t experience as big an upgrade as compared to the Compute Stick, but the improved performance will definitely be appreciated. During my short time trying it out, it does seem to be plenty capable of usual office work and web browsing, but once again I will withhold my judgement until I get it into our labs to torture it.

Moving on to the DIY PC section, ASUS’s representative Jane Lie was also present to introduce us to their ASUS E3 Pro Gaming V5 motherboard which is based on the C232 chipset and supports Intel Xeon E3 1200 V5 CPUs as well as other LGA1151 CPUs. The C232 chipset lacks support for integrated graphics but given that gamers will most probably add a dedicated GPU, the loss of iGPU functionality will not be missed much. The benefits of using Xeon E3 1200 V5 CPUs are performance on par with Core i7 CPUs but pricing like a Core i5 model. Thanks to its workstation heritage, the motherboard will also come with support for ECC RAM for mission critical workloads.

We had the opportunity to feast our eyes on a running ASUS E3 Pro Gaming V5 inside a familiar looking Cooler Master MasterCase 5 with a transparent side panel and also try it out in several popular titles. Needless to say the E3 1230 V5 CPU, and ASUS GeForce GTX 960 Turbo performed flawlessly in all the games tested. The motherboard actually looks pretty gamer-ish but enthusiasts may be turned away by the lack of SLI support with the PCIe x16 + PCIe x4 configuration.

Two lonely looking server boards were also present at the event, but because we missed the enterprise part of the event, I don’t know what’s special about these two boards. Hm. Gotta make a note to be more punctual next time..

We would like to thank Achieva Technology Sdn. Bhd. and Intel for the opportunity to attend this event and we hope to attend more events in the future!