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Lenovo announces Ideacentre Stick 300 HDMI PC

by Mark Tyson on 24 June 2015, 12:06

Tags: Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)

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HEXUS reviewed the Intel Compute Stick back in May and since then we have heard of a number of competing products on their way to market. For example, at Computex we heard about the ASUS Pen Stick which will be based around the newer Cherry Trail platform. Now Lenovo had thrown its hat into the ring with a the launch of the Ideacentre Stick 300.

The new HDMI stick format Lenovo PC will become available starting from July via Lenovo.com, Dixons and Amazon. It will be priced at £129 (US pricing is $129, says Microsoft) - that's £10 more than the Intel Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC sells for at SCAN Computers.

From the official datasheet (PDF) I have compiled the specifications list below:

  • Processor: Intel BayTrial Atom Z3735F, 2M cache, up 1.33GHz base / 1.83GHz burst
  • Memory: 2 GB
  • Storage: 32 GB
  • Speakers built-in
  • Networking: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
  • Ports: 1 x HDMI, 1 x Micro USB 2.0, SD card reader
  • Physical: dimensions are 100 x 38 x 15mm,
  • Software: Windows 8.1 with Bing, upgradeable to Windows 10, Microsoft Office 365 (3 months trial)
  • Optional accessories: Lenovo Multimedia Remote - n5902a

Looking through the above specs and also at the design and layout of the new Ideacentre Stick 300 one can't help noticing a very strong similarity to the existing Intel Compute Stick. The core specs seem to be the same and even the outside appearance and placement of ports/buttons seem to be duplicated. Slight size differences (the Intel stick is 103 x 37 x 12mm) and the fact that both are pretty ugly probably doesn't matter as they will usually be concealed behind your TV/monitor.

One thing I'd like to find out, but couldn't find details of, is the cooling solution offered by Lenovo. As it is slightly chunkier than the Intel stick, one might hope it offers a cooling solution that prevents any possibility of processor throttling. Finally, potential buyers might want to hold off for CherryTrail computer sticks, like the ASUS one, which should arrive at similar prices during Q4.



HEXUS Forums :: 9 Comments

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A with the others I have got a tablet with the same specs which runs windows and andriod for £83.

I can hide it behind the TV and plug it in via hdmi if wanted but then can unplug and use with its own screen if needed.

Will be interesting to see the price of the cheaper no name versions as I am looking at replacing my media centre/360 extenders with kodi/compute sticks.
another concern with these devices is the usb end getting bent or broken and that's the whole thing pretty much useless. it would be better with a female end and you attach a cable or male connector. IF I got one I would use an extension cable, but I don't need one and I have a similar spec 7" linx tablet with hdmi that does everything pretty much just as good, but has a screen to use portably and was £60 and you can still get them around that price or less

I suppose like most other things in the tech world, the price will drop and these might end up being around the £25 mark and you can use them without worrying about the cost of replacing them
Thinking outside the box, the tablets are cheap as they use 8.1 with bing which I understand is cheap/free. Can these sticks get a bing licence as they aren't below a certain screen size (is it 11"?) as they have no screen so could be used on massive screens.
Unique
another concern with these devices is the usb end getting bent or broken and that's the whole thing pretty much useless. it would be better with a female end and you attach a cable or male connector. IF I got one I would use an extension cable, but I don't need one and I have a similar spec 7" linx tablet with hdmi that does everything pretty much just as good, but has a screen to use portably and was £60 and you can still get them around that price or less

I suppose like most other things in the tech world, the price will drop and these might end up being around the £25 mark and you can use them without worrying about the cost of replacing them

If that's a concern you need to look after them better - I've never broken a USB drive like that nevermind something tucked nicely in the back of a screen. Not like it's going to be sticking out of a laptop.
kingpotnoodle
If that's a concern you need to look after them better - I've never broken a USB drive like that nevermind something tucked nicely in the back of a screen. Not like it's going to be sticking out of a laptop.

I'm pretty careful with my stuff, but I bent a usb dongle for a mouse when I forgot it was still plugged in when moving a pc, and an hdmi cable at the back of my pc broke in the way I described, presumably due to the pc being moved during upgrades. I've had a flashdrive fall apart and break after being removed, and a usb tiny card reader break on first use. but out of all the gadgets I've used over the years and the use I make out of them that's nothing much. but for something like that to happen on an expensive device is more concerning, and not everyone looks after stuff that well. it could even be kids or pets that touch and move and break things. hdmi sockets may not always be in a nice place on the back of the screen, they could be on the side or even front of an hdmi amp