Everyday usage: streaming and productivity
The benchmark numbers we've shown so far provide a broad indication of the device's capabilities, though the user experience is something worth covering in more depth to see exactly how those performance numbers translate. Intel envisions some key use-case scenarios for the Intel Compute Stick so we explored each of them - productivity & web browsing, media streaming and gaming, in turn.
Productivity and web browsing
As a device for productivity the Intel Compute Stick isn't cut out for anything that's computation intensive, which is slightly ironic given the product's name. The device is perfectly capable of handling basic tasks in office packages, like OpenOffice or Microsoft Office, and allowing users to check and respond to emails, as well as other light workloads like basic picture editing or coding.
In web browsing the Intel Compute Stick is capable of handling numerous tabs, 10 to 15, without encountering any memory or CPU issues, providing web browsing is the primary task the user is involved in. With the web browsing it is rather easy to run out of memory when you have too many applications running at the same time, though for the well-organised user who is conscious of the hardware limitation it is fairly easy to keep these things in check.
The Atom CPU is prone to tripping up when too many things are executed at once which can lead to stuttering and freezing as well as periods of time where programs stop responding as they wait to get allocated the CPU resources they need to continue. Simple tasks like extracting a large zip file from your emails can hog enough CPU resources to cripple the functionality of other applications.
The Intel Compute Stick is capable of basic productivity and web browsing but power users expecting a desktop-class experience need to reevaluate their expectations. The device is running desktop-OS with tablet-class internals and they can only deliver so much. Without invoking too many stereotypes the Compute Stick provides the type of desktop computer experience that would satisfy the less tech-savvy user, such as children or grandparents.
Media streaming
The form factor which the Intel Compute Stick uses is similar to many Smart TV sticks that run Android and other Linux derivatives. That means the Intel Compute Stick is well-suited to be plugged into a TV to enable it with additional functionality, although there are some potential issues to overcome. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is the problem of interacting with the device from a distance. The most common solution to this problem is a keyboard and mice combination device that will allow the user to interact with the operating system over WiFi-to-USB or Bluetooth connection. Logitech offer numerous options in this department, and the K400 is one of the more popular ones.
While wireless input devices can solve the interaction problems the user still needs to solve the fact Windows 8.1 isn't tuned for sofa-based media consumption. Users will need to find a media program, like Kodi (XBMC), Windows Media Center or Plex to help them manage the content and the interaction with it, so programs that let you use a mobile phone as a remote control are particularly handy.
The Compute Stick is surprisingly capable of playing back a wide variety of video codecs in quality up to 1080p without any hiccups. During our testing with a network Plex server and a variety of films the CPU usage didn't pass the 25 per cent mark and, providing you aren't running anything CPU-intensive, the audiovisual stream is stutter-free. Moving beyond 1080p isn't possible as the Compute Stick cannot output at higher resolutions like 1440p or 2160p.
Game streaming
Steam's popular game-streaming service worked surprisingly well during our testing. The Intel Compute Stick is perfectly capable of handling the computational side of things as processes the incoming audiovisual stream like any 1080p film. The crucial requirement for gamers looking to stream is the strength and range of the home network. Our testing found that streaming most games requires around 13-20Mbps download which isn't a problem for the Intel Compute Stick as it can download and upload at speeds of around 50Mbps when in range.
Intel recommends using a USB to Ethernet adapter or 802.11ac USB WiFi adapter for Steam's game streaming but prospective buyers should test the Compute Stick in its desired location first, before rushing to buy extra networking equipment. The Compute Stick uses a low-cost Realtek 802.11n WiFi adapter which has fairly poor range but, placed close enough to a Wireless router, it still does the job. Not to mention that wiring the Compute Stick into a Gigabit ethernet connection defeats the purpose of the device's portability. This was one of our primary bugbears with the NZXT Doko device.
