The Intel Compute Stick – a user’s first experience
By Al Hill
Contents
The Intel Compute Stick – a user’s first experience ......................................................................... 2
What is in the box? .......................................................................................................................... 2
What does it look like? ..................................................................................................................... 3
Power to the STICK ........................................................................................................................... 4
Monitors used in testing the STICK .................................................................................................. 5
Other hardware used ....................................................................................................................... 5
Getting started ................................................................................................................................. 6
The initial boot of the STICK ............................................................................................................. 6
Information collected about the STICK ............................................................................................ 8
Information collected about the OS ................................................................................................ 9
Boot and Sleep Times ....................................................................................................................... 9
Rudimentary Performance Data ...................................................................................................... 9
Other testing performed ................................................................................................................ 10
Disk Space ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Windows Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Connection .................................................. 13
Pros and Cons ................................................................................................................................. 14
Results, thoughts, rumors, and speculation .................................................................................. 14
Next steps....................................................................................................................................... 14
Useful links for the STICK ............................................................................................................... 15
The Intel Compute Stick – a user’s first experience
Intel has announced the “Intel Compute Stick” – a complete computer on a stick. This device
contains the processor, onboard eMMC storage, memory, microSD card slot, wireless and
Bluetooth networking, video, USB, and operating system, all on a single device. It fits in the
palm of your hand, and can be used anywhere with access to an HDMI monitor. It may be the
world’s smallest complete computer system. Please view Product Specifications for more
information about the STICK.
This document describes a user experience with the STICK, from initial setup and first boot, to
discoveries and results made using the STICK while testing various hardware, and to show its
ease of use and interface capabilities. No formal testing was done. Basically, I tried as many
devices to which I had access. So, here are my experiences on the way to Falls City.
What is in the box?
The STICK is available with Windows or Linux (Ubuntu 14.04). My STICK is the Windows version,
specifically STCK1A32WFC.
The box contained the following:
 The STICK (4” x 1.5” x 0.5” (10cm x 3.8cm x 1.25cm))
 USB-A to microUSB power cable
 HDMI extension cable (7.5” (19cm))
 Power supply +5vdc, 2.0a, with adapters for US, UK, Europe, Australia
What does it look like?
Physically, the STICK has the following:
 Power LED
 Power switch
 microSD slot
 HDMI male
 microUSB power input
 USB-A slot
 Fan
Power to the STICK
The STICK has a microUSB port for power input. Since the power adapter that came with the
STICK is rated at +5vdc 2a, we can assume the maximum power required by the STICK is 10
watts. The question that comes up is “will the STICK be able to draw power from a USB device”?
Some of the USB devices that I checked provide a maximum of 500ma, thus a maximum of 2.5w,
which is inadequate for the STICK. However, a powered USB hub could provide the needed
current to run the STICK. Additionally, the TV USB (if available) may be able to provide
adequate power. To be safe, please review Powering the Intel® Compute Stick via USB.
The next questions that come to mind are “what is the maximum current draw from the STICK’s
USB port and does the STICK provide overcurrent protection for its USB port?” The USB port is
certainly overcurrent protected, and assumed to be 500ma maximum. However, adding an
unpowered USB hub to the STICK where all devices attached draw more than 500ma is probably
not a good thing.
Monitors used in testing the STICK
For the STICK, the monitors are center stage. An HDMI monitor or TV is needed. Audio with the
monitor, in my opinion, is highly desirable. And, depending on your usage requirements, a
touch-screen may be desirable or necessary.
HDMI monitors used/tested
 Microsoft Perceptive Pixel Touch PPI 55” monitor with audio (Perceptive Pixel by
Microsoft)
 Dell SP2309w with AY511 Sound Bar
 Dell S2740L
 Westinghouse LD-3265 with audio
HDMI televisions used/tested
 Toshiba 32RV530U
 Toshiba 40RV52U
 Vizio VX32L
 Philips 40PFL4707/F7 LCD TV 102cm/40"
 Samsung UN78HU9000 78" curved-screen 4K Ultra High Definition TV
HDMI projectors used/tested
 Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3020 3D 1080p 3LCD Projector
Other monitors used/tested
 HP Elite Display S230tm touch monitor with audio (DisplayPort, DVI)

Microsoft Perceptive Pixel Touch PPI MT-LCD82 82” monitor without audio (DVI)
Other hardware used
For setup and testing, the following hardware was used:
 Microsoft Natural Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard 7000
 Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 7000
 Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000
 Sabrent HB-U3P4 unpowered USB 4-port hub
 Belkin F5U704-ME powered USB 2.0 7-port hub +5vdc 4a
 StarTech HDMI2DP HDMI or DVI to DisplayPort Active
 Actiontec MI424-WR wireless router
 Dell KB113p wired USB keyboard
 Dell M-UVDEL1 wired USB mouse
 Logitech G15 wired USB keyboard
 Micro Center 16 GB microSD card
 Plextor PX-716UF USB/FW external DVD±R-RW drive



Generic 16 GB USB Flash drive
Generic HDMI PC to DVI monitor adapter
Generic USB-A to USB-B cable (for monitor touch-screen interface)
Getting started
The STICK is a complete system – almost. The following hardware is necessary to make the
STICK work.
 The STICK
 Monitor with HDMI. Nice to haves are: Audio, touch-screen
 Bluetooth, Wireless, or wired mouse and keyboard (or touch-screen)
 Wireless network access
 USB hub (if you have more than 1 USB device)
 AC wall outlet (or other adequate USB power source)
To update the BIOS or setup any hardware, it is best to use a wired keyboard and mouse.
Using a DVI monitor is not supported! The STICK is specifically designed for HDMI monitors.
However, many users will try using other monitors. There are many DVI and Display Port
monitors in use and the temptation to use these monitors will be irresistible. Therefore, we
start by using a DVI monitor and simple DVI-HDMI adapter. Immediately, we are outside the
lines and are unsupported in testing the first monitor with the STICK.
While a DVI monitor using a “HDMI computer to DVI monitor adapter” may work for you, it may
not provide you with the audio unless you procure a proper adapter. Remember, however, the
STICK is specifically targeted and designed for HDMI monitors.
The initial boot of the STICK
The first test was done with the HP Elite Display S230tm, which does not have HDMI, but does
have DVI and Display Port. It also has touch-screen. The following steps were performed prior
to initial boot of the STICK:
 The female side of the HDMI extension cable was connected to the STICK HDMI
 The male side of the HDMI extension cable was connected to a HDMI-DVI dongle
 The HDMI-DVI dongle was connected to the DVI port of the HP monitor
 The wireless mouse and keyboard transceiver was plugged into the four-port hub
 A USB cable was connected to the four-port hub and to the USB-B port on the HP monitor
 The four-port hub was connected to the STICK
 The microUSB side of the power cable was connected to the STICK
 The HP monitor was turned on
 The USB-A side of the power cable was connected to the AC adapter, and plugged into an AC
outlet
The STICK began to boot as soon as the AC adapter was connected, as the STICK does an auto
power-on. The initial boot and setup was as expected for Windows 8.1. (For more details on
the version of Windows included with the STICK, see What the heck is Windows 8.1 with Bing
anyway?) Note that this version of Windows cannot be joined to a domain, but it can be
upgraded to Windows Professional or Windows Enterprise with an appropriate product key.
Windows 10 can also be installed. Remember, if the recovery partition is used, the STICK will be
reset back to Windows 8.1 with Bing.
Initial attempts to connect to wireless network(s), during Windows setup, did not work. The
cause could not be determined. However, once the initial setup was complete, the wireless
network connected immediately, without intervention.
The wireless mouse and keyboard connected properly during the initial setup.
The Bluetooth mouse paired as it should and worked correctly.
A 16 GB microSD card was inserted, was immediately recognized, and functioned correctly.
The HP touch-screen worked, without any driver install. Note that when using a monitor with
touch-screen capability, the USB-B port of the monitor will need to be connected to the USB of
the STICK or the USB hub connected to the STICK.
That was all that needed to be done on the initial boot with the HP S230tm. However, because
of the HDMI-DVI adapter, there was no audio, which was expected.
While checking MSInfo32, it was noted that UEFI was enabled, but Secure Boot was not.
Booting to the BIOS allowed changing Secure Boot to “enabled”. After reboot, MSInfo32
showed Secure Boot State as ON. If Secure Boot is available, you should use it! It is an excellent
way to block Rootkits. Secure Boot with Windows Defender on Windows 8.x provides
Early Launch Anti-Malware (ELAM) protection. ELAM a key feature/benefit of Windows
Defender on Windows 8. The reason that ELAM exists is to stop rootkits and other device driver
types of malware, since the driver modules can be validated and checked for malware before
they are loaded, protecting the system from the moment the system begins to boot.
The BIOS was very friendly, and easy to navigate and configure. The BIOS on this STICK was
0012 and was updated to 0018.
The HDMI extension cable proved to be very useful. Although it was possible to plug the STICK
into some monitors directly, it was much more convenient to use the extension cable with the
STICK, especially for test purposes where the physical connections were done multiple times.
On some of the monitors tested, the STICK could be inserted without the HDMI extension cable.
On other monitors, the STICK could only be inserted with the extension cable. One issue that
concerned me (with the STICK inserted horizontally) is the weight of the USB power and signal
cables stressing the STICK HDMI connector without a strain relief. In those cases, it is better to
use the HDMI extension cable. Also, if the STICK will be moved between locations, it would be
useful to have several of the HDMI extension cables.
A USB hub was used for connecting the wireless transceiver for the mouse and keyboard, and
connecting to the USB port of the monitor for the touch-screen device. Once a Bluetooth
mouse and keyboard are part of the configuration, the USB hub becomes unnecessary (unless
other USB devices need to be connected).
Both powered and unpowered USB hubs were tested, and both functioned properly.
Confidence growing, I decided to try powering the STICK from the powered USB hub. The result
was successful. Therefore, if more than one USB device is needed and a powered hub is being
used, the stick can be powered from the hub as well. This will save one wall outlet, provided
the powered hub can supply enough power.
To test data, audio, and video CDs and DVDs, an external DVD±R-RW was used. The drive was
connected to the unpowered USB hub, which was connected to the STICK. Data and Audio CDs
worked without issue. To play a DVD movie, I used VLC Media Player. The DVD movie played
without issue.
With all of the testing, the STICK was periodically checked for heat. While it was warm, it was
never hot and the temperature was never a concern. I physically measured the temperature
after playing several streaming videos by using an Alltrade 480742 Digital Infrared
Thermometer. The warmest spot was at the center front of the STICK, over the “Intel” logo. At
that spot, it measured 109°F (43°C). Although the STICK has a fan, I did not observe it spinning,
nor did I hear any noise.
Information collected about the STICK
Now that the STICK is up and running, gathering some data is possible. Some of the information
for the following were obtained from the Windows utilities DXDiag and MSInfo32, and thirdparty utility CPU-Z.
 The processor on the STICK is a Bay Trail Atom Z3735F. This is a 4-core, 4-thread, 64-bit








processor, operating at 1.33 GHz, and uses socket UTFCBGA592.
2 GB DDR3 memory
32 GB eMMC storage (Samsung MBG4GC), partitioned as:
100 MB EFI
23 GB System
5.86 GB Recovery
BIOS 0012 (updated to 0018)
microSD slot
microUSB for power
USB for devices
HDMI 1.4a supported
Intel HD Graphics w/1 GB memory


RealTek RTL8723BS 802.11b/g/n wireless
RealTek Bluetooth wireless
Information collected about the OS
Most of this is uninteresting, but deserves note:
 The OS version is 6.3 build 9600, and is 32-bit
 The Intel HD Graphics is reported as 10.18.10.3910 (updated to 10.18.10.4176)
 DirectX is reported as 11
While the STICK is 64-bit capable, the OS is 32-bit. This means 64-bit applications will not run.
Boot and Sleep Times
From power on to boot screen, the time averaged 7 seconds. From boot screen to logon screen,
the time averaged 12 seconds.
Putting the system to sleep averaged 2 seconds. Wake from sleep averaged 3 seconds.
Rudimentary Performance Data
Although Windows 8.1 does not have the Windows Experience Index (WINSAT) that previous
versions of Windows had, one can still obtain the performance scores as only the GUI is missing.
The performance scores for the STICK and OS are reported by WINSAT as:
 5.9 CPU
 5.5 Memory
 3.9 Graphics
 4.1 Gaming Graphics
 7.1 Disk Performance
But, what does this mean? I have captured performance data from a number of machines that I
own, and those of some friends. Some machines have current hardware, while most have older
hardware. Some of these machines have updated graphics cards, some with SSD, and other
types of upgrades. I was curious as to where the STICK fit in with these performance scores. So,
here is the data, sorted by CPU score:
cpu
speed
(ghz)
CPU score
score
Graphics
score
Gaming
Graphics
score
Disk
score
Memory
Motherboard or System
cpu
Graphics
device
Intel DZ87KLT-75K w/SSD
i7-4771
GTX 760
3.5
8.4
8.4
8.4
9.9
8.1
Intel DZ87KLT-75K w/HD
i7-4771
onboard
3.5
8.4
8.4
5.8
5.7
5.9
Dell Inspiron 660
N/A
3.0
7.4
7.7
7.1
7.1
5.9
HP Pavilion p7-1287c
N/A
3.1
7.4
7.6
4.7
5.6
5.9
Intel DP43TF
Q9505
GTS 250
2.83
7.3
7.3
7.0
7.0
5.8
Dell XPS 410
Q6700
8800GT
2.66
7.2
7.2
6.8
6.8
5.8
IBM ThinkCentre M71e
N/A
2.7
6.6
7.5
5.1
5.8
5.9
HP Compaq 8000 elite
N/A
3.0
6.6
5.9
4.5
3.5
5.4
Dell Optiplex 760
N/A
3.0
6.5
5.9
4.5
3.5
5.9
HP Compaq DC7900S
N/A
3.0
6.5
5.9
4.4
4.5
5.9
Dell Inspiron 560
N/A
3.2
6.5
5.5
3.4
3.4
5.9
Intel DG41TY
E6300
2.8
6.3
6.3
5.6
6.3
5.9
Dell Latitude D630
N/A
2.4
6.0
6.0
3.5
3.1
5.6
Intel Compute Stick
Z3735F
1.33
5.9
5.5
3.9
4.1
7.1
HP Compaq 6710b
N/A
2.4
5.9
5.9
3.5
3.1
5.9
Lenovo 3000 N100
T7600
2.33
5.8
5.8
3.6
3.4
6.9
Lenovo mt-m 6073-a14
N/A
2.3
5.8
5.9
3.9
3.3
5.9
HP Pavilion p6109uk
N/A
2.5
5.4
5.1
5.9
5.9
5.9
Lenovo 3000 N200
T7500
2.2
5.4
5.4
3.5
3.1
4.9
Dell Optiplex 740
N/A
2.7
4.4
5.4
3.2
3.0
5.9
Intel D915GAG
N/A
3.2
4.3
5.1
6.3
6.3
5.7
Dell Optiplex GX280
N/A
3.0
3.8
4.6
4.3
6.0
5.8
Intel D845WR
Pentium 4
2.8
3.8
3.9
2.5
3.1
5.7
GT 220
onboard
onboard
onboard
6200
The STICK is not a screamer, but it does its job quite well. And, if you sort by DISK score, the
STICK comes in at #2!
Other testing performed
Again, it is all about the monitors. Thus far, all monitors tested have worked. Perhaps the
biggest goal was to test the touch-screen handling and basic performance. On the Microsoft
Perceptive Pixel displays, under the “Pen and Touch” information of the system properties, it
listed “Pen and limited touch with 100 touch points”. During testing the touch-screen, the
results were impressive. The 55” display was absolutely excellent, and provided a fantastic
touch experience and audio result. Note that the Microsoft Perceptive Pixel Touch displays
required a manual install of the touch-screen driver.
The Microsoft Perceptive Pixel 82” display did not have integrated speakers, so using the simple
HDMI/DVI dongle was adequate.
The HP display result was good, considering the lack of audio because of the HDMI/DVI dongle.
For testing this monitor later, I used a "HDMI computer to Display Port monitor active adapter"
from StarTech. The HP monitor was reported as 1920x1200, which is interesting as the monitor
is only 1920x1080. While everything seemed to work and the STICK booted as it should, the
monitor displayed an error message regarding the input signal. It seemed mostly concerned
about the horizontal frequency. The adapter has no switches, and the monitor’s settings
provided no positive results. However, using Windows “screen resolution” settings, I was able
to change to 1920x1080 and all performed as it should. I played 30 minutes of streaming video
and audio over the monitor’s DisplayPort connection, without any stuttering, pixilation, or
buffering issues, on a wireless G connection with five bars. OK, so I was successful at using a
Display Port monitor. It is still an unsupported configuration.
For HDMI monitors with audio, it may be necessary to check the monitor settings for the audio
configuration. Set the audio to use HDMI audio and not PC analog audio.
The Toshiba television experience was very good. Switching the HDMI inputs on the TV was not
a problem and, with the wireless mouse and keyboard, allowed using the STICK as a PC and
surfing the net during commercial breaks. The only issue was the Windows desktop was slightly
larger (overscan) than the physical screen area. Changing the Toshiba “Pic Size” from “Natural”
to “Native” solved the problem immediately and the Windows display was perfectly sized for
the physical screen. When using a television as a monitor, it may be necessary to change this
setting. On the Toshiba, for example, the picture size options available are:






Natural
Theater Wide 1
Theater Wide 2
Theater Wide 3
4:3 HD
Native
Most televisions should have similar settings. For troubleshooting, see the Graphics Drivers —
HDMI Technology FAQ and check "[+]My HDMI TV overscans where the sides of the desktop
screen are not visible" for other solutions.
On the Toshiba televisions, several YouTube videos were played. There was no lag, stutter,
pixilation, or delay in the video, and both video and audio were excellent over a wireless G
connection.
My disappointment with the STICK was the lack of 4K (3840) resolution support when testing
the Samsung UN78HU9000. Although the product specifications of the STICK claim support of
HDMI 1.4a, it appears that it does not fully support HDMI 1.4a in supporting 4K resolution at
30Hz. The Z3735F processor supports displays up to 2560x1600 at 60Hz.
Disk Space
Of the 23 GB available on the system partition, Windows 8.1 with Bing only consumed 5.8 GB
after Windows Update occurred, leaving more than 17 GB free. Of course, you still have the
microSD slot available for additional storage. To clean up un-needed files, Windows Disk
Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe), and Internet Explorer “Delete browsing history” were used. These do
an adequate job of deleting unnecessary files.
There is 17 GB of space available on the system partition, and the system was very responsive.
How about managing your space? I have observed many users who tend to install numerous
utilities, many of which are resident and running all the time, and consume processor time and
disk space. Personally, I would avoid such actions. In my opinion, there is no need to begin
loading a different anti-virus, or cleaner utilities, that continuously monitor the system and
consume space.
Windows Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Connection
Windows Remote Assistance (MSRA.EXE) was tested with the STICK receiving remote assistance
and worked as expected. I did not test the STICK as providing remote assistance.
The STICK was tested using Remote Desktop Connection (MSTSC.EXE) to a remote computer,
and functioned as expected. However, I could not establish a remote desktop connection to the
STICK. I checked system properties\remote settings, and the option to manage Remote Desktop
is not available. This is a limitation of “Windows 8.1 with Bing”.
Of course, these are both Windows utilities that should work, regardless of the hardware
platform.
Pros and Cons
The pros are that everything necessary for a complete system is provided. Intel has integrated
an incredible amount of technology, features, and function in a form factor that is convenient,
easy to use, and user friendly. For its intended environment and use, the STICK is well
positioned. And, it has that “must have” appeal.
The cons? The lack of HDMI 1.4a 4K resolution support at 30Hz. Also, some disappointment
with the Windows version, which is 32-bit. This will cause problems for those who want to run
64-bit applications. And, as I have noted previously, this version of windows is not domain
capable and cannot be accessed by remote desktop. However, these are Windows issues and
can be resolved by installing a different version of Windows 8 or even Windows 10.
Results, thoughts, rumors, and speculation
When I began this task, I had no idea how the STICK would perform and how it would handle the
hardware I was using. For the testing done, on the various hardware used, performance was
very good. The STICK does exactly what it is supposed to do, and does it quite well. I know that
sounds like a very short summary of the STICK. However, what else can be said? It is a
fascinating device that performs well, and is truly plug-and-play. The number of uses for the
STICK, whether business or consumer, is almost uncountable. The Intel Compute Stick is simply
a fantastic product.
There is a rumor that a future STICK could be powered by HDMI. If this were possible, it would
add another feature to an already long list, making the STICK even more portable and
convenient.
There are also rumors that the processor on later STICKs could be Cherry Trail or Core M.
However, the Atom version performed very well.
Next steps
After more testing on the STICK, I may install Windows 10 Tech Preview. Windows 10 offers
some features that may make it more favorable as the OS on the STICK.
Useful links for the STICK
Intel® Compute Stick
www.intel.com/computestick
Documents & Guides
Documents & Guides for the Intel® Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC
Support
Support for the Intel® Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC
Product Specifications – Windows version
Intel® Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC — Product Specifications
Product Specifications – Linux version
Intel® Compute Stick STCK1A8LFC — Product Specifications
Customer-Reported Peripherals
Intel® Compute Stick Family — Customer-Reported Peripherals
Intel Compute Stick community forum
Intel Compute Stick