The Intel Compute Stick (Cherry Trail) Review
by Ganesh T S on January 14, 2016 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
- Intel
- Cherry Trail
- HDMI Stick
- CES 2016
- Compute Stick
Networking and Storage Performance
Networking and storage are two major aspects which influence our experience with any computing system. This section presents results from our evaluation of these aspects in the Intel PPSTK1AW32SC.
Evaluating the capabilities of the primary storage subsystem turned out to be a challenging process. We usually use PCMark 8's storage bench for mini-PCs. However, the lack of enough free space after installing a couple of Windows updates meant that PCMark 8 would consistently crash during the benchmark process. However, we were able to process the benchmark on the Patriot EP series microSDXC card. The results were not any different from what we obtained in the Bay Trail Compute Stick review. That said, in order to get an idea of the eMMC performance, we ran ATTO and CrystalDiskMark on the SanDisk DF4032. A screenshot of the results is presented below.
On the networking side, we restricted ourselves to the evaluation of the WLAN component. Our standard test router is the Netgear R7000 Nighthawk configured with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. The router is placed approximately 20 ft. away, separated by a drywall (as in a typical US building). A wired client is connected to the R7000 and serves as one endpoint for iPerf evaluation. The PC under test is made to connect to either the 5 GHz (preferred) or 2.4 GHz SSID and iPerf tests are conducted for both TCP and UDP transfers. It is ensured that the PC under test is the only wireless client for the Netgear R7000. We evaluate total throughput for up to 32 simultaneous TCP connections using iPerf and present the highest number in the graph below.
In the UDP case, we try to transfer data at the highest rate possible for which we get less than 1% packet loss.
The Wi-Fi performance has improved tremendously compared to the Bay Trail Compute Stick. Though we strangely found UDP throughput to be a bit off (lower than the TCP), the performance on the whole was excellent. It solves one of the major pain points associated with the Bay Trail Compute Stick.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
80 Comments
View All Comments
074geodude - Monday, January 18, 2016 - link
Very technical review, but overall not very useful if you're a consumer. Things I would like to know that weren't answered in this review:- How long does it take to boot up?
- Can it stream 4K video?
- How's gaming performance? Are casual titles like Minecraft or League of Legends playable?
- How's web browsing with only 2 GB of RAM? How well does Chrome run?
- Can you clone the eMMC drive onto a microSD card and boot from that instead? (That way your external storage acts as your primary drive and you can have a 128 GB primary drive).
fackamato - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
+1wyewye - Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - link
testtrivor - Tuesday, January 19, 2016 - link
Actually, I think micro PCs like the Dell 3050 or HP Stream are much better options. They have plenty of output options (4 or more USB ports, the Dell has a "real" M.2 SSD (user upgradeable up to a 2260 SSD - the 32 GB one is 2242), Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11AC WiFi, Celeron J1800). I think it will be fine as a media streamer with 13 GB left after installing the latest build of Windows 10. It may top out at 1080P but I think it's a couple of years before I'll worry about a 4K TV and 4K streaming. OBTW, I snagged the Micro 3050 over XMas @ $129. It also has both HDMI and Displayport and the RAM was easily accessible to upgrade to 8 GB for $30.ComputerExpertsCA - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Why aren't there more ultra small PCs, tablets, and netbooks with 4GB of ram. Even smart phones have 4GB of ram. Do Microsoft's discounted OS license require a small amount of RAM?Teknobug - Tuesday, January 26, 2016 - link
Yes 2GB ram and 32GB storage is the point where Windows 10 is free and doesn't need a key.SilverBlade - Sunday, January 24, 2016 - link
No HD audio = not interested.Sorry...
floobit - Monday, January 25, 2016 - link
Ganesh or other staff writers - The W10 space restrictions seem to be an issue for all of these "limited devices". Presumably some thought from the Microsoft marketing dept has gone into the thresholds, and I can't imagine they intend for the whole market segment to be crapware. Have you reached out to your contacts at MS (or Intel) to ask how they recommend making this category of device usable?Incidentally, some quick googling doesn't show anyone else with your deactivation issue, which doesn't sound like intended behavior. Have you reached out to MS about this?
Asherlying - Wednesday, March 9, 2016 - link
I do not know exactly the advantage of Intel chipset, which is more commonly used in laptop, and the price exceeds the MINIX , http://www.tinydeal.com/minix-px347wp-p-157874.htm...hindi-tips - Monday, October 9, 2017 - link
Does this work on a 4K TV at 4K resolution?Please help me. https://hindi-tips.com/