Conceptually, Intel’s Compute Stick is an interesting alternative to a Roku, Fire, or Apple TV box. It’s as small and unassuming as a Roku Stick, but it’s a full Windows (or Linux) PC capable of a much larger and more versatile list of skills.
In practice, though, the first-generation Compute Stick was mostly notable for its rough edges. You don’t expect much from an Atom-powered computer with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but its flaky Bluetooth and weak Wi-Fi helped dilute whatever potential it had.
Enter the next-gen model, which updates the processor and the design but is most notable for big wireless upgrades. When done well, second-generation models can be even more exciting than brand new ideas. Time gives companies new technology to work with, and feedback from the public gives them ideas they may not have had themselves and a list of things to prioritize. Is the new Compute Stick a dongle that fulfills the promises of the original, or should you… stick with a larger computer?