Bben unveiled a line of tiny
computers with Intel Apollo Lake processors at CES in January. This week the
company is going even smaller. Notebook Italia caught up with Bben at the Hong
Kong Global Sources Exhibition and got an early look at a new PC stick
featuring an Intel Celeron N3450 quad-core processor.
The PC-on-a-stick has the same basic design as an
Intel Compute Stick, with an HDMI connector built into one end of the miniature
computer, allowing you to plug the whole thing straight into the HDMI input on
a TV or monitor.
This model does appear to be a bit on the chunky
side for a PC stick, but it’s still a a fully functional computer in a
pocket-sized package. It has two full-sized USB 3.0 ports, a microSD card slot,
a headset jack, and a dedicated power jack (unlike some models, this PC stick
doesn’t use a USB cable for power). There are also two vents on the back of the
device to help keep the system from overheating, and there’s a small fan inside
the case.
Intel’s N3450 processor is a 1.1 GHz quad-core chip
with support for burst speeds up to 2.2 GHz. It has a 6 watt TDP, but should
use less power under most circumstances, making it compact, low-power option
for turning just about any display into a media center or adding a web browser
to your TV.
This sort of PC stick could also be useful in
commercial environments, where it can be combined with a variety of displays to
create digital signage, point-of-sales, or other commercial or enterprise
solutions.
Intel currently has no plans to offer a Compute
Stick with an Apollo Lake chip. The company’s latest models either feature a
lower-power Atom x5 Cherry Trail chip or a more powerful Core M Skylake
processor. So it’s up to third-party companies like Bben to offer something in
between, like this Celeron-powered model the company is showing off. It’s not
available for purchase yet, but some of the company’s other Apollo Lake-powered
products are available from the Bben store at AliExpress.
