The Intel Compute Stick is a stick PC designed by Intel to be used in media center applications. According to Intel, it is designed to be smaller than conventional desktop or other small-form-factor PCs, while offering comparable performance. Its main connector, an HDMI 1.4 port, along with a compatible monitor (or TV) and Bluetooth-based keyboards and mice, allows it to be used for general computing tasks.
The small form factor device was launched in early 2015 using the Atom Z3735F power-efficient processor from Intel's Bay Trail family, a SoC family that is predominantly designed for use with tablets and 2-in-1 devices. The processor offers 1.33 GHz processor base frequency and a maximum RAM of 2 GB. This is sufficient for home entertainment usage, light office productivity, thin clients, and digital signage applications.
In mid-2015 it was announced that second generation versions of the Compute Stick would feature advancements on the Bay Trail framework through application of Core M processors in the form factor. The new devices (released Q1 2016) allowed Intel to introduce additional processing power as well as 4 GB memory for "more intensive application and content creation" as well as "faster multi-tasking". The Intel Compute stick line was discontinued on July 31, 2020.