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Intel's Next Gen Compute Stick Beefs Up Processing With Core M3 and M5 Models (hothardware.com)
MojoKid writes: Intel is taking another stab at the PC-in-your-pocket form factor with their next gen Compute Sticks. These over-sized thumbstick devices plug into the HDMI port of any TV or monitor and offer a full-fledged computing experience and Intel has now made them faster and more capable. New for 2016, there are three new base model Compute Sticks to choose from. The first is an entry-level option running a quad-core Atom x5-z8400 quad-core processor clocked at 1.44GHz to 2.24GHz with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage, a pair of USB ports, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Windows 10. But perhaps more interesting are the new 6th Generation Intel Core M models. The higher end of the two is powered by a Skylake Core m5-6Y57 vPro processor while the lower end version is equipped with a Core m3-6Y30. Both models boast 4GB of DDR3-1866 RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage expandable via microSD card slot, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and three USB 3.0 ports (one on the Compute Stick and two on the power adapter). Without an OS, the Core m3 model runs $300; Windows 10 adds $100 to the price tag. The Core m5 Compute Stick will run $500 and, at least for now, doesn't appear to offer a version with Windows 10 pre-installed. The new Compute Sticks will be available in February.
This assumes that time is money, which is false. That $150 comes out of one's normal salary and spending 15 hours of your own free time on this does not earn you any more or less money. To earn that $150 you have to work real hours on a real job. $150 is $150, it's a lot of money, you don't sneeze at that even if you're making a decent salary. The time is money adage only applies if you are hiring someone to set this up for you.
Next you could say $1000 is only a week's salary so don't quibble about it and just bite the bullet. But any sane person would say this is far too expensive for an OS license. There's a dividing line between what people consider as inexpensive and what is considered too expensive, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with hourly wages or comparison to cups of coffee or a price of a night out at the movies. If you've got a choice of "$400 with Windows versus $300 with Linux" the choice is not that hard for people who understand how to use Linux. The only time to pay a premium is if you get a premium product in return.