HP launched the Stream line of low-cost Windows notebooks in 2014, offering moderate performance, long battery life, and low prices. In 2015 the company is expanding the Stream line to include desktops.
The HP Stream Mini 200 is a desktop PC that’s small enough to hold in one hand. It’s a full-fledged Windows desktop PC, albeit with some of the same limitations as the Stream laptops: it has just 32GB of built-in storage.
HP sells the Stream Mini for $180, which makes it a little cheaper than a Stream laptop.
You might expect this model to be a lot cheaper, since it doesn’t have a screen or battery. But the HP Stream Mini does have a decent array of ports including HDMI and DisplayPort, 4 USB 3.0 ports, an SDXC card reader, and Gigabit Ethernet.
The system is powered by an Intel Celeron 2957U processor, has 2GB of RAM, and a 32GB M.2 SATA solid state drive. It features 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0.
If 2GB of memory isn’t enough for you, there are two SODIMM slots, only one of which is occupied by the stick that ships with the computer.
The system measures 5.7″ x 5.7″ x 2.1″ and weighs about 1.4 pounds.
HP is positioning the Stream Mini as a clutter-saving tiny computer that you can use as a simple computer or which you can connect to a TV to use as a small, low-cost media center. Customers who buy this $180 desktop will also get 200GB of cloud storage from Microsoft OneDrive for 2 years and a $25 gift card to the Windows Store which can be redeemed for games, apps, music, or other content.
The HP Stream Mini 200 should be available starting January 14th.
Need more power? HP also offers the new Pavilion Mini desktop for $320. That model has a Pentium processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.
This is an insane value. If you wanted to build your own Mini PC (NUC, Brix, etc) the closest you can get in performance is the Brix GB-BXCEH-2955. Which is also $179ish, and doesnt come with RAM or storage.
If you are okay with 2gb of ram, this would be a fantastic streaming box, especially if you have all your content hosted on a NAS, or another PC in your house.
This would also be a great alternative for people who buy Chromeboxes and try to install Linux/Openelec on them. Chromeboxes are so inconvenient to install alternate OS’s on (rightfully so).
A better comparison than the Brix might be the Zotac Pico, which is fully functional with Windows right out of the box. But the Pico is still $199, which makes this HP look like a good value. I also wouldn’t want to think about upgrading the RAM on my Pico…
It’s interesting that this seems to have the exact same case as the Pavilion Mini, just candy-colored. I wonder if a hard drive or SSD could be added to this machine?
Good to know about the Pico.
The comparison I made was just based on performance.
The Pico may be comparable in that it has Windows pre-installed. But the CPU is not even in the same ballpark. The Haswell celeron in the Stream is about 50% more powerful than the Z3735F in the Pico.
I was wondering the same thing about the Stream having a 2.5″ HDD bay. I’m sure it has the room for it, but I highly doubt the motherboard has a Sata connector. Even if it does, I’m sure they didn’t go out of their way to provide a Sata-power connector.
Zotac has nearly identical and perhaps more convenient item available for a couple months or more now. That item comes with Windows on a hard to reach built in ssd but the unit has space for a 2.5″ drive as well. I never did find out if that memory it comes with was M.2 or soldered in or what. Also has bussed RAM. The RAM and 2.5 slot are super easy to get to. The built in SSD (or whatever it is) is on the other side of the motherboard and more of a slog to get to. Super convenient overall.
Was on sale at various holiday times for as low as $145 or so if I remember.
And that is the Windows version I’m speaking of. Even comes with Windows on a disc (though it doesn’t have an optical drive.. ahahahahah).They also sell a barebones with no OS for quite a bit cheaper, of course.
Not that this HP isn’t interesting but it isn’t ground breaking either. Probably the zotac will be available with the Broadwell at similar prices shortly as I heard they’d have several new products coming in that range shortly and the Broadwell update seems the most logical reason why.
Interesting – basically their Chromebox platform but with Windows. Though off hand I want to say the Celeron version of their Chromebox only had a single RAM slot oddly.
Anyway this is nifty enough and the 2957 is a plucky little chip. However it seems a little undercut when Acer just announced the Chromebook 15 will be available very soon with the new Broadwell descendant of this same chip.
Also from memory I don’t think the 2957 can do 4k video output. I haven’t seen it spelled out yet but I’m guessing the entire range of Core parts from Broadwell all will be able to do 4k.
In any event it seems again odd timing to wait to release these Windows versions of what has essentially been widely available Chromebox hardware for quite a while. And to wait until Broadwell is literally on the doorstep of delivery.
I’m hardly one to always claim you need the latest and greatest but in this instance I’m finding it a little hard to get too excited here and wondering why these aren’t sporting Broadwell.
Yes, the 2957U supports 4K.
Acer is advertising the CXI-4GKM as being 4K ready, with the same CPU
Which version of HDMI, I’m assuming 4k would have to come through DP?
It’s still amazing to me how poor the rollout of 4K monitors/TVs & HDMI 2.0 has been, especially since the technology wasn’t the problem (politics were).
Agree with the article that it should be cheaper considering no battery or display, but I’ll probably get it the first day its available (not much in the way of alternatives for a small and cheap backwards compatible Windows desktop). Or, maybe I’ll wait and see if the better looking Asus Vivos gets cheaper.
I like this. This processor is more powerful than the one you find in the stream laptops and the RAM expandability is great. The fact that it has an empty ram slot speaks well for opening it up.