Our readers might remember Kangaroo, a mini PC that surprised the market with decent specs, Windows 10 preinstalled, and a $99 price tag. Its makers have now optimized the product, resulting in the Kangaroo Plus, which doubles both RAM and internal storage, and leaves behind the Windows 10 license to give users more flexibility.
While the idea of an ultra-compact computer doesn't appeal to everyone, its impact is undeniable. From the Raspberry Pi to dongle-style systems that plug into monitors via HDMI, the delicate balance between size, performance, and price gets more reasonable with each new generation. More than once I've wondered if it's time to retire my old tower (40 by 40 centimeters, immovable for years) and replace it with something much more efficient. Maybe my demands (and those of many of our readers) are higher than current mini PCs can meet, but the gap is narrowing, and doubts grow stronger with each new product. One of those is the Kangaroo Plus, an improved version of the model we mentioned last October.
Both the external appearance and the SoC remain unchanged in the Kangaroo Plus. Its makers decided to keep the four-core 1.44 GHz Atom x5-Z8500, with Intel HD graphics, and an average power consumption of just two watts. The specific improvements come through RAM, now 4 GB of LPDDR3, and 64 gigabytes of solid-state storage. The Kangaroo Plus also incorporates a fingerprint reader, but a striking fact is that it does not have an operating system. Full compatibility with Windows 10 is still there, but users who want better specs without the weight of a license can get them with the new model.
The Kangaroo Plus is already available for sale through its official channels (with Newegg at the forefront), and its price is $170. The double RAM, double storage, and fingerprint reader make the price increase logical, especially since the user doesn't have the option of later hardware upgrades. Some might see the lack of Windows 10 as a loss... but there are many other operating system options out there.
For more details, see the official announcement.
