The ECS LIVA One H610 is a solid, affordable, barebones Mini-PC that utilizes Intel's LGA1700 mainstream desktop socket. This means users have the ability to pick a processor that suits their needs. While you are limited to 35 watt and 65 watt processors, It should also be noted that you will want to keep Turbo power draw in mind as well. The FSP power brick has a max output of 120 watts, and since it has to power the entire system, some CPUs will be power starved. This can be seen with the Intel Core i3-12100, which in typical workloads will usually perform quite well; however, the limited Turbo duration to keep temperatures and power draw in check means in heavy workloads, the i3-12100 was about 10% slower than it typically would be. I suspect with an i5 CPU, performance would be held back even more. While this may be seen as a negative, do keep in mind that since you are able to pick your own CPU or upgrade it when needed, you are trading maximum performance and efficiency in favor of user choice. It also doesn't change the fact that in CPU-focused workloads, the Core i3-12100 was still able to perform near the top of the charts in quite a few tests.

That said, there are no real complaints regarding overall performance. While it wasn't the fastest Mini-PC tested, it still did exceptionally well for the price, and if you consider opting for, say, 16 or 32 GB of memory, that will further lower the overall cost, and it begins to make the system even more attractive from an affordability standpoint. When considering its small size of 205 x 176 x 33 mm, it packs a good punch, but more importantly, the CPU never thermal throttled. Temperatures peaked at 83°C under extreme load, with typical loads hovering around 60°C. Noise levels fluctuated from 38 dBA at IDLE (6 inches / 15 cm) to 48-51 dBA under typical loads. In extreme tests, it would hit 58 dBA. However, keep in mind that if placed behind a monitor, the typical noise level will drop by around 4-5 dBA, making the system relatively quiet in that specific scenario during most workloads. In single-core benchmarks, the i3-12100 regularly hit 4.3 GHz, but it would back down to 3.3 GHz when under heavy load. The boost clocks did not hold for long, as ECS has preconfigured the system to have very short Turbo boost times, likely in a bid to keep temperatures and power levels in check. The downside to this is that the i3-12100, which would normally score around 3200 in Cinebench R20, only managed to score 2811, meaning a loss of 10-15% under extreme loads. However, in regular work loads the performance difference becomes imperceptible. By default, at the wall, the system would use 20 watts when idle and 35-45 watts under light to medium loads. However, in tests like Cinebench R20 or Blender, the LIVA One H610 would regularly peak at 100 watts and then settle down to 65 watts.

When it comes to design and build quality, I was quite impressed. ECS made the initial setup of the system as easy as it could. Opening it up is quick and easy with a single thumb screw meanwhile, the system memory, CPU socket, and SO-DIMM slots are all easy to access, and even the CPU cooler is easy to install. There are very few hoops to jump through with this system, and that is always a nice touch. The ability to mount the system behind a monitor or vertically via the included stand is nice as well. While the system seems perfectly tailored for HTPC, Office, and kiosks, the inclusion of an RS232 port could make it more attractive for industrial deployments. While that particular inclusion will mean nothing to most consumers, it does expand the system's potential reach in regard to potential markets, as this is the first Mini-PC I have seen with it built in. The RS232 port can also be swapped, depending on the configuration you buy, to a VGA port instead.

In regards to office tasks and day-to-day workloads, the i3 12100, when paired with adequate memory and decent storage, proved to be excellent for simple video and image editing and even for CPU-based rendering if you have a need for that. 4K 60 Hz content played just fine, and the built-in Wi-Fi was also solid. It isn't as fast as Wi-Fi 6E, but it still proved more than capable when I tested the system for streaming games via Steam. When it comes to using the system for emulation, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 did fairly well but remained the weak link. It was capable enough to handle most PS2 games at 720p, with less graphics-intensive titles being playable at 1080p. Therefore you won't be upscaling the PS2 era titles to 4K, but you can still get an enjoyable if limited experience. Emulating older systems, on the other hand, was a piece of cake.

Overall, while you are limited to lower TDP processors, the ability to pick the processor you need from Intel's 12th and 13th generation of processors rather than being locked in via a mobile CPU is a nice touch. Add in the configurable storage and support for up to 64 GB of SO-DIMM DDR4 3200 MHz memory, and you have a system that should easily fit all entry-level needs with decent versatility. For sub $500 for a reasonable build, I have no issue recommending the ECS LIVA One H610.