General Analysis

The LIVA Q, much like the LIVA Z, is honestly quite the little system considering its MSRP of $175. It can even be had for a bit less if you are willing to install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS yourself, which is nice for the more esoteric and adventurous users. A few other configurations exist, including the unit as reviewed with the N3350, while another slightly beefier option comes with an Intel N4200. These two main configurations are then broken down based on memory allocation and eMMC storage space. All versions also fully support HDMI-CEC, allowing the device to be powered on via a TV remote. Support for scheduled system-on times is also a nice touch since it allows for the system to boot at a set time, which is great for businesses.

If you are looking for an ultra compact HTPC, the ECS LIVA Q is an interesting offering. Much like the LIVA Z, it features an Intel N3350 SOC, which performs exceptionally well considering it has a TDP of just 6 watts. In regards to being an HTPC, it had no problems streaming Netflix or Hulu, and with MPC-HC (Media Player Classic Home Cinema), 4K content played back perfectly. Sadly, the unit only features HDMI 1.4b, which can't do 4K 60 Hz, not to mention possible issues with HDCP 2.2. 4K via Netflix is just out of reach for this little system due to HDCP 2.2 and HDMI 1.4, which is a bit sad. That said, Youtube 4k worked fine, so that's a plus. Essentially, if you are looking for a 4k media power house, I would suggest you look elsewhere. However, if your game plan is to primarily stream 720p to 1080p content, the ECS LIVA Q will make an exceptional little HTPC. Steam in-home streaming worked beautifully via the LIVA Q, making it a good living room system. I just had to hook the system up to my living room TV, which had me fire up some Fallout 4 and Total War: Warhammer with a wireless mouse and keyboard with no issues to report. The experience was enjoyable; now granted, for games like PUB G, I was left a bit wanting due to latency, but for single player titles, it was smooth sailing.

When it comes to traditional computing tasks, such as web browsing, Youtube, spreadsheets, online banking, etc., the ECS LIVA Q did just fine. While I wouldn't run out and replace a traditional office PC with this tiny system, it still proved more than adequate for home use. Granted, it won't floor you with amazing performance, but still performs admirably when doing what would be considered typical office work. Even editing the occasional photo worked well enough. This makes the LIVA Q an affordable, compact system for non-enthusiasts; it's a good system for grandparents who want to use Skype or Facebook, or children who have homework to do. If you are looking for a cheap system with which to use Quicken to keep your finances in order, it does well there too; the LIVA Q handles all these typical humdrum tasks of life well - it would even work well as a digital signage system.

Overall build quality is exceptional since the LIVA Q is very solidly built. Tearing the unit down was quite easy as well, though that matters not as no upgrades are available. The eMMC proves quite fast compared to a typical HDD, but extra storage is sadly limited to a micro SD card, and neither competes with a standard SSD. Memory is also limited to just 4 GB of LPDDR4, which is just barely adequate. That said, it is at least configured in dual-channel mode, which, while of little impact, did show a 20% bandwidth increase in the AIDA64 memory copy test. Surprisingly, it does feature Gigabit LAN, which is handled by Realtek's RTL8168/8111, which, while not top of the line, certainly gets the job done. Meanwhile, WiFi and Bluetooth are handled by a Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174A, which is a 2x2 802.11ac solution.

Overall, this tiny little system tries to be a jack of all trades and is, as such, a master of none. This is not a bad thing as PCs are essentially general-purpose devices that are meant to handle a myriad of different tasks. In that capacity, the ECS LIVA Q does quite well as a solid HTPC, Steam stream box, digital signage system, etc. I know I found it useful for a bit of couch gaming personally, along with catching up on some guilty pleasure TV series of mine, like The Punisher and The Walking Dead.