General Analysis

The LIVA Q2, much like the LIVA Q before it, is quite the little system considering its MSRP of $185. The version tested today comes equipped with an Intel Celeron N4000, which is an improvement over the previous N3350. Other options with beefier processors and more storage are available as well. Again like its predecessor, it has support for HDMI-CEC, allowing the device to be powered on and controlled via a TV remote, which is a nice feature.

The ultra-tiny form factor makes this system interesting because it literally can go anywhere, be it mounted to the back of the TV or hidden just out of sight. Potential owners, however, will want to make sure they buy the version that genuinely fits their needs since you can't upgrade this system. My recommendation is to get the 64 GB eMMC offering as the 32 GB options don't have enough storage space. While you can expand storage via a micro SD slot, that is not going to offer the same level of performance as the eMMC. There is also the fact that due to its limited USB connectivity, typical, cheap external drives are not always going to be an option. While you can mitigate that with USB hubs, etc., adding all that extra hardware somewhat defeats the purpose of its tiny size. So do yourself a favor and get the 64 GB version. At least that way, Windows won't complain when it comes time to handle updates, and you can actually install a few applications with space to spare.

If you plan to use the system as an ultra-compact HTPC, the ECS LIVA Q2 proves perfect. The upgrade from an Intel N3350 SOC to an Intel N4000 results in a modest performance uplift and delivers perfect 4K content playback locally with MPC-HC (Media Player Classic Home Cinema). Traditional streaming via Hulu and Netflix is flawless as well. Overall, for a system just to stream content, It proves quite potent. When it comes to streaming games via Steam, the Q2 performs quite well, much like its older sibling, as we encountered no serious issues in regards to single-player titles after getting everything properly configured. Multiplayer, on the other hand, is a bit of a mess due to some latency issues and drops from time to time.

That said, playing Fallout 4 with a few tweaks, The Witcher 3, or Doom resulted in a solid gaming experience as long as I kept image quality reasonable. I will, however, mention that Steam didn't want to cooperate at first, but after messing with the settings a bit, I managed to iron out the few remaining issues of packet loss and frame drops. After that, it was smooth sailing with the ECS LIVA Q2 delivering a comfortable gaming experience. I would also like to note that I tested with a far more powerful system as well and noticed the same oddities, so the issues I saw here may entirely be Steam being wonky, which definitely wouldn't be the first or likely last time that happens.

For daily tasks like web browsing, online banking, YouTube, and office work, the ECS LIVA Q2 did just fine. While minor multi-tasking was okay, seeing a bump to 6 GB or even 8 GB of system memory would have been nice. While one should curb their expectations, I can honestly say this affordable system delivered a fair experience. It is a system meant for digital signage, or the kids and grandparents to do the occasional light task and web browsing, and in that regard, it is flawless. Anything more than that and you will certainly want a model with extra storage and the faster N5000 CPU. Even then, it is still mostly suited for office work.

Overall build quality is exceptional just as it was on the previous LIVA Q. The case is solid and easy to open even though you likely won't need to unless the system ends up in a dust storm and requires a deep clean. If you do need to take it apart for some reason, you shouldn't have any issues as the system design is quite simple to where even novice users should have no problems tearing it down and putting it back together. While eMMC will never compete with a proper SSD, it still feels far faster than a cumbersome HDD. Sadly, due to the limited 32 GB of space, the only option for extra storage is a micro SD card. While an option, network attached storage will be faster if available. Memory is also limited to just 4 GB of LPDDR4, which is just barely adequate. However, considering cost of DDR4 is finally dropping, maybe ECS will release a future revision with 8 GB. Finally, connectivity is handled by a Realtek's RTL8168/8111, which, while not top of the line, at least offers a gigabit option. Meanwhile, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are handled by a Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174A, which is a 2x2 802.11ac solution.

Trying something different this time, I also looked into emulating older classic titles on this ECS system. While I was able to get PS1, N64, and older emulated titles running correctly without issue, trying to run PS2 games was just a mess. Limited USB connectivity and storage once again made things difficult since I was without a USB hub. I had to switch between a keyboard, mouse, and controller to get anything done. So if you wanted to use this system for emulating much older titles, do yourself a favor and get a USB hub. That said, as far as emulating the ever-popular PS2, I did manage to get multiple games running, including Onimusha Warlords, MGS 3, and Suikoden IV. While it was easy enough to get the games running, performance was pretty bad. Even at 640x480, the games typically did not run well, seeing frame drops and slow downs on top of looking quite abysmal.


Next, I tried running some less demanding titles, including League of Legends, but while the game ran fine at 1920x1080 with a mix of low to medium settings, the limited storage space meant the first time the game needed to be patched, there was not enough storage space for the process to complete. My recommendation to users has not changed: if you plan to buy one of these systems, get the 64 GB version. As for ECS, I would recommend they do away with 32 GB versions altogether and focus on 64 GB options. This has the benefit of simplifying the product stack while making these affordable tiny computers far more useful; also, eMMC isn't that expensive. General pricing depending on performance for a bulk order appears to be around $30 for 32 GB. Meanwhile, 64 GB can range a bit more widely, from $40-$60. However, these bulk orders are consumer orders, not industrial orders. In this case, pricing is even lower. Judging by the bottom consumer price, an increase of $10-$20 to double storage would be a more than acceptable trade-off.

In the end, the LIVA Q2 is a slight upgrade over the LIVA Q. While not a whole lot has changed, it does still deliver a slightly better experience than its predecessor. It's not a system for high-end computing or gaming, but, rather, an affordable PC for doing daily tasks where a regular system just isn't needed or space may be a concern. Still, as fun and quirky as the Q2 is, it remains a niche product.