The ECS LIVA Z2 is a fantastic little system for general web browsing and daily tasks. It had no issues handling anything I threw at it as long as I didn't open a massive number of programs or browser tabs all at once. Even so, upgrading the system to 8 GB of memory is extremely easy and would allow for better multitasking. The included 2.5" HDD bay allows for storage expansion—be it HDD or SSD—and supplements the limited eMMC storage that is included. This combination, while not drastically different to the previous generation LIVA Z units, is more affordable than the eMMC and M.2 configuration when upgrades are considered. Overall, the new arrangement makes more sense considering the LIVA Z2 is an entry level system.

The upgrade from Intel's Celeron N3350 in the previously released LIVA Z and LIVA Q to the Pentium Silver N5000 in the LIVA Z2 brings with it HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. On top of the improved performance, the upgrade makes the LIVA Z2 a better HTPC and office system. It can natively handle 4K 60 Hz content without issue. YouTube 4K playback is flawless as was that of locally stored media. In regards to gaming, it is obvious that the LIVA Z2 isn't capable enough on its on. That said, it does work exceptionally well with Steam in-home streaming. I fired up Conan Exiles and Doom, which have been my go-to games of late, with no problems to report as both played flawless when streamed from my main system at 1080P. Trying to stream games at 4K, however, proved too much for this little system. That said, overall performance is higher across the board thanks to the N5000 being a quad-core design compared to the dual-core offerings in the LIVA Z and LIVA Q. It even outperforms the Chuwi SurBook and its N3450 quad core with relative ease in more than a few tests.

Power consumption is also excellent with the entire system peaking at just 15 watts under load as measured at the wall with a Kill-A-Watt P4400. The low power consumption allows for a passively cooled system, which makes for an entirely silent design. After all, no one likes listening to tiny whining fans spinning at high RPM. When it comes to temperatures, the CPU peaks at just 72°C in AIDA64 with the CPU, cache, memory, and FPU all being stressed. Under more typical loads and tasks, temperatures tend to hover in the 40°C range. The passive cooling setup really does an excellent job here, and the design tweaks to Gemini Lake have the N5000 regularly running at a higher frequency than the quad-core N3450 in the Chuwi SurBook.

Sadly, a few issues are apparent. The biggest of which is the fact that Windows 10 is not included. Regular consumers having to buy Windows 10 separately results in a much higher cost of actual ownership. ECS also does not offer technical support for Linux, so while it should work without any issues, you are still on your own if problems do occur.

The default configuration of just 4 GB of single channel memory is barely adequate. Thankfully, end users can double that amount for about $35 for the maximum supported 8 GB configuration in dual channel. The eMMC, however, is not user upgradable, and at just 32 GB, it is also rather anemic. Prospective buyers will eventually need to add a storage drive as there is no real way around it, which adds cost. It should be noted that ECS will offer a 64 GB eMMC-equipped model; however, that should have been the default configuration.

My only other thoughts come down to the Intel integrated graphics processor which is just plain weak. While this is not the fault of ECS, the integrated graphics are only capable of handling day to day tasks. While consumers should be aware of that by now, not everyone is tech savvy, so it is worth mentioning.

In regards to future revisions, ECS should include Windows 10 just for ease of use, especially when you consider it's the only OS they offer technical support for. Priority should be give to upgrading the eMMC storage to 64 GB. The additional space would give users enough breathing room for the system to remain useful without the need for a 2.5" drive. These changes would make the LIVA Z2 a more attractive option to general consumers. For typical enthusiasts looking to use the system as a cheap HTPC many of the issues, like the limited memory and storage, will likely not prove to be a deterrent. However, for the long term use by children, grandparents, etc., a couple of upgrades would go a long way towards eliminating the system's shortcomings.

Overall, the ECS LIVA Z2 is a solid update to the LIVA series. It proves more than capable as a budget system for daily tasks or media playback. Just keep in mind that you will need to supply the OS yourself.