A customisable desktop PC for niche
use cases
Even if they are
not speeddemons, mini desktop PCs make it easy to marvel at how far technology
has come: full Windows machines reduced to little PC packets. The ECS Liva Z2
Mini PC is a simple but serviceable box useful as a digital-signage driver, a
meeting-room device, the power behind a kiosk, or a kitchen PC.
It’s small, and quiet, though it offers little
storage and speed. If you are shopping for a little engine for one of those
situations, the Liva Z2 can get the job done without much fuss, and it’s easy
to upgrade.
Small and silent
The Liva Z2 is an inconspicuous little box. At
2.2X5.1X4.6 inches (HWD), it’s obviously a miniature taken against a typical
desktop, and its footprint is about the size of a CD jewel case.
ECS is pushing this small box as a quiet,
energy-efficient, and multifunctional PC option. Even if some alternatives are
slightly thinner, the Liva Z2 can be thrown in a bag or large pocket, and the
fanless design ensures the quiet aspect. It also keeps dust from being sucked
into the system, removing a concern for maintenance. The Liva Z2 is a good fit
as a dedicated meeting-room device, a digital kiosk engine, or a lightweight
file server.
Performance
It includes a 1.1GHz Intel Pentium Silver N5000
processor and 4GB of memory. This low-wattage, four-core processor is fine for
lesser workloads, with the ability to burst up to 2.7GHz for more strenuous
moments.
But that’s not to say that the level of performance
isn’t reasonable or acceptable given the target use cases. You shouldn’t rely
on the Liva Z2 for media editing. But it is perfectly serviceable for web
browsing and other low-lift tasks. The same applies to anything relying on
graphics acceleration or 3D capability. This is a system for display and
playback tasks, not rendering or proper gaming.
in.pcmag.com
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