ECS is updating its Liva line of small form-factor desktop computers with two new models powered by Intel’s low-power Jasper Lake processors.
The new ECS Liva Z3 is a 5″ x 4.6″ x 1.4″ computer with support for up to an Intel Pentium Silver N600 processor, while the new Liva Z3E is a slightly taller model at 2.1″ with two RS232 COM ports and room for an optional 2.5″ hard drive or SSD.
Both systems support up to 16GB of DDR4-2933 RAM, up to 128GB of eMMC 5.1 storage, both have an M.2 2280 PCIe slot for a solid state drive.
Other common features include:
- 1 x HDMI 2.0
- 1 x mini DisplayPort
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 x 3.5mm audio
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A
- M.2 2230 key for wireless card
ECS says the mini PCs each support up to two 4K displays and WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, and the little computers should offer up to 35% better performance than previous-generation models thanks to the move to Intel’s latest Atom-based processors.
The company will offer a choice of Intel Celeron N4500, Celeron N5100 and Pentium Silver N6000 processors, all of which are 6-watt chips based on Intel’s 10nm Jasper Lake architecture.
ECS Liva Z3
ECS Liva Z3E
Like nearly all other NUC/mini PCs, the LIVA Z3E supports an optional 2.5″ HDD as secondary storage while failing to disclose whether or not it can fit thicker 15mm z-height drives (or 5 to 12.5mm for that matter). Even the manual doesn’t specify.
This form-factor would be ideal for a small portable media center PC with a larger 5TB+ drive. Large capacity solid-state drives are still prohibitively expensive for such an application and if you’re going to the trouble of making a taller 2.5″-capable SKU, then what’s another 5mm gonna hurt?
Was going to buy a mini PC for this exact scenario, but being limited to 2TB was a deal-breaker, so ended up buying a dedicated Android-based media player with internal 3.5″ support instead (Zidoo, Dune, Zappiti and all around the same price as an entry-level NUC clone).
Yeah it sucks that they don’t specify max drive height. However, don’t even bother putting a HDD in this thing.
Just put a 3.5″ HDD in your desktop PC, and then share it over the network. There’s far better value to be found in the 3.5″ form factor, and far more options.
It also makes it far easier to replace your media PC in the future, because you don’t need to shop for PCs that can accept your 2.5″ drive, they simply need a network connection. So it opens up your options to Android boxes, etc.
I’ve been sharing my media over the network for years, and it’s served over 10 different media PCs and Android boxes, all with no hassle. Just install Kodi, and point it towards your network folder.
Yeah, I should’ve mentioned that I’m already sharing my media via an old dual-bay NAS. I’ll likely be upgrading that at some point as well, but was kinda looking for a solution that could both serve as an extra backup and be portable and off-site if needed. Have a Zidoo Z10 Pro on the way that should fill that niche.
Other than the odd lack of 15mm z-height mini PCs on the market, just thought that could’ve been a nice solution as well (with the added benefit and flexibility of having another full-fledged Windows machine).
How you mess-up so much to put a fan on 6W processor designed to be fan-less ?
Also why keep obsoleted ports?
Hard pass on this. Don’t support bad design.
There are a lot of bits of industrial hardware that need RS232.
Liva already offers fanless models. Anything using a fan is a design decision whether it’s for cost — a fan might be less expensive than a large heatsink — or to allow the chip to maintain its turbo speed with no throttling.