I bought an ECS LIVA Z mini PC on Yahoo Auctions for 5,082 yen. The total, including shipping, was 6,272 yen.
Until yesterday, I was considering a Raspberry Pi 3B. After discussing the options with ChatGPT, I found the LIVA Z appealing for its two Ethernet ports and expandable memory and storage. I plan to install Linux and use it as a machine that runs continuously for VPN access.
The CPU is an Intel Pentium N4200, and the memory capacity is 4 GB. However, the listing did not specify the storage capacity. I will check it when the PC arrives.

Here is a comparison of the main specifications of the Raspberry Pi 3B and LIVA Z, with VPN use in mind.

Photo 1: Front USB Ports and Power Button

From left to right in the photo, the front panel has a power button, three USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port, and a combined headphone and microphone jack. According to the manufacturer, all four USB ports support USB 3.1 Gen 1.

For the Linux installation, I can connect the installation USB drive and a USB keyboard to the Type-A ports. I plan to borrow a keyboard from my daughter Jinny's husband, so I should not need to buy one just for this setup. Having the ports together on the front should also make it convenient to connect and disconnect USB devices.

Photo 2: Rear Video Outputs and Two Ethernet Ports

From left to right in the photo, the rear panel has a Mini DisplayPort, an HDMI port, two Ethernet ports, and a power connector for the AC adapter. Mini DisplayPort and HDMI provide video output to a monitor. For the Linux installation, I can use whichever output matches the monitor I have available.

Both Ethernet ports support Gigabit Ethernet at up to 1 Gbps. Initially, I plan to place the PC in my radio room and connect it via Wi-Fi. If I later move it closer to the router, a wired connection will also be an option. The two Ethernet ports leave room to experiment with connecting different networks in the future, although I do not need to use both ports to get started with VPN access.

LIVA Z Specifications

Platform	Intel® Apollo Lake Pentium® N4200 SOC Intel® Apollo Lake Celeron® N3450 SOC Intel® Apollo Lake Celeron® N3350 SOC
Expansion Slot	1 x M.2 for SSD (SATA)
Memory	2 x SO-DIMM Memory DDR3L Up to 8GB
Storage Devices	Support 1 x eMMC 32GB/64GB
Audio	1 x Combo Jack 1 x Digital Mic
Network Interface	2 x Gigabit LAN
USB	3 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A Ports 1 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C Port
Video Output	1 x HDMI Port (HDMI 1.4) 1 x mDP Port
Wireless Connectivity	Intel® WiFi 802.11ac & Bluetooth 4.0
Dimensions (mm)	117 x 128 x 33 mm 115 x 111 mm (PCB Size)
Power	Input: AC 100-240V,Output: DC 19V / 3.42A
VESA Mount	Supports 75mm / 100mm
OS Support	Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Windows 10® 64bit *Recommends to install Windows, ECS does not provide other OS installation technical support.
Accessory	1 x Power adapter 1 x VESA Bracket 6 x VESA Mount Screws Quick Guide & Driver DVD

Why I Chose the LIVA Z

The router is in the living room, and I initially plan to keep the VPN machine in my radio room with a Wi-Fi connection. The LIVA Z supports 5 GHz 802.11ac as well as 2.4 GHz, allowing me to choose a connection according to the wireless conditions at its location. I will check how well it connects after it arrives.

The deciding factors were the price of 6,272 yen including shipping, the generous selection of Ethernet and USB ports, and the expandable memory and storage. The unit I bought has an N4200 CPU and 4 GB of memory, but its storage capacity is still unknown. The table above shows specifications for the LIVA Z series.

I will start by using it for VPN access. If it has enough capacity to spare, I would also like to use it for a server running continuously for SatBox-related tasks, file sharing, or similar purposes. I will decide how much it can handle after checking the configuration and operation of the unit that arrives.

Specification reference: ECS Official LIVA Z Specifications

Preparing to Install Ubuntu Server

While waiting for the LIVA Z to arrive, I have prepared a USB installation drive for Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS. The ISO file is available from the Official Ubuntu Server Download Page or the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Release Page.

Since the LIVA Z has a 64-bit Intel CPU, I will choose the "64-bit PC (AMD64) server install image." Despite the AMD64 name, this format also works with this Intel CPU. The file listed when I checked on October 6, 2026 was ubuntu-24.04.5-live-server-amd64.iso, approximately 3.8 GB in size.

I download the ISO file on a Windows PC and write it to a USB drive using Rufus. Writing the image erases the contents of the USB drive, so I first back up any files I need to keep.

When the PC arrives, I plan to connect a monitor and the borrowed USB keyboard, then boot from the USB drive to install Ubuntu Server. Its usual text-based interface does not require a mouse. During the initial setup, I will also enable SSH and check that I can connect over the LAN from my regular PC. Once that works, I can return the keyboard and continue operating the LIVA Z remotely.