Experience the Power of the Smallest Ryzen PC!

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Unboxing and Specifications
3. Overview and Design
4. Performance
   • 4.1 Web Browsing and Multitasking
   • 4.2 4K Video Playback
   • 4.3 Benchmarks
5. Gaming Experience
   • 5.1 Overwatch
   • 5.2 Fortnite
   • 5.3 The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
   • 5.4 Grand Theft Auto V
   • 5.5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
   • 5.6 Cyberpunk 2077
6. Power Consumption and Thermals
7. Fan Noise
8. Conclusion
9. Emulation Capabilities (Upcoming Video)
10. Additional Resources

🖥️ The Smallest Ryzen Powered Desktop PC: Live Q3 Plus Review

Are you in search of a compact and powerful desktop PC? Look no further! In this article, we will be diving deep into the Live Q3 Plus, the smallest Ryzen-powered desktop PC on the market. With its impressive specs and innovative design, this mini PC offers a unique computing experience. From unboxing to performance tests, gaming capabilities, power consumption, and more, we will cover everything you need to know about this tiny yet mighty machine. Let's get started!

1. Introduction

The Live Q3 Plus, manufactured by Liva, is a highly compact desktop PC that delivers impressive performance despite its small form factor. Powered by the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1605B APU with built-in Radeon Vega 8 Graphics, this mini PC offers four cores and eight Threads, with a base clock of 2 GHz and a boost clock of up to 3.6 GHz. Accompanied by 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB of internal storage, the Live Q3 Plus is equipped to handle a variety of tasks, from everyday computing to multimedia entertainment and light gaming.

2. Unboxing and Specifications

Before delving into the details, let's take a moment to explore the unboxing experience and examine the specifications of the Live Q3 Plus. The Package includes the mini PC itself, a VESA mount for easy installation on the back of your monitor or under your desk, necessary hardware, universal wall plugs, and a 12V 35W power supply. With its sleek and minimalistic design, the Live Q3 Plus Sports two USB 3.0 ports, a single USB 2.0 port, and a power button on the front. The sides feature ventilation, essential for the active cooling system of this mini PC, ensuring optimal performance while keeping temperatures in check. On the back, you'll find a full-size HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, and the power input.

3. Overview and Design

The Live Q3 Plus may be small in size, but it certainly packs a punch. Its solid build quality and clever design make it stand out among other mini PCs. One notable feature is the full copper heatsink, which effectively dissipates heat, ensuring the longevity of the Ryzen Embedded APU. Additionally, a 60mm fan, the largest seen in mini PCs, assists in keeping the temperatures down. Despite being an actively cooled system, the fan noise is minimal and hardly noticeable during everyday tasks. The Live Q3 Plus blends seamlessly with any workspace or home setup, thanks to its sleek and unobtrusive design.

4. Performance

Now, let's dive into the performance of the Live Q3 Plus and see how it fares in different scenarios. From web browsing to 4K video playback and even gaming, this mini PC proves to be much more than meets the eye.

4.1 Web Browsing and Multitasking

The Live Q3 Plus excels in web browsing and multitasking, thanks to its powerful Ryzen APU and 8GB of RAM. Whether you're casually browsing the internet, watching videos, or working with multiple applications simultaneously, this mini PC handles everything with ease. With Windows 10 Home pre-installed, the Live Q3 Plus offers a smooth and seamless experience.

Pros:

• Impressive web browsing performance
• Smooth multitasking capabilities
• Windows 10 Home pre-installed for a hassle-free user experience

Cons:

• Limited RAM capacity (non-user replaceable)

4.2 4K Video Playback

One of the standout features of the Live Q3 Plus is its ability to handle 4K video playback flawlessly. With its powerful Ryzen APU and Vega 8 Graphics, true 4K playback is a breeze. Whether you're streaming content or watching local media files, the Live Q3 Plus delivers stunning visuals without any hiccups.

Pros:

• Seamless 4K video playback
• Impressive graphical capabilities

Cons:

• None

4.3 Benchmarks

To assess the overall performance of the Live Q3 Plus, we ran several benchmark tests. Here's how it performed in some popular benchmarks:

• Geekbench 5: Single-Core Score - 827, Multi-Core Score - 2633
• 3DMark: Night Raid - 7681, Fire Strike - 2082, Time Spy - 798

5. Gaming Experience

While the Live Q3 Plus may not be marketed as a high-end gaming PC, it's still capable of running some of your favorite games with decent frame rates. Let's explore its gaming performance in a variety of titles.

5.1 Overwatch

In Overwatch, the Live Q3 Plus performs admirably at 900p resolution and low settings, delivering an average of 72 FPS. It's astounding to see a mini PC of this size handle such a popular Game with ease. Considering its compact form factor, the Live Q3 Plus provides an enjoyable gaming experience.

5.2 Fortnite

Fortnite, being another widely popular game, runs smoothly on the Live Q3 Plus. With the game set to performance mode at 1080p, you can expect decent frame rates, although dropping the resolution to around 900p would provide even better performance.

5.3 The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

With The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, the Live Q3 Plus showcases its ability to handle a visually demanding game. At 900p and medium settings, it maintains a steady 60 FPS, even during intense battles. This mini PC offers an impressive gaming experience, allowing you to explore the vast world of Skyrim without compromising performance.

5.4 Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is known for its demanding graphics, yet the Live Q3 Plus rises to the challenge. At 720p and normal settings, you can enjoy an average of 45 FPS, which is remarkable considering the size and power of this mini PC. Playing GTA V on the Live Q3 Plus is a testament to its capabilities.

5.5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt pushes the Live Q3 Plus to its limits. At 720p and low settings, it achieves an average of 29 FPS with occasional stutters. The performance is mainly limited by the RAM speed, as the Live Q3 Plus utilizes system memory as VRAM. While it may not provide the smoothest experience, the fact that it can run The Witcher 3 at playable frame rates is impressive for a mini PC of this size.

5.6 Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is notorious for its demanding system requirements. The Live Q3 Plus, being a mini PC, struggles to run this intensive game smoothly. At 720p and low settings with a 50% resolution Scale, it achieves an average of 24 FPS. While the visuals may not be pristine, it's still possible to enjoy the game without major issues.

6. Power Consumption and Thermals

When it comes to mini PCs, power consumption is a crucial factor. The Live Q3 Plus offers impressive power efficiency, drawing minimal power from the wall. During idle usage, it averaged around 8 watts, while gaming pushed it up to an average of 32 watts. The maximum power consumption we observed was 38 watts, which is within the limit of the included 35 watt power supply. In terms of thermals, the Live Q3 Plus manages temperatures exceptionally well. At idle, CPU temperatures average at 41 degrees Celsius, while gaming raises it to an average of 73 degrees Celsius. When pushed to its limits, it reaches a maximum of 91 degrees Celsius, which is the thermal limit set in the BIOS.

7. Fan Noise

Despite the inclusion of an active cooling system, the fan noise on the Live Q3 Plus is minimal during everyday tasks. It operates quietly and efficiently, hardly audible even at higher temperatures. Only when the CPU reaches around 80-81 degrees Celsius does the fan noise become slightly noticeable. However, the noise level remains tolerable and far from disruptive. Overall, the Live Q3 Plus strikes a good balance between performance and noise reduction.

8. Conclusion

In conclusion, the Live Q3 Plus is a game-changer in the world of mini PCs. With its compact size, powerful Ryzen APU, and impressive gaming performance, it's a highly capable desktop PC for a variety of tasks. While it may not match the capabilities of larger gaming PCs, the Live Q3 Plus offers exceptional performance for its size. Whether you're a casual gamer, content creator, or simply in need of a compact yet powerful desktop, this mini PC is definitely worth considering.

9. Emulation Capabilities (Upcoming Video)

Stay tuned for a dedicated video on the Live Q3 Plus's emulation capabilities. Emulation allows you to play classic games from various platforms on modern hardware. We will explore how well this mini PC handles popular emulators and take a trip down Memory Lane with retro gaming.

10. Additional Resources

For more information on the Live Q3 Plus and Where To purchase it, please visit the official website of Liva (URL: www.livapc.com). You can also find additional resources, including tutorials, troubleshooting guides, and community forums on their website.

FAQ:

Q: Can I upgrade the RAM on the Live Q3 Plus?

• A: Unfortunately, the RAM on the Live Q3 Plus is non-user replaceable. However, the 8GB included should be sufficient for most tasks and light gaming.

Q: Can I use Linux on the Live Q3 Plus?

• A: Yes! The Live Q3 Plus has excellent Linux support, making it a suitable choice for those who prefer an alternative operating system.

Q: Can you recommend a higher wattage power supply for the Live Q3 Plus?

• A: While the included 35 watt power supply is sufficient for most use cases, if you plan on maximizing the performance of the Live Q3 Plus, consider upgrading to a 65 watt power supply for better stability and headroom.

Q: Can I connect multiple monitors to the Live Q3 Plus?

• A: Yes, the Live Q3 Plus supports dual monitors through its HDMI and Mini DisplayPort outputs, allowing for versatile multi-tasking and productivity.

Q: Is the Live Q3 Plus suitable for content creation?

• A: The Live Q3 Plus, with its powerful Ryzen APU and Vega 8 Graphics, is capable of handling light to moderate content creation tasks such as photo editing, video rendering, and Graphic Design.

Q: Does the Live Q3 Plus come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity?

• A: Yes, the Live Q3 Plus is equipped with AC Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring seamless connectivity for wireless peripherals and internet access.