I have a pi 3 and tried Kodi but it’s really a mess to use for me.
Is there another tool like Kodi (even less features, as I only need DLNA client), already packaged, that starts directly like Kodi on pi?
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Modern GPUs have many more routines built in to improve tasks like that. Many of the encoding tools can then offload the graphic heavy encoding to the GPUs as they are way more efficient than the CPU attempting the work.
I’ve bought cheap 710’s before to throw into old PCs to give them a bit of a leg-up in this way. An 8600 predates x264 and x265 compression. (BTW - the old PC I use at the main box has an 9600… I do encoding elsewhere :D)
I’ve especially used cheap add-in nVidia 710 cards to deal with the inability of “built in” Intel graphics to keep up with modern technology. Intel are awful for abandoning Driver support way too early. Used solve a lot of issues for people on the KODI forum by slotting in a cheap nVidia card to solve the issue.
KODI is complex and certainly does not fit everyone’s needs. It is really a library based media player than wants to stay connected to a screen. Which is exactly how I use it. It may be a steep learning curve, but once in control it is brilliant as to what I can do with it. And it is KODI that sent me to MB to sort out my tags… three years later I’m still here… and meanwhile watch them make more and more use of data in the MB database.
Certainly KODI overkill to use as a DLNA client. DLNA is so limited in its abilities compared with a full media centre. In fact I started with DLNA from Win7 to a Panasonic TV before upgrading to KODI.
Sorry I can’t help on the Pi suggestions. I am a heavy KODI user, but still only messing around with a few Pi experiments. My main Pi experiments have worked around installing DietPi and that has a huge software list to play around with. There are a few DLNA servers and players on there listed under Media Players. I expect there is something in there much more streamlined to the task you need. Everything on that software list is clickable to get a bit more details to.
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Yes, that in fact may help my current system to survive until my new KODI-Box is available. It will look like that:
Amazon - enjoy the offer!
Sounds familiar to me… 
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Aha - the little fanless boxes. I know the kit you mean. Personally don’t use those as I don’t like to be locked in with no upgrade option. To get better graphics in there will involve gaffa tape and a hacksaw…
As I live on my own I don’t have a partner to keep happy about “those big ugly computers”. So my KODI PC actually lives in a full size desktop case. But it is a Lian-Li so looks very nice and so so dark and black it isn’t really visible in the cabinet under the TV. 
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Yes, it’s an all-in-one box - mostly, you can change the wireless module (in fact you can choose it). But there’s nothing else in there. The CPU is attached to the metal (cooler) case and you’re stuck with the Intel HD Graphics, but I have no bad experiences with that, even under Linux.
When my last girlfriend moved in my computer museum went to the cellar. Except some devices declared to be furniture (my night table, …).
My current KODI box in a desktop case too, but it isn’t nice to look at…
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I eventually found something useful for my Raspberry Pi 3, related to KODI: TV replays with FReplay add-on (but I had so much trouble finding it and installing it!).
I put it in a Retroflag MEGAPi CASE *, installed Recalbox that autostarts in KODI (LibreELEC and OSMC installs didn’t work I don’t know why).
But it’s lucky because Recalbox can also autostart KODI and can manage the Retroflag on/off switches.
This way I switch on: It goes in KODI and I can watch TV replays using my TV remote (HDMI CEC).
Then I can switch off and, thanks to Recalbox and MEGAPi circuit, it gently turns off.
* I advise Retroflag SUPERPi CASE J but took the MEGAPi as I already have the real SUPER FAMICOM.
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