Vik

NZXT Releases Kraken G12 Liquid Cooler GPU Mounting Kit
  • Comments are Closed

NZXT Releases Kraken G12 Liquid Cooler GPU Mounting Kit

NZXT has announced its Kraken G12 mounting kit, which is designed to allow video cards to mount a closed-loop liquid cooler. In junctionwith a cooler, the adapter can significantly decrease GPU temperatures and improve cooling of VRMs; it is compatible with various coolers and cards.

Closed-loop liquid cooling systems (LCSes) for CPUs have gained popularity among enthusiasts in the recent years due to high efficiency amid relatively small dimensions. But while high-performance GPUs have higher TDPs (and therefore greater heat generation) than advanced CPUs, few LCSes can be attached to graphics cards out of the box. Some companies (e.g., Corsair) offer special adapters (brackets) to make their liquid coolers compatible with popular graphics boards, but NZXT is the one of a few vendors to offer mounting kits that are designed to be compatible not only with the company’s own LCS, but with other popular liquid coolers as well.

The NZXT Kraken G12 is a relatively simple device that consists of bracket compatible with various waterblocks from NZXT, Corsair, Thermaltake, Antec, and Zalman as well as multiple reference and non-reference graphics cards based on AMD or NVIDIA GPUs (see the table). The Kraken G12 is equipped with a 92-mm fan with up to 1500 RPM speed that can cool down the various video card components that aren’t covered by the LCS, such as DRAM chips and VRM components (inductors, MOSFETs, capacitors, etc.). All of which is important, especially as the latter get very hot under high load.

NZXT Kraken G12
  Matte White
RL-KRG12-W1		 Matte Black
RL-KRG12-B1
Dimensions 201 × 113 × 32 mm
Materials Steel and Plastic
Weight 282 g
Fan 92-mm, 1500 RPM, rifle bearing with 3-pin connector
Compatible Graphics Cards AMD RX 480, 470, R9 390X*, 390*, 380X*, 380, 290X*, 290*, 285*, 280X*, 280*, 270X, 270, R7 370, HD7970*, 7950*, 7870, 7850, 6970, 6950, 6870, 6850, 6790, 6770, 5870, 5850, 5830

* Some variations in AMD die height may require the use of a copper shim which is not included.
NVIDIA Titan X, Titan, Geforce GTX 1080, 1070, 1060, 980 Ti, 980, 970, 960, 780 Ti, 780, 770, 760, 680, 670, 660Ti, 660, 580, 570
Compatible AIO LCS Antec KUHLER H2O 920V4, 620V4, 920, 620
Corsair H105, H110, H90, H75, H55, H50 (CW-906006-WW only)
NZXT Kraken X62, X52, X42, X61, X41, X31, X60, X40
Thermaltake Water 3.0 Riing RGB 360, 280, 240, Red 280, 140,
Water 3.0 Ultimate, Extreme S, Extreme, Pro, Performer
Water 2.0 Extreme, Pro, Performer
Zalman LQ-320, LQ-315, LQ-310
Warranty 2 Years

In fact, the Kraken G12 is not the first product of the kind from NZXT. Several years ago it released its Kraken G10 bracket for then-contemporary coolers and video cards. The Kraken G12 just expands the list of compatible components, uses a new fan with a lower rotating speed and adds a white option. From a technical point of view, making the Kraken G12 compatible with LCSes from five different suppliers is not a problem as compliant closed-loop liquid coolers are designed for standard CPU sockets and are made by Asetek, so, their constructions are similar.

The NZXT Kraken G12 will be available towards the end of the month for $29 in the USA.

Gallery: NZXT Kraken G12

Related Reading:

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance
  • Comments are Closed

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance

SK Hynix has formally introduced its fourth-generation 3D NAND memory chips with 72 layers. Initially, the 3D TLC flash chips will be offered in 256 Gb configurations, but by the end of the year the manufacturer plans to introduce 72-layer 3D TLC NAND devices with 512 Gb capacities. All of SK Hynix’s fourth-gen 3D NAND chips will feature a larger block size, a lower programming time and a faster interface, which is expected to result in higher performance levels compared to the company’s third-gen ICs.

As reported previously, 72-layer 3D NAND is a very important product lineup for SK Hynix because the company plans to offer such memory for a wide range of applications, and because such memory allows it to use its production facilities more efficiently (at least, according to the manufacturer). The company has been experimenting with 3D NAND for quite a while and launched its first commercial 36-layer 128 Gb 3D MLC NAND (which it calls 3D-V2) chips in 2015. The 3D-V2 ICs were primarily used for removable storage devices, but the 256 Gb 48-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V3) ICs that hit mass production in late 2016 are used for removables, embedded storage and will be used for SSDs in the coming months.

The initial 72-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) chips do not increase capacity versus their direct predecessors, but decrease their die size by approximately 30%, allowing SK Hynix to fit more of such chips on a single wafer. Unfortunately it is hard to estimate how the 50% increase of the number of layers affects the length of SK Hynix’s manufacturing cycle and costs, as SK Hynix naturally does not make any additional disclosures. Moreover, the company does not reveal whether it uses string stacking technique and stacks two 36-layer wafers together, or uses etching and produces 72 layers “natively.”

In addition to being smaller, the 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND flash memory ICs also feature higher performance due to a 20% higher Toggle 2.0 interface data rate, a 50% larger block size compared to 48-layer 3D TLC chips (13.5 MB vs 9 MB) as well as a lower page programming time. SK Hynix does not disclose exact numbers for the interface and the tPROG, but it is logical to suspect that the new chips support 667 MT/s and, perhaps, 800 MT/s interface speed, just like some of the competing ICs. In any case, with increased block size and a lower tPROG (which SK Hynix calls 2x faster “internal operation speed”), any increase of the external interface speed from 533 MT/s of mainstream NAND today is more than welcome.

SK Hynix said it would start mass production of its 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) ICs in the second quarter of the year and such flash memory chips would be used for various storage devices (including those for mobile applications (e.g., smartphones)) in Q3 2017. The company’s product catalogue for Q1 2017 already lists 256 Gb 3D-V4 chips as well as multi-chip packages with 512 Gb – 4096 Gb (64 GB – 512 GB) capacities due to be available in Q2 2017 (such MCPs are used for mobiles). SSDs based on the new chips will be available after SK Hynix itself and its partners validate them, so, expect drives featuring the 48-layer 3D TLC NAND from the company to arrive first.

From SK Hynix’s Q1 2017 product catalogue we also know that later this year SK Hynix also plans to roll out 72-layer 512 Gb 3D TLC NAND chips (64 GB), which are expected to be available in Q4. It is crucially important for SK Hynix to increase the interface speed of its upcoming 3D-V4 ICs to 800 MT/s to reduce the performance penalty that comes from consolidating more flash onto fewer independent chips (and to stay competitive with Samsung’s 64-layer 512 Gb components). The upcoming ICs will enable the company as well as its partners to build higher-capacity storage solutions. For example, the SK Hynix’s catalogue lists a 8096 Gb (1 TB) MCPs based on the 512 Gb devices.

Related Reading:

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance
  • Comments are Closed

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance

SK Hynix has formally introduced its fourth-generation 3D NAND memory chips with 72 layers. Initially, the 3D TLC flash chips will be offered in 256 Gb configurations, but by the end of the year the manufacturer plans to introduce 72-layer 3D TLC NAND devices with 512 Gb capacities. All of SK Hynix’s fourth-gen 3D NAND chips will feature a larger block size, a lower programming time and a faster interface, which is expected to result in higher performance levels compared to the company’s third-gen ICs.

As reported previously, 72-layer 3D NAND is a very important product lineup for SK Hynix because the company plans to offer such memory for a wide range of applications, and because such memory allows it to use its production facilities more efficiently (at least, according to the manufacturer). The company has been experimenting with 3D NAND for quite a while and launched its first commercial 36-layer 128 Gb 3D MLC NAND (which it calls 3D-V2) chips in 2015. The 3D-V2 ICs were primarily used for removable storage devices, but the 256 Gb 48-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V3) ICs that hit mass production in late 2016 are used for removables, embedded storage and will be used for SSDs in the coming months.

The initial 72-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) chips do not increase capacity versus their direct predecessors, but decrease their die size by approximately 30%, allowing SK Hynix to fit more of such chips on a single wafer. Unfortunately it is hard to estimate how the 50% increase of the number of layers affects the length of SK Hynix’s manufacturing cycle and costs, as SK Hynix naturally does not make any additional disclosures. Moreover, the company does not reveal whether it uses string stacking technique and stacks two 36-layer wafers together, or uses etching and produces 72 layers “natively.”

In addition to being smaller, the 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND flash memory ICs also feature higher performance due to a 20% higher Toggle 2.0 interface data rate, a 50% larger block size compared to 48-layer 3D TLC chips (13.5 MB vs 9 MB) as well as a lower page programming time. SK Hynix does not disclose exact numbers for the interface and the tPROG, but it is logical to suspect that the new chips support 667 MT/s and, perhaps, 800 MT/s interface speed, just like some of the competing ICs. In any case, with increased block size and a lower tPROG (which SK Hynix calls 2x faster “internal operation speed”), any increase of the external interface speed from 533 MT/s of mainstream NAND today is more than welcome.

SK Hynix said it would start mass production of its 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) ICs in the second quarter of the year and such flash memory chips would be used for various storage devices (including those for mobile applications (e.g., smartphones)) in Q3 2017. The company’s product catalogue for Q1 2017 already lists 256 Gb 3D-V4 chips as well as multi-chip packages with 512 Gb – 4096 Gb (64 GB – 512 GB) capacities due to be available in Q2 2017 (such MCPs are used for mobiles). SSDs based on the new chips will be available after SK Hynix itself and its partners validate them, so, expect drives featuring the 48-layer 3D TLC NAND from the company to arrive first.

From SK Hynix’s Q1 2017 product catalogue we also know that later this year SK Hynix also plans to roll out 72-layer 512 Gb 3D TLC NAND chips (64 GB), which are expected to be available in Q4. It is crucially important for SK Hynix to increase the interface speed of its upcoming 3D-V4 ICs to 800 MT/s to reduce the performance penalty that comes from consolidating more flash onto fewer independent chips (and to stay competitive with Samsung’s 64-layer 512 Gb components). The upcoming ICs will enable the company as well as its partners to build higher-capacity storage solutions. For example, the SK Hynix’s catalogue lists a 8096 Gb (1 TB) MCPs based on the 512 Gb devices.

Related Reading:

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance
  • Comments are Closed

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance

SK Hynix has formally introduced its fourth-generation 3D NAND memory chips with 72 layers. Initially, the 3D TLC flash chips will be offered in 256 Gb configurations, but by the end of the year the manufacturer plans to introduce 72-layer 3D TLC NAND devices with 512 Gb capacities. All of SK Hynix’s fourth-gen 3D NAND chips will feature a larger block size, a lower programming time and a faster interface, which is expected to result in higher performance levels compared to the company’s third-gen ICs.

As reported previously, 72-layer 3D NAND is a very important product lineup for SK Hynix because the company plans to offer such memory for a wide range of applications, and because such memory allows it to use its production facilities more efficiently (at least, according to the manufacturer). The company has been experimenting with 3D NAND for quite a while and launched its first commercial 36-layer 128 Gb 3D MLC NAND (which it calls 3D-V2) chips in 2015. The 3D-V2 ICs were primarily used for removable storage devices, but the 256 Gb 48-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V3) ICs that hit mass production in late 2016 are used for removables, embedded storage and will be used for SSDs in the coming months.

The initial 72-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) chips do not increase capacity versus their direct predecessors, but decrease their die size by approximately 30%, allowing SK Hynix to fit more of such chips on a single wafer. Unfortunately it is hard to estimate how the 50% increase of the number of layers affects the length of SK Hynix’s manufacturing cycle and costs, as SK Hynix naturally does not make any additional disclosures. Moreover, the company does not reveal whether it uses string stacking technique and stacks two 36-layer wafers together, or uses etching and produces 72 layers “natively.”

In addition to being smaller, the 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND flash memory ICs also feature higher performance due to a 20% higher Toggle 2.0 interface data rate, a 50% larger block size compared to 48-layer 3D TLC chips (13.5 MB vs 9 MB) as well as a lower page programming time. SK Hynix does not disclose exact numbers for the interface and the tPROG, but it is logical to suspect that the new chips support 667 MT/s and, perhaps, 800 MT/s interface speed, just like some of the competing ICs. In any case, with increased block size and a lower tPROG (which SK Hynix calls 2x faster “internal operation speed”), any increase of the external interface speed from 533 MT/s of mainstream NAND today is more than welcome.

SK Hynix said it would start mass production of its 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) ICs in the second quarter of the year and such flash memory chips would be used for various storage devices (including those for mobile applications (e.g., smartphones)) in Q3 2017. The company’s product catalogue for Q1 2017 already lists 256 Gb 3D-V4 chips as well as multi-chip packages with 512 Gb – 4096 Gb (64 GB – 512 GB) capacities due to be available in Q2 2017 (such MCPs are used for mobiles). SSDs based on the new chips will be available after SK Hynix itself and its partners validate them, so, expect drives featuring the 48-layer 3D TLC NAND from the company to arrive first.

From SK Hynix’s Q1 2017 product catalogue we also know that later this year SK Hynix also plans to roll out 72-layer 512 Gb 3D TLC NAND chips (64 GB), which are expected to be available in Q4. It is crucially important for SK Hynix to increase the interface speed of its upcoming 3D-V4 ICs to 800 MT/s to reduce the performance penalty that comes from consolidating more flash onto fewer independent chips (and to stay competitive with Samsung’s 64-layer 512 Gb components). The upcoming ICs will enable the company as well as its partners to build higher-capacity storage solutions. For example, the SK Hynix’s catalogue lists a 8096 Gb (1 TB) MCPs based on the 512 Gb devices.

Related Reading:

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance
  • Comments are Closed

SK Hynix Launches 72-Layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND with Increased Performance

SK Hynix has formally introduced its fourth-generation 3D NAND memory chips with 72 layers. Initially, the 3D TLC flash chips will be offered in 256 Gb configurations, but by the end of the year the manufacturer plans to introduce 72-layer 3D TLC NAND devices with 512 Gb capacities. All of SK Hynix’s fourth-gen 3D NAND chips will feature a larger block size, a lower programming time and a faster interface, which is expected to result in higher performance levels compared to the company’s third-gen ICs.

As reported previously, 72-layer 3D NAND is a very important product lineup for SK Hynix because the company plans to offer such memory for a wide range of applications, and because such memory allows it to use its production facilities more efficiently (at least, according to the manufacturer). The company has been experimenting with 3D NAND for quite a while and launched its first commercial 36-layer 128 Gb 3D MLC NAND (which it calls 3D-V2) chips in 2015. The 3D-V2 ICs were primarily used for removable storage devices, but the 256 Gb 48-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V3) ICs that hit mass production in late 2016 are used for removables, embedded storage and will be used for SSDs in the coming months.

The initial 72-layer 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) chips do not increase capacity versus their direct predecessors, but decrease their die size by approximately 30%, allowing SK Hynix to fit more of such chips on a single wafer. Unfortunately it is hard to estimate how the 50% increase of the number of layers affects the length of SK Hynix’s manufacturing cycle and costs, as SK Hynix naturally does not make any additional disclosures. Moreover, the company does not reveal whether it uses string stacking technique and stacks two 36-layer wafers together, or uses etching and produces 72 layers “natively.”

In addition to being smaller, the 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND flash memory ICs also feature higher performance due to a 20% higher Toggle 2.0 interface data rate, a 50% larger block size compared to 48-layer 3D TLC chips (13.5 MB vs 9 MB) as well as a lower page programming time. SK Hynix does not disclose exact numbers for the interface and the tPROG, but it is logical to suspect that the new chips support 667 MT/s and, perhaps, 800 MT/s interface speed, just like some of the competing ICs. In any case, with increased block size and a lower tPROG (which SK Hynix calls 2x faster “internal operation speed”), any increase of the external interface speed from 533 MT/s of mainstream NAND today is more than welcome.

SK Hynix said it would start mass production of its 72-layer 256 Gb 3D TLC NAND (3D-V4) ICs in the second quarter of the year and such flash memory chips would be used for various storage devices (including those for mobile applications (e.g., smartphones)) in Q3 2017. The company’s product catalogue for Q1 2017 already lists 256 Gb 3D-V4 chips as well as multi-chip packages with 512 Gb – 4096 Gb (64 GB – 512 GB) capacities due to be available in Q2 2017 (such MCPs are used for mobiles). SSDs based on the new chips will be available after SK Hynix itself and its partners validate them, so, expect drives featuring the 48-layer 3D TLC NAND from the company to arrive first.

From SK Hynix’s Q1 2017 product catalogue we also know that later this year SK Hynix also plans to roll out 72-layer 512 Gb 3D TLC NAND chips (64 GB), which are expected to be available in Q4. It is crucially important for SK Hynix to increase the interface speed of its upcoming 3D-V4 ICs to 800 MT/s to reduce the performance penalty that comes from consolidating more flash onto fewer independent chips (and to stay competitive with Samsung’s 64-layer 512 Gb components). The upcoming ICs will enable the company as well as its partners to build higher-capacity storage solutions. For example, the SK Hynix’s catalogue lists a 8096 Gb (1 TB) MCPs based on the 512 Gb devices.

Related Reading: