Ever because it was based again in 2004, NZXT has been targeted on the always-lucrative PC gaming market. The firm began out with only a few PC circumstances, but their distinctive aesthetics and options had been greater than sufficient to let the corporate set up a stable foothold within the superior PC market. Several years later, NZXT slowly started diversifying their product portfolio by including cooling and energy merchandise to it. Today, the corporate produces a big number of PC circumstances, cooling, and energy merchandise, in addition to PC peripherals and equipment.
NZXT entered the PC cooling market practically a decade in the past by releasing all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling options and equipment for them, together with GPU mounting brackets. However not like different producers who’ve opted to construct giant, numerous product lineups, NZXT by no means saved greater than a handful of AIO coolers accessible of their product line-up. Instead, the corporate has targeted on delivering a couple of high quality and aesthetically-unique designs, moderately than making an attempt to take the competitors down on uncooked efficiency alone.
Today we’re having a look at NZXT’s newest liquid coolers, the Kraken X-Three and Z-Three sequence. These are extra of a refresh moderately a complete improve over final yr’s X-2 sequence, however NZXT has made some notable tweaks. Between the 2 households there are 5 completely different coolers in three sizes, overlaying the standard 240/280/360mm configurations. Both the X and Z sequence make the most of the identical cooling {hardware}, however NZXT has positioned the Z sequence as a premium possibility with a novel aesthetic function – whereas the X sequence has RGB lighting on prime of the pump base, the Z sequence tops its base with a full-fledged (and full colour) LCD display screen.
For this assessment we’re testing each the X73 and the Z63, giving us a full view of the efficiency and options we will anticipate from most coolers that NZXT presently gives.
| NZXT Kraken Z-Three and X-3 Series | ||
| Fan Configuration | X Series | Z Series |
|
2x 120 mm |
X53 ($130) |
– |
|
2x 140 mm |
X63 ($150) |
Z63 ($250) |
|
3x 120 mm |
X73 ($180) |
Z73 ($280) |
Packaging & Bundle
The new Kraken Z-Three and X-Three coolers ship in comparatively easy packaging, based mostly on the identical white/purple inventive theme that NZXT has used over the previous few years. An image of the cooler covers the in any other case plain entrance of the packaging. Inside the field we discovered the coolers and their elements nicely protected by customized cardboard inserts.
All of the coolers share virtually the identical bundle, which is proscribed to the fundamentals. Inside the field we solely discovered the required mounting {hardware}, the required wiring, and an set up handbook. We also needs to observe that NZXT does not embody the TR4 socket mounting plate by default, however they do have one accessible as an non-compulsory half for Threadripper house owners.
The NZXT Z63 and X73 include two 140 mm and three 120 mm followers respectively. The firm went with top quality followers, with fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) engines and anti-vibration mounting pads. They will not be overly highly effective, although with their flat-bladed, high-pressure design they should not have a lot bother overcoming the resistance of the radiator. There isn’t any lighting in regards to the followers, with the corporate focusing their inventive enhancement efforts on the pump block as a substitute.
The NZXT Z63 & X73 AIO Coolers
Digging into our assessment samples, let’s begin with deciphering NZXT’s cooler names. The first character denotes the sequence, the second the dimensions, and the third is the model. For instance, the Z63 and the Z73 coolers belong to the identical sequence and share most options however their radiator dimension differs, whereas the X73 and Z73 are of the identical dimension however belong to completely different sequence. Thus the Z63 and the X73 that we are going to be reviewing…
