HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced a collaboration with keyboard manufacturing company DuckyChannel International Co. Ltd on a limited-edition 60 percent form factor HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini mechanical gaming keyboard. The HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini mechanical gaming keyboard features HyperX red linear mechanical switches built for performance, longevity and an 80 million lifetime click rating per switch. The keyboard includes RGB exposed backlit keys for brighter illumination with radiant lighting effects and utilizes the Ducky One 2 Mini keyboard design and Ducky PBT double-shot seamless keycaps.

"Ducky is happy to work closely with HyperX to develop the HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini with HyperX switches to give users the best combined gaming keyboard experience," said Erik Hsieh, senior marketing executive, DuckyChannel International Co. Ltd. "Our collaboration with HyperX is all about delivering solid and reliable mechanical gaming keyboards, we can't wait for our users to use the HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini."

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced it is the high-performance base memory provider for HP's new OMEN Desktops and upgrades. HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB or FURY DDR4 memory will be integrated into the OMEN 25L and OMEN 30L Desktops and are fully upgradable.

"HyperX is excited to provide high performance gaming grade memory for the new OMEN Desktops," said Larry Gonzales, sales and marketing VP, HyperX. "Gaming enthusiasts expect the best, and OMEN exemplifies a collaborative attitude to provide quality and reliable memory to satisfy gamers' performance needs."

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced KC2500, its next generation M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD for desktop, workstations and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. KC2500 NVMe PCIe SSD delivers powerful performance using the latest Gen 3.0 x 4 controller and 96-layer 3D TLC NAND. With speeds up to 3,500 MB/s read and up to 2,900 MB/s write, KC2500 combines outstanding performance and endurance that improves workflow for desktop, workstation and power users.

KC2500 is available in capacities up to 2 TB housed in a compact M.2 2280 form factor that saves space for other components while allowing users to take advantage of PCIe speeds. The self-encrypting SSD supports a full-security suite for end-to-end data protection using AES-XTS 256-bit hardware-based encryption. It allows the usage of independent software vendors with TCG Opal 2.0 security management solutions such as Symantec, McAfee, WinMagic and others. KC2500 has built-in Microsoft eDrive support, a security storage specification for use with BitLocker.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the release of two new headsets in HyperX Cloud Stinger family, HyperX Cloud Stinger Core + 7.1 and HyperX Cloud Stinger Core Wireless + 7.1 Gaming Headset. Both new Cloud Stinger Core headsets now feature 7.1 virtual surround sound1 via NGENUITY software.

"HyperX is excited to expand its Cloud Stinger gaming headset family with two new 7.1 surround sound headsets for gamers looking for an economic headset," said Nate Almond, audio business manager, HyperX. "With students, parents and gamers working and playing at home more than ever, HyperX has expanded the Stinger product line to offer more affordable headsets."

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced its SSD business continues to grow at a strong rate following an astounding 2019. SSD demand through Q1 2020 remained high due to continued growth in the client, enterprise and OEM sectors. Since 2019, Kingston has broadened its SSD portfolio with three new client SSDs, five data center-specific drives - two of which achieved VMware Ready status - and launched its first U.2 NVMe PCIe solution.

Market share data for 2019 from analyst research companies Forward Insights and TRENDFOCUS showed Kingston in a strong leadership position. Forward Insights ranked Kingston in first place in worldwide channel SSD shipments with 18.3 percent market share, ahead of semiconductor manufacturers Western Digital and Samsung (16.5 percent and 15.1 percent, respectively). According to Forward Insights, almost 120 million SSDs were shipped in the channel in 2019.

Kingston Digital, a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, announced today the refresh of its 'Canvas' series Flash cards to Canvas Plus. The new SD and microSD lineup include Kingston's first UHS-II cards. To keep up with Canvas Plus, new MobileLite Plus UHS-II readers have been engineered to support blazing fast read speeds. Canvas Plus represents the next generation of SD and microSD cards with increased performance for DSLRs, 4K/8K video production, Android devices, action cams and drones.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced the availability of DC1000M, a new U.2 data center NVMe PCIe SSD. DC1000M is designed to support a wide range of data-intensive enterprise workloads, including Cloud computing, web hosting, high-performance computing (HPC), virtual infrastructures, artificial intelligence and deep learning applications. DC1000M joins the recently released DC1000B NVMe boot drive, the VMware Ready DC500 series SATA SSDs and DC450R to form the most complete range of superior enterprise-class data center storage solutions in the market.

"Mission critical services and Cloud-based applications depend not only on lightning-fast IOPS and bandwidth, but also on the consistency and predictability of the data being serviced," said Keith Schimmenti, enterprise SSD business manager, Kingston. "DC1000M provides the stability and low latency for the evolving data center, while powering the workloads that require one drive write per day (1 DWPD) endurance."

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the release of the HyperX Alloy Origins and Alloy Origins Core gaming keyboards. The Alloy Origins and Alloy Origins Core mechanical keyboards feature the new tactile HyperX Aqua mechanical switches built for performance and longevity with an 80 million click rating. Both keyboards include RGB exposed backlit keys for brighter illumination with radiant lighting effects and five adjustable brightness levels. The Alloy Origins keyboard is available now and the tenkeyless Alloy Origins Core is available for pre-order.

The Alloy Origins and Alloy Origins Core gaming keyboards include an aluminium body with an aircraft-grade brushed finished for durability and stability, plus a space-saving layout to maximize desktop real estate for mouse movement. The Alloy Origins Core tenkeyless gaming keyboard is geared for users seeking a compact form factor and more room for mouse movements. Both keyboards are supported by HyperX NGENUITY software with advanced customization features for lighting, macros and customable per-key lighting effects. The USB Type-C to USB Type-A keyboard cable is also detachable on both designs.

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, announced its IronKey D300 Encrypted USB Flash Drive series has achieved NATO Restricted Level Certification. This indicates that, after a detailed validation process, the Kingston IronKey D300, IronKey D300S and IronKey D300SM have been listed in the NATO Information Assurance Product Catalogue (NIAPC) for security products that meet NATO's nations, civil and military bodies' operational requirements.

The NIAPC is established under an INFOSEC Directive and ensures only cryptographic products which are developed in a NATO member nation are evaluated and approved to use in accordance with NATO Security Policies. The IronKey D300 series is now included on this list, which means it is qualified as an encrypted Flash drive that meets the data protection levels established by NATO to protect information against loss or cyber-attacks. Sensitive data-in-transit needs to be protected as any loss or breach can result in harm to NATO's forces, its members or its mission.

Continuing our quick look series, this time we cover a product that came to us after our article on portable encrypted storage was published. That very article came about from two companies asking us if we would be interested in checking out their products, and when a startup company formed by Russians who specialize in data protection and embedded security asks you the same, you answer yes! Hawk Security was set up in 2018, and is actually based out of Hong Kong now, and offers data encryption solutions with military-grade encryption standards. They sent out their S-Drive, a portable solution with a 3D NAND-based memory and certification galore, with performance and privacy as the selling point.

The Hawk Security S-Drive ships in a thick cardboard box with a two-piece packaging, with aptly named security seals on the sides. The inner box slides out to reveal a premium unboxing experience with thick foam cut to shape, which in turn houses the user manual, the drive, and the connecting cable itself. The manual is handy for not only knowing the locking and unlocking procedures for this encrypted drive, but also the default password for using it the first time. The cable terminates in a standard USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A connector on one end, but a 10-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 Micro Type B super-speed connector on the other to help make the most of connection speeds. This means backwards compatibility with USB 2.0 ports is restricted to USB ports/hubs that provide enough power only, so keep that in mind. Read past the break for more on the drive.

Kingston Technology today announced the Data Center DC1000B M.2 NVMe SSD, optimized for server boot drive applications, featuring power-loss protection (PLP). Kingston's Data Centre DC1000B is a high-performance M.2 (2280) NVMe PCIe SSD using the latest Gen 3.0 x 4 PCIe interface with 64-layer 3D TLC NAND. DC1000B offers data centres a cost-effective boot drive solution with the reassurance that they are purchasing an SSD designed for server use. The DC1000B is ideally suited as an internal boot drive for use in high-volume rack-mount servers, as well as for use in purpose-built systems that require a high-performance M.2 SSD that includes on-board power loss protection (PLP).

M.2 NVMe SSDs are evolving within the data centre, providing efficiencies in booting servers to preserve valuable front-loading drive bays for data storage. Whitebox and Tier 1 Server OEMs are beginning to equip server motherboards with one, or sometimes two, M.2 sockets for boot purposes. While the M.2 form factor was originally designed as a client SSD form factor, its small physical size and high performance make it attractive for server use. Not all SSD are created equal and using a client SSD in a server application may result in poor, inconsistent performance.

Kingston at the 2020 International CES shows us their upcoming mid-range M.2 NVMe SSD that has the latest PCI-Express 4.0 x4 host interface and NVMe 1.4 protocol, codenamed "Grandview." Later this year, this drive will be launched as a high cost-performance product under the company's marquee or HyperX brand. Available in capacities ranging between 500 GB and 2 TB, the drive is powered by Marvell "Whistler Plus" 12 nm controller that has 4 flash channels, and 1.2 GT/s per channel bandwidth. They wouldn't tell us if it's TLC or QLC NAND flash in use, or the manufacturer-rated performance numbers. The PCIe to M.2 adapter in these pictures will not be part of the package.

Also on display was "Seccos," their new PCI-Express 3.0 x4 drive that uses an unnamed 8-channel controller (likely Marvell), and 3D TLC NAND flash, with capacities ranging between 250 GB to 2 TB. Kingston put out some CDM numbers for the 1 TB model of Seccos: 3,449 MB/s sequential reads, and 2,839 MB/s sequential writes. The manufacturer-rates performance numbers are up to 3,500 MB/s reads, and up to 3,000 MB/s writes.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today introduced a new addition to its award-winning lineup of gaming keyboards - HyperX Alloy Origins Core. Featuring HyperX Red mechanical switches, the new keyboard is built for performance and longevity with a shorter actuation point and 80 million click rating.

Alloy Origins Core maximizes desktop real estate with a space-saving tenkeyless layout for ultimate mouse movement. The keyboard features RGB exposed backlit keys for brighter illumination with radiant lighting effects and five adjustable brightness levels to enhance gaming, day or night. For added durability, stability and flexibility, Alloy Origins Core is built with a full aircraft-grade aluminium body and the USB Type-C to USB Type-A keyboard cable is detachable.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced it has sold over 10 million gaming headsets as it begins shipping its newest lifestyle headset, the Cloud MIX Rose Gold Edition. Since developing the first HyperX Cloud gaming headset in 2014, HyperX has produced 30 headset models, establishing itself as a leading PC and console gaming headset brand and moving into the lifestyle market with its Cloud MIX line of headsets. In addition, HyperX leads market share for PC compatible headsets according to latest NPD data.

HyperX also achieved milestones in two additional categories by shipping over one million gaming keyboards and 65 million memory modules. HyperX Alloy mechanical gaming keyboards launched with Cherry MX switches and now HyperX continues to build its gaming keyboard lineup with the release of the HyperX Alloy Origins mechanical gaming keyboard, including proprietary mechanical key switches. HyperX memory products include FURY and Predator DDR4 branded memory modules and include RGB modules with customizable LED lighting using NGENUITY software.

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the new Canvas Select Plus microSD and SD card lineup. With the addition of Canvas Select Plus, Kingston moves to replace the original Canvas Select card lineup with new higher-speed, higher-capacity models making them essential for smart phones and digital cameras.

Kingston's Canvas Select Plus line of Flash memory cards are built to maximise the user experience with faster speeds, more reliability and higher capacities up to 512 GB. Canvas Select Plus helps move high-quality content faster as it reaches Class 10 UHS-I speeds up to 100 MB/s, perfect for heavy workloads such as loading apps faster, transferring high-resolution photos, and recording and editing full length HD videos.

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the Data Center 450R (DC450R) Enterprise SSD, a high performance 6 Gbps SATA SSD with 3D TLC NAND, designed for read-centric application workloads. This streamlined server SSD delivers on performance while providing exceptional I/O and latency predictability, a requirement now amongst Data Center Class SSDs. Built to Kingston's strict QoS requirements, the DC450R is designed to ensure performance consistency over a wide range of read intensive and read caching workloads.

Kingston's DC450R is designed for workloads that require 24/7 uptime and reliability, such as Content Delivery Networks (CDN), edge computing applications and a wide array of software-defined storage architectures. DC450R presents a specifically focused feature set that enables data centers to select the most cost effective SSD for their workloads. Businesses require results as they deliver on products, solutions and service level agreements (SLAs) and DC450R provides system builders and Cloud providers with a high performance, economical SSD standard they can count on.

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the KC600 SATA SSD. Designed for use in desktop and notebook workloads, KC600 is a full-capacity SSD that provides remarkable performance. It comes in a 2.5" form factor using the SATA Rev 3.0 interface with backwards compatibility.

KC600 is optimized for functional system responsiveness with incredible boot, loading and transfer times. It supports a full-security suite that includes AES-XTS 256-bit hardware-based encryption, TCG Opal 2.0 and eDrive, allowing users to protect and secure their data. KC600 will be available in capacities up to 2 TB utilizing the latest 3D TLC NAND technology and has read/write speeds up to 550/520 MB/s, respectively. It is offered as both a stand-alone SSD or as a bundle kit which provides everything needed for an easy desktop or notebook upgrade installation.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced that HyperX keyboard switches and the HyperX Alloy Origins gaming keyboard are now available and shipping globally. The first HyperX keyboard switch released to the market is a linear HyperX Red mechanical switch, built for performance and longevity with a shorter actuation point and 80 million click rating. The HyperX Alloy Origins mechanical keyboard is the first full-sized gaming keyboard built with HyperX switches, and features RGB exposed backlit keys for brighter illumination with radiant lighting effects and five adjustable brightness levels to enhance gaming, day or night.

Alloy Origins includes an aluminium body with an aircraft-grade brushed finish for durability and stability, plus a space-saving layout to maximize desktop real estate for ultimate mouse movement. Alloy Origins comes with HyperX NGENUITY software with advanced customization features for lighting and macros, including simple customizable per-key lighting effects. The USB Type-C to USB Type-A keyboard cable is also detachable.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it shipped over 13.3 million SSDs in the first half of 2019, according to data compiled by market research firm TrendFocus. The astounding amount places Kingston as the third-largest supplier of SSDs in the world behind semiconductor manufacturers Samsung and Western Digital, showing its strength and position in the market place as the world's leading third-party SSD maker. Kingston's total accounted for a whopping 11.3 percent of the total number of SSDs shipped globally during the first half of the year among all manufacturers.

"TrendFocus' research shows continued growth in total SSD shipments for all categories this year," said Don Jeanette, Vice President, TrendFocus. "Our research finds that client SSDs make up the majority portion of units shipped while NVMe PCIe also saw gains due to demand in hyperscale environments. The storyline for the first half of 2019 is NAND shipments are increasing and pricing has bottomed out, thus driving SSD demand."

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced its first Qi-compatible HyperX PulsefireTM Dart wireless gaming mouse and Qi-certified HyperX ChargePlay Base wireless charger. Both products offer wireless charging convenience to the world of gaming expanding wireless flexibility and convenience.

The HyperX Pulsefire Dart wireless gaming mouse offers up to 50 hours of battery life on a single charge and comfortable padded leatherette side-grips. Pulsefire Dart delivers pinpoint accuracy with its Pixart 3389 sensor and native DPI settings up to 16,000 DPI. The mouse also provides three preset DPI settings - 800, 1600 and 3200 DPI - with LED indicators. The left and right buttons use Omron switches for exceptional click feel, response and consistency and are rated up to 50 million clicks.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the HyperX Cloud Alpha S gaming headset is now shipping. The new addition to HyperX's gaming headset line-up features custom-tuned HyperX virtual 7.1 surround sound and bass adjustment sliders for three levels of bass fine-tuning providing listeners with a richer audio gaming experience.

The Cloud Alpha S offers the design and sound quality features found in the HyperX Cloud Alpha including dual chamber technology that separates bass frequencies from the mids and highs for more accurate audio. The custom-tuned HyperX virtual 7.1 surround sound with an advanced audio control mixer feature enables surround sound and the ability to adjust the mix between game and chat audio.

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it has been ranked the top DRAM module supplier in the world, according to the latest rankings by DRAMeXchange, a division of TrendForce. Kingston retains its number 1 position with an estimated 72.17 percent market share, according to TrendForce. Their findings reinforce Kingston's position in the marketplace as the leading third-party supplier of DRAM modules. The rankings for 2018 mark the 16th consecutive year that TrendForce has placed Kingston in the top spot.

TrendForce states that spot prices stayed high in 1H18, even surpassing contract prices by over 20 percent. Despite rising inventory levels and price decreases in 2H18, the report indicates module manufacturers were still able to generate plenty of revenue and profit. Some of the prominent trends and growth drivers the market is witnessing include the growing popularity of online media streaming, recent technological developments in IoT, and the shift to data center and Cloud computing services.

HyperX, a gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the release of HyperX Cloud Orbit and Cloud Orbit S gaming headsets. Both headsets feature 100 mm Audeze planar magnetic drivers and offer Waves Nx 3D audio. The premium Cloud Orbit S headset includes Waves Nx head tracking technology to create a 3D audio experience while tracking head movements 1000 times a second. Gamers looking for affordable audiophile quality sound will find Cloud Orbit headsets deliver high resolution audio while gaming or listening to music. For audiophiles comparing similar headsets with planar drivers that typically cost thousands of dollars, Cloud Orbit is a premium headset that delivers audio quality audio at an attractive price under $300.

Both the Cloud Orbit and Cloud Orbit S headsets utilize 100 mm planar magnetic drivers and 3D audio technology to provide clear, realistic audio while creating an enhanced sound localization in a three-dimensional sound space. These Cloud Orbit headsets offer integrated audio controls located on the earcup to easily toggle features including HyperX custom-tuned 7.1 surround sound with a touch of a button. They also offer advanced audio customization to easily calibrate 3D audio settings to individual user measurements, customizable room ambiance, and built-in preset EQ profiles.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology, Inc., today announced the release of FURY DDR4 RGB and a new look to the FURY DDR4 lineup. The new memory kits both offer automatic Plug N Play overclocking functionality. For DDR4 users that need fast, high-density memory, HyperX has added models up to 64 GB at 3466 MHz. The new FURY DDR4 and FURY DDR4 RGB are cost-effective, high-performance upgrades for Intel and AMD's latest platforms that feature Plug N Play, which enables automatic memory overclocking at standard DDR4 1.2 V settings. The new FURY models also feature Intel XMP-ready profiles optimized for Intel's latest platform.

The HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB comes equipped with an LED light bar with fluid RGB lighting effects and utilizes HyperX Infrared Sync, which allows the modules to remain synchronized. The memory is compatible with lighting control software from a range of motherboard vendors, including ASUS Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, and MSI Mystic Light Sync. Additional information about software and motherboard compatibility is available online at respective partner websites. FURY DDR4 RGB memory is also compatible with HyperX NGenuity software.

Back at CES 2019 we shared a story on Kingston's then upcoming A2000 series NVMe drives. The company's development strategy for these was to undercut SATA SSDs in pricing while delivering non SATA-bound speeds. The company planned to leverage component cost falls for NVMe controllers, pairing that with the reduced materials cost of NVMe drives (smaller than their SATA counterparts) so as to be able to achieve below-SATA price points. The choice of Toshiba's BiCS4 3D TLC NAND also aimed to keep costs down, whilst delivering performance that's "at least three times as high as SATA-bound drives".

The company is offering a limited 5-year warranty on their A2000 series, which in itself is a sign of the company's confidence in these products - despite their entry-level classification and overall development strategy. The A2000 series will be available in 250 GB, 500 GB and 1 TB capacities, with speeds claimed of up to 2,200/2,000MB/s sequential read/writes; up to 250,000/220,000 IOPS in random 4K read/writes; and 600 TBW rating (all of these values are for the 1 TB solution, with TBW falling to 350 TBW for the 500 GB part and 150 TBW for the 250 GB drive. These drives make use of a PCIe 3.0 4x controller, which means savings weren't at the expense of 2x PCIe channels, as some solutions have done in the past in order to cut costs. Pricing is being quoted at $40 for the 250 GB part, $60 for the 500 GB one, and a mere $100 for the 1 TB part. The true democratization of NVMe SSDs has just caught some heavy favorable winds on its sails.