The Intel NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon) Review: Kaby Lake-G Benchmarked
by Ganesh T S on March 29, 2018 1:00 PM ESTIntel has enjoyed great success with its NUC line of ultra-compact and small form-factor (UCFF & SFF) PCs. While the UCFF form-factor managed to provide enough horsepower for office tasks and other similar use-cases, the gaming market was not addressed. With the emergence of PC gaming as a growth driver, Intel took steps to expand the capabilities of the NUC lineup by creating the NUC6i7KYK (Skull Canyon) with a slightly larger form factor. It came with a high-end integrated GPU (Intel Iris Pro Graphics 580 with 128MB eDRAM) that provided consumers with a bit more gaming leeway compared to other NUCs. Back at the 2018 CES, Intel launched its successors - the NUC8i7HVK and the NUC8i7HNK (Hades Canyon). They are the first desktop PCs to make use of Kaby Lake-G with a Radeon GPU and HBM2 memory in the same package as the processor. Intel provided us with a sample of the high-end Hades Canyon NUC to put through our rigorous benchmarking and evaluation routines.
Introduction and Platform Analysis
Gaming systems and small form-factor (SFF) PCs have turned out to be growth segments in a desktop PC market that has been subject to severe challenges recently. Many vendors have tried to combine the two, but space constraints and power concerns have ended up as performance-limiting factors as soon as a discrete GPU is brought into the equation. We have seen interesting solutions using desktop GPUs in the recent past - namely, the Zotac E-series SFF PCs using high-end 175W TDP GPUs and coupling them with 65W desktop CPUs and liquid cooling. However, they still do not fit into the portability paradigm pioneered by the NUCs (both traditional and the Skull Canyon form factor).
Kaby Lake-G (KBL-G) ties together the processor die, discrete GPU die, and its associated HBM2 memory in one package with a single package TDP. This enables a common thermal solution and intelligent power sharing between the discrete GPU and the processor. These aspects of KBL-G are important to understand the performance of the Hades Canyon NUC. We will not discuss all the features of KBL-G in this article - readers unfamiliar with the product line can peruse our launch coverage.
Unlike Skull Canyon, which has only one SKU (NUC6i7KYK) with the Core i7-6700HQ, Intel is launching Hades Canyon in two versions - the NUC8i7HVK and the NUC8i7HNK. The NUC we are evaluating today is the more powerful of the two: the $999 VR-ready NUC8i7HVK sporting the 100W TDP unlocked Core i7-8809G. The footprint of the Hades Canyon NUCs (221mm x 142mm x 39mm / 1.2L) is slightly bigger than the Skull Canyon NUC (216mm x 116mm x 23mm / 0.69L). It is not surprising, given the additional cooling requirements for the higher TDP processor. Customizable RGB lighting for the lid is an attractive feature in the gaming market. Additional items in the product kit include a VESA mount and screws for the same and a geo-specific power cord to go with the 230W (19.5V @ 11.8A) adapter. A quick-start manual provides directions on how to add memory and SSDs to the unit.
Intel provided us a sample of the NUC8i7HVK with DDR4 SODIMMs and a couple of M.2 SSDs pre-installed. The specifications of our review unit are summarized in the table below.
Intel NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon) Specifications | |
Processor | Intel Core i7-8809G Kaby Lake, 4C/8T, 3.1GHz (up to 4.2GHz), 14nm+, 8MB L2, 100W Package TDP |
Memory | Kingston HyperX Impact HX432S20IB2K2/16 DDR4 20-22-22-42 @ 3200 MHz 2x8 GB |
Graphics | Radeon RX Vega M GH 24 CUs, 64 PPC 1063-1190MHz GPU, 800MHz Memory 4GB / 1024-bit HBM2 On-Package |
Disk Drive(s) | Intel Optane SSD 800p SSDPEK1W120GA (118 GB; M.2 Type 2280 PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe; Optane) Intel SSD 545s SSDSCKKW512G8 (512 GB; M.2 Type 2280 SATA III; Intel 64L 3D TLC) |
Networking | Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (2x2 802.11ac - 866 Mbps) 1x Intel I219-LM Gigabit LAN 1x Intel I210 Gigabit LAN |
Audio | 3.5mm Combo-audio Jack Capable of 5.1/7.1 digital output with HD audio bitstreaming (HDMI) |
Miscellaneous I/O Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 3 (rear) 4x USB 3.0 Type-A (rear) 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (front) 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A (front) 1x USB 3.0 Type-A Charging Port (front) 1x SDXC UHS-I Slot (front) CIR (front) 2x USB 3.0 / 2x USB 2.0 internal headers |
Operating System | Retail unit is barebones, but we installed Windows 10 Enterprise x64 Build 16299.334 |
Pricing (As configured) | $999 (barebones) / $1617 (as configured) |
Full Specifications | Intel NUC8i7HVK Specifications |
The retail NUC8i7HVK kit doesn't come with a pre-installed OS. Our evaluation was done with Windows 10 Enterprise x64 Build 16299.334 and all the latest patches installed. The launch BIOS of the Hades Canyon NUCs is already protected against Meltdown and Spectre, and hence, our evaluation was done on a fully patched system. The gallery below shows the various features of the chassis as well as the disassembly pictures for the installation of the memory and the SSD.
An important aspect to note in the above pictures include the USB headers visible in the opening beneath the top lid (perfect for third-party lids to take advantage). The presence of dual M.2 slots and dual Thunderbolt 3 ports is quite interesting, and that brings us to the platform configuration.
Platform Configuration and BIOS Features
The NUC8i7HVK uses the Kaby Lake-H Sunrise Point HM175 chipset. It provides a wide variety of I/O options. Of particular interest to us is the availability of 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes configurable as a mix of x1, x2, and x4 connections. The CPU itself has 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes. The lanes are utilized as follows:
- CPU:
- PCI-E 3.0 x8 port #2 In Use @ x8 (Radeon RX Vega M GH Graphics)
- PCI-E 3.0 x4 port #3 In Use @ x2 (ASMedia ASM2142 USB 3.1 xHCI Controller)
- PCI-E 3.0 x4 port #4 In Use @ x1 (O2Micro Integrated MMC/SD Controller)
- PCH:
- PCI-E 3.0 x1 port #2 In Use @ x1 (Intel I210 Gigabit Network Connection)
- PCI-E 3.0 x1 port #3 In Use @ x1 (Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 WiFi Adapter)
- PCI-E 3.0 x4 port #5 In Use @ x4 (Intel Dual-Port Alpine Ridge JHL6540 Thunderbolt 3 Controller)
- PCI-E 3.0 x4 port #9 In Use @ x4 (M.2 PCIe SSD) (Review Config In Use @ x2 (Intel NVMe SSD Controller))
- PCI-E 3.0 x4 port #13 In Use @ x4 (M.2 PCIe SSD) (Review Config Empty)
Similar to the Skull Canyon platform, the M.2 SSD slots' PCIe lanes are multiplexed with the SATA lanes. This allows consumers to place either PCIe SSDs or SATA SSDs in the M.2 slot. In fact, our review configuration uses the PCIe 3.0 x2 800p SSD in one slot and the SATA III 545s SSD in the other. The use of the HM175 chipset enables the I219-LM NIC in the system, and the second NIC is made possible via the I210 controller hanging off the PCH's PCIe lanes. We also have a new ASMedia USB 3.1 controller - the ASM2142 that is also present in the newer Zotac ZBOX units such as the EK71080 reviewed yesterday. Interestingly, it is connected directly to the CPU - a privilege we would rather have given to the Alpine Ridge controller. The WiFi adapter is a Wireless-AC 8265 M.2 2230 module with 2x2 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. We would have preferred the newer Wireless-AC 9260 with Bluetooth 5, but, fortunately, end-users can replace this M.2 module without voiding the warranty.
The various options available in the BIOS are covered in the gallery below:
The interesting screens are in the 'Performance' tab - allowing for overclocking of the processor and memory. It is also possible to enable or disable the Intel GPU in the 'Graphics' sub-section. It is enabled by default.
In the table below, we have an overview of the various systems that we are comparing the Intel NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon) against. Note that they may not belong to the same market segment. The relevant configuration details of the machines are provided so that readers have an understanding of why some benchmark numbers are skewed for or against the Intel NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon) when we come to those sections.
Comparative PC Configurations | ||
Aspect | Intel NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon) | |
CPU | Intel Core i7-8809G | Intel Core i7-8809G |
GPU | Radeon RX Vega M GH Graphics (4 GB HBM2) Intel HD Graphics 630 |
Radeon RX Vega M GH Graphics (4 GB HBM2) Intel HD Graphics 630 |
RAM | Kingston HyperX Impact HX432S20IB2K2/16 DDR4 20-22-22-42 @ 3200 MHz 2x8 GB |
Kingston HyperX Impact HX432S20IB2K2/16 DDR4 20-22-22-42 @ 3200 MHz 2x8 GB |
Storage | Intel Optane SSD 800p SSDPEK1W120GA (118 GB; M.2 Type 2280 PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe; Optane) Intel SSD 545s SSDSCKKW512G8 (512 GB; M.2 Type 2280 SATA III; Intel 64L 3D TLC) |
Intel Optane SSD 800p SSDPEK1W120GA (118 GB; M.2 Type 2280 PCIe 3.0 x2 NVMe; Optane) Intel SSD 545s SSDSCKKW512G8 (512 GB; M.2 Type 2280 SATA III; Intel 64L 3D TLC) |
Wi-Fi | Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (2x2 802.11ac - 866 Mbps) |
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (2x2 802.11ac - 866 Mbps) |
Price (in USD, when built) | $999 (Barebones) $1617 (with SSD, and RAM, as configured / No OS) |
$999 (Barebones) $1617 (with SSD, and RAM, as configured / No OS) |
124 Comments
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PeachNCream - Friday, March 30, 2018 - link
The price really is way too high right now compared to a laptop if your focus is gaming. If you need a LAN party portable box, a laptop is usually a better option anyway since the screen and keyboard aren't additional components you'll have to take with you. Because the NUC is so small, it lacks the upgrade advantages offered by a desktop form factor so you're basically dealing with an overpriced, screenless laptop. I'm all for the technology at the heart of the new NUC, but you're absolutely right that it needs to start at $600.bill44 - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
I was hoping so much from this machine, ready to buy, only to be disappointed.No Titan Ridge TB3 (DP 1.4)
No UHD-BD playback
TB3 not connected to CPU
UHS-1 only card reader, no UHS-II
Issues with storage bandwidth since Spectre/Meltdown issues, no in-silicon fix (I know, 2nd half 2018).
Disappointing WiFi speed, no BT 5, even if M.2 changed no aerial.
Hardware decoding/codec issues
etc.
When can we expect the next (fixed version) :)
cacnoff - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
Titan Ridge - not out yet.UHD-BD playback - doesn't work on nvidia either.
Point to ANY designs with TB3 connected to CPU.
repoman27 - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
Apple does this pretty regularly. But last I knew, everyone else had to go through the PCH due to Windows / UEFI limitations. Which is a bummer because of the additional latency and clear potential for bandwidth contention.Hifihedgehog - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
“We can actually see that the codec support from the Intel side is miles ahead of the Radeon's capabilities.”This is misinformed at best, and categorically false at worse. I have been using a Ryzen 5 2400G, on an ASRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/ac motherboard to drive an HDMI 2.0 4K display at 12-bit (yes, despite lacking formal certification, HDMI 2.0 works flawlessly on 300-series motherboards). I successfully can play back various hefty video material, including HEVC in the form of lossless MKV rips of my UHD Blu-rays, and VP9. Moreover, the color, deblocking, and scaling is far superior in terms of pure optical fidelity to the Intel Skull Canyon NUC’s hazy, unrefined hardware decoding solution. Also, I could go at length about the dropout and timing issues of Intel’s HD Graphics with various high-end AV receivers (Marantz, Denon, and Yamaha) that I have had (e.g. timing issues from their onboard DP-to-HDMI converters causing DAC and sound processing to operate in a compatibility mode with 16-bit sound depth). Suffice it to say, from an objective standpoint, Intel’s NUCs are utter trash, littered with issues, that fall far short from being serious home theater solutions.
garbagedisposal - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
" misinformed at best, and categorically false at worse"Yes, you are.
"HDMI 2.0 works flawlessly on 300-series motherboards"
Congrats on discovering the obvious. Nobody claimed otherwise
"successfully can play back various hefty video material, including HEVC"
So can intel, better and at lower power. Isn't it sad that the radeon can't do VP9 or netflix?
"color, deblocking, and scaling is far superior"
Sure. Everything just looks so wrong on intel. Certainly takes a special snowflake like you to notice, good job.
"Marantz, Denon, and Yamaha"
Nobody cares.
Rabid angry people like you are funny, do you really think anyone is going to read or care about your comment? Go away LOL
Hifihedgehog - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
Please be polite and less “rabid.” Thanks.Hifihedgehog - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
For anyone reading the post above, Vega can correctly decode VP9, hybrid or otherwise. What was posted above is incorrect.Hifihedgehog - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
“Congrats on discovering the obvious. Nobody claimed otherwise”This is also false. Many reviews online of the Ryzen Raven Ridge APUs claimed that HDMI 2.0 support was yet non-existent given that most motherboard manufacturers state only HDMI 1.4 for their 300-series AM4 boards. This concerned many users, but after thorough research and testing (see here: smallformfactor (dot) net /forum/threads/raven-ridge-hdmi-2-0-compatibility-1st-gen-am4-motherboard-test-request-megathread.6709/ ; I am the one who started the thread and led its discussion), it was concluded that all current motherboards work without limitations or issue regardless of the published specifications. I will also ignore the passive-aggressive sarcasm and sentiment laced in-between the lines from the “Congrats” to the “LOL.” Please be less rabid and angry, and more people will take your seriously.
ganeshts - Thursday, March 29, 2018 - link
The Radeon GPU CAN NOT do VP9 Profile 2 - so you will NEVER get YouTube HDR on the. No PAVP. QuickSync ecosystem support is way ahead of Radeon VCE. So, tell me why I am wrong in saying that the Intel iGPU is miles ahead of the Radeon Vega ? Any neutral industry observer can see that I am completely justified in making those claims.I am not talking about Ryzen APUs - I am talking about the Radeon GPU in the Core i7-8809G, as utilized in the NUC8i7HVK.