Zalman announce a new high-end CPU cooler
Andy Ruffell / 13 years ago
Zalman’s latest product, first presented at this year’s Computex, is a high-end CPU cooler targeting today’s best air coolers on the market: the CNPS12X.
Since June, the CNPS12X has gained a couple of features including retention module changes that make it fully compatible with Intel’s upcoming LGA2011 as well as AMD’s AM3+ and FM1.
Measuring 151 x 132 x 154 mm (LxWxH) and weighing exactly 1kg, this huge monster may cause some troubles to small cases, so costumers beware.
Even though its sheer size, the fin arrangements is similar to that of the Noctua NH-D14, with it’s two fin stacks, only this time, the fins adopt a circular shape. To allow for a (more than) good airflow, the CNPS12X is equipped with three blue LED 120mm fans, one at the front for intake, one between the fin stacks as a conveyer and one at the back for exhaust. As for their speed, bundled with three RC5 intermediate resistors, with the latter they will spin with speeds ranging from 850 to 1100 RPM with a noise output as low as 22dBA, while without the resistor, the fans will reach speeds ranging from 950 to 1200 RPM with at least a noise output of 24dBA (notice that the noise output is stated to be ‘as low as’ and ‘at least’, they aren’t not the maximum noise output, something Zalman could have been more honest about as we usually expect to have the maximum output).
Mostly made of dark nickel-plated copper although you will also find some aluminium, the two fin stacks are connected to the heatsink by six heat-pipes, nickel-plated copper as well, and in direct contact with the CPU. The CNPS12X seems to offer some very efficient cooling.
Zalman didn’t announce any price or release date so far.
