Thursday, December 15th 2011

Zalman Intros CNPS20LQ CPU Cooler

Zalman took its first dip into water cooling after a while, with the CNPS20LQ, a self-contained (closed loop) CPU cooler. Designed and made originally by Asetek, a well-established brand name in OEM water cooling solutions, the CNPS20LQ uses a single-fan (dual-fan capable) radiator design. Its radiator measures 120 (W) x 158 (L) x 25 (H) mm. The radiator houses a small reservoir. The block houses a pump, which draws power from standard 4-pin CPU power header, and supports PWM control. The two are connected by flexible tubing. The block features a copper base with pre-applied thermal interface material. The CNPS20LQ supports all current socket types, including Intel LGA2011, LGA1155/1156, LGA1366, LGA775; AMD AM3+, FM1, and AM3/AM2+/AM2. It is priced at €69.90.
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29 Comments on Zalman Intros CNPS20LQ CPU Cooler

#1
joellim
all companies are making All in one water coolers now but they all perform the same because they are made by the same OEM!
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#2
cadaveca
My name is Dave
Looks like the Corsair-H70 head on the Intel-stock-water rad with a non LED fan like what's on the Intel cooler.


I recently aquired the AMD FX watercooler...it works really good, far better than my H70. Nice to see PWM control on this unit as well!
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#3
Chaitanya
waiting for coolermaster AIO as they are the only manufacturer(apart from thermaltake) who will go ahead with their own design of AIO liquid cooler. till then thanks but no thanks. :rockout:
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#4
Animalpak
nothing new same engineering
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#5
pantherx12
I would like to see some different designs in these coolers.

Not just different aesthetics.

Different pump, maybe a copper fin radiator rather than allu fin.

Hell maybe some kind of dual radiator design ( fan in the middle like a dual tower) with space for two additional fans.
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#6
Whilhelm
Hmm, this is not Zalman's first dip into watercooling. What about the Reserator series they did a while back. They also used to make CPU, VGA and chipset blocks. I guess its their first dip into the closed loop market though.
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#8
MGF Derp
At least a switch to copper tubing in the radiator so its not mixed metals and easier for modding would be nice.
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#9
phanbuey
asetek with a fan that can only be mounted one way.... :/

bit of a let down.
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#10
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
Totally identical to my Antec 920.
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#11
pantherx12
Anyone know if there's any cheap copies of these type of cpus coolers available to import from china yet?

Willing to give one a try if someone can find one.
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#12
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
pantherx12Anyone know if there's any cheap copies of these type of cpus coolers available to import from china yet?
You wouldn't want to mix "cheap copies" and "water cooling" for the safety of your hardware.
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#13
nickbaldwin86
I am only surprised it took Zalman this long, I think they have lot their touch. back in the day I used to love Zalman air coolers.
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#14
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
nickbaldwin86I am only surprised it took Zalman this long, I think they have lot their touch. back in the day I used to love Zalman air coolers.
Theres too much competition in this area. IMO Zalman have been look for ways to branch out into different areas then just stick with pushing the cart on CPU/VGA cooling. They are doing PC cases, PC Audio, SSDs, 3D monitors & external HDD caddys.

Sure theyve released a few new coolers, but i dont think thats their main focus anymore.
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#15
nickbaldwin86
I totally agree. but I am just amazed they jump on the wagon when so many are already on it and they didn't do anything but make a mirror image of what others have made.
when I think of Zalman I think coolers... not 3d monitors or SSDs
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#16
pantherx12
btarunrYou wouldn't want to mix "cheap copies" and "water cooling" for the safety of your hardware.
Most of it's made in china anyway :laugh:

As long as QC is decent it doesn't matter, also there's no way in hell I'd run it in my system without 48 hour leak testing and adding some cable ties round the connections :p


Beside I kinda like gambling with pc components I've found some decent hardware through doing it : ]


The power supply I'm using for example is a bargain!

Voltages nice and steady, doesn't run overly hot and it's modular.

It was about half the price of other 750w modular psus :laugh:

Chose it based on it actually having non BS wattage/amperage on the label ( where as most generics obviously say 750w! and then when you look a bit closer at the label you realise it doesn't add up :laugh: )

GPU cooler is fairly epic as well, although it's universal design is both a + and - .

( meant I had to chop up my stock support/cooling plate he he)
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#17
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
pantherx12Chose it based on it actually having non BS wattage/amperage on the label ( where as most generics obviously say 750w! and then when you look a bit closer at the label you realise it doesn't add up :laugh: )
that label could be total BS too. China knows how to make great things. but there some things bought on the highstreet i just wouldnt touch without a thorough inspection of the item at hand, Id especially stay away from things like Powersupplies and the like. you have no idea what sort of caps, chokes and other cheap components they are using in there. They could be secondhand components that were salvaged out of a broken TV someone chucked in the trash.

Chinese people are great at salvaging stuff. and its that ability that worries me as stuff they salage could end up anywhere and the QC sticker is more for decoration then stating the item has been 'Quality Checked'.

If you get burnt - you only have yourself to blame. Im sure you already know what sort of cheap rubbish that are widely available off the chinese highstreets.
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#18
pantherx12
FreedomEclipsethat label could be total BS too. .
Dude that is precisely what I am saying, the label actually adds up.

I can spot bullshit specs from a mile off, don't you worry ;)


If they were lying about specs the PSU would be spitting out fire when I put my system underload, the temperatures are fine and dandy.


I've had EZ cool psus before that spat out 45 degree air.

That's how you tell they're lying :laugh:


For example a crappy power supply would add together the 3.3 5v rail and 12v rail to get the total wattage.

Say for example ( purely made up fictional numbers here, just wanted to add up to 1000 lol)

It would have 250w for 3.3 and 12v and then have 750w for the 12v and claim the PSU was a 1000w unit.

Even the 750w for the 12v rails is wrong because they're using the maximums say ( again for example, this wouldn't make sense with the above wattage) 2x20 amps.

Where as actual fact it can't really supply 20 amps per rail, it be closer to 25-30 amps for BOTH rails, it just each rail can handle 20amps.


So after you take this all into account the "1000" w psu ends up being 600w but you won't find that out until you try and run 1000w through it ha ha.

( or, you could read the label ;) )
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#19
Widjaja
Zalman are just not what they used to be.
They used to have a niche market with their circular fin designs.
Now they are behind in cooling or keeping up by being like everyone else.

This water cooling unit looks a lot like an Antec Khuler to me.
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#20
loleafidas
I need sumthin' new on design or improving on thermal solution, 2 replace mah own Corsair H80. But this is just a younger brother of H70, n no more :-(
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#23
Hokum
I own and run a reserator v1 plus and it still does the trick 7 years since I bought it! Zalman already know how to make water cooling gear why copy others?
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#24
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
loleafidasI need sumthin' new on design or improving on thermal solution, 2 replace mah own Corsair H80. But this is just a younger brother of H70, n no more :-(
Corsair H100? perhaps??

Alternatives: XSPC Rasa 750 RS240, XSPC Rasa 750 RS360
HokumI own and run a reserator v1 plus and it still does the trick 7 years since I bought it! Zalman already know how to make water cooling gear why copy others?
Im suprised your reserator has lasted this long, though saying that, there are hundreds of websites out there where you can mod a newer/powerful pump to replace the old one. the limitation of the Reserator is the fact that is air cooled, so it really depends what you hook it upto and how many things youve hooked it upto. I dont think it would be so great for crossfired 6950's and overvolted/overclocked 2500k and upwards unless you cabletie some delta fans to it which totally defeats the idea behind the reserator's 'passive' cooling.

---


If youre still running one of those units anyhoo - youre hardware is most likely from that era too as Zalman have long since discontinued it which means no new waterblocks or other accessories etc etc unless the blocks from other brands work with it
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#25
Hokum
FreedomEclipseIf youre still running one of those units anyhoo - youre hardware is most likely from that era too as Zalman have long since discontinued it which means no new waterblocks or other accessories etc etc unless the blocks from other brands work with it
My 960T@4ghz and 5850 are nicely cooled by it :)

Hardly stoneage hardware... ;)
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