Tuesday, March 27th 2012

Zalman Radeon HD 7950 Graphics Card Pictured

It's no news that Zalman is a graphics card vendor in its own might. The company is ready with its Radeon HD 7950 graphics card (model: ZALMAN HD7950-Z). The card uses a slightly customized AMD reference design PCB (customized with its color), augmented with Zalman's proven VF3000 VGA cooler. The VF3000 is a large aluminum fin heatsink to which heat is fed by copper heat pipes, ventilated by two large red LED-lit fans.

The cooler occupies three expansion slots, and is said to offer temperatures as low as 20°C below what the AMD reference cooler manages. This particular model sticks to AMD reference clock speeds, leaving it to end-users to take advantage of the cooler and overclock for themselves, although plans for an OC model are underway.
Source: PC Watch Akiba
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26 Comments on Zalman Radeon HD 7950 Graphics Card Pictured

#1
Shurakai
Can't get much uglier than that. :(
Posted on Reply
#3
mauriek
I always like this company, still own few of Zalman product, but they need to focus to produce better product meanwhile their cooler market share is being eaten by better innovative company. And yet they choose to fight in already crowded Graphic card market.

Differentiation technique works better when we already have a different product
Posted on Reply
#5
MxPhenom 216
ASIC Engineer
ShurakaiCan't get much uglier than that. :(
i was just thinking that. red cooler with blue PCB! :slap:

Black PCB and then it would look alright.
Posted on Reply
#6
RejZoR
Someone at Zalman is a Transformers fan...
Posted on Reply
#7
Legacy-ZA
  • No cooling on the memory
  • Most of the heatsink is wasted with that heatpipe design and bad heatsink placement
  • Might as well be a triple slot card
  • Not a black PCB
Posted on Reply
#8
THE_EGG
So they chuck a big heatsink on it without any reinforcing on the card....SMART. I used to be a huge fan of Zalman but lately since they decided to make different products (e.g. graphics cards), they really haven't been in the spotlight like they used to be back when the 9900 and 9700 coolers were around.
Posted on Reply
#9
micropage7
first is why dont they design better fans cover than that
and one more, i dont see new things compared to the others cooling solution
Posted on Reply
#10
droozel
well, it is ugly, at least in photos.. :twitch:
Posted on Reply
#11
Huddo93
The color scheme does not represent what the current gamer/enthusiast builders are into, for example a Matte Black PCB is a basic necessity due to the clean/stealth look that most builders like, along with a cooler that doesn't completely look like a big waste of space >.<

If they made these changes, in my opinion it would be a great looking/selling card:
-Matte Black PCB
-Can keep the cooler design, make it double slot, and make it cover the whole card (sort of in the twinfrozer style from MSI)

Would look badass and keep the classic Zalman cooler design!
Posted on Reply
#12
trt740
Not sure about the negative comments on the cooler because it is very very good and in my opinion second only to an Accelerro. I used it on a 5870, 5850 and 580. However, how about a red or black PCB , it would look a much better.
Posted on Reply
#13
MeanBruce
Blue PCB? What were they thinking? I remember when first ditching my Dell and getting into building my own PC, the first component was that huge shiny copper Zalman CPU HSF. I loved it, but after discovering Noctua and super quiet Asus DirectCU video coolers, no reason to every go back...
Posted on Reply
#14
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
That blue is Zalman's signature shade, the one it uses in its logo.
Posted on Reply
#15
jpierce55
The fans and hs cover look cheap to me, and I think the color scheme is part of that.
Posted on Reply
#16
Grings
btarunrThat blue is Zalman's signature shade, the one it uses in its logo.
If they had actually used it on the cooler (where there logo is) it wouldn't look half as bad...

Seems a lot of trouble having a custom colour PCB made, only to plonk a red cooler on, even the black one would have looked better
Posted on Reply
#17
dj-electric
I think that the manufacture that stands behind those PCBs is HIS-digital, judging by the navy color.
Posted on Reply
#18
AsRock
TPU addict
ShurakaiCan't get much uglier than that. :(
Ugly or not it should be always about performance.
Posted on Reply
#19
Mindweaver
Moderato®™
RejZoRSomeone at Zalman is a Transformers fan...
Or Spiderman... :roll:
Posted on Reply
#20
TurdFergasun
wow, 2 whole heatpipes... zalman you shouldn't have gone to such effort.
Posted on Reply
#21
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
Slaps all these quotes in the face with a Grain Sack of Nickles

Yall whine about the smallest things, make me wonder if all of you are a bunch of PMSing women right now.

1. The cooler has been on the market for some time, thus it works well enough to even be on the 7950. Performance of the cooler isn't a major concern, plus those who complain about how it doesn't attach to the ram- it probably doesn't need to- GDDR5 apparently stays fairly cool compared to GDDR3/DDR3.

1.a If you're a true overclocker they won't hand you everything to do so- overclocking used to take work and should still and is a art not a science, so just throw ramsinks or even a fan in the area. If you want the work already done and handed to you- buy a Lightning/ PCS+,Toxic/Atomic/VaporX

2. The Color Scheme is a definite change of pace as black on silver/copper/black all the time from every other board maker gets boring (Show off the hardware not hide it) Stands out for sure and I personally like the polished aluminum look of the card shroud.

2.a Atleast it's not OEM Green or Asus' Ugly Yellow/Cheese Color or Turd Fergason Brown.

2.b Stealthy Look?- peh In Aviation Field Black Stands out more on a blue sky than gray ever does. Plus Black has a high IR signature.

3. Just remember Blue PCB users were both HIS and Sapphire, I honestly miss the Red PCB of AMD cards.

4. If you don't like the card there is already other alternatives available that fit yall's tastes.
TurdFergasunwow, 2 whole heatpipes... zalman you shouldn't have gone to such effort.
GringsIf they had actually used it on the cooler (where there logo is) it wouldn't look half as bad...

Seems a lot of trouble having a custom colour PCB made, only to plonk a red cooler on, even the black one would have looked better
MindweaverOr Spiderman... :roll:
AsRockUgly or not it should be always about performance.
MeanBruceBlue PCB? What were they thinking? I remember when first ditching my Dell and getting into building my own PC, the first component was that huge shiny copper Zalman CPU HSF. I loved it, but after discovering Noctua and super quiet Asus DirectCU video coolers, no reason to every go back...
Huddo93The color scheme does not represent what the current gamer/enthusiast builders are into, for example a Matte Black PCB is a basic necessity due to the clean/stealth look that most builders like, along with a cooler that doesn't completely look like a big waste of space >.<

If they made these changes, in my opinion it would be a great looking/selling card:
-Matte Black PCB
-Can keep the cooler design, make it double slot, and make it cover the whole card (sort of in the twinfrozer style from MSI)

Would look badass and keep the classic Zalman cooler design!
trt740Not sure about the negative comments on the cooler because it is very very good and in my opinion second only to an Accelerro. I used it on a 5870, 5850 and 580. However, how about a red or black PCB , it would look a much better.
micropage7first is why dont they design better fans cover than that
and one more, i dont see new things compared to the others cooling solution
THE_EGGSo they chuck a big heatsink on it without any reinforcing on the card....SMART. I used to be a huge fan of Zalman but lately since they decided to make different products (e.g. graphics cards), they really haven't been in the spotlight like they used to be back when the 9900 and 9700 coolers were around.
Legacy-ZA
  • No cooling on the memory
  • Most of the heatsink is wasted with that heatpipe design and bad heatsink placement
  • Might as well be a triple slot card
  • Not a black PCB
nvidiaintelftwi was just thinking that. red cooler with blue PCB! :slap:

Black PCB and then it would look alright.
Dj-ElectriCDear ZALMAN, make it black
k10x
ShurakaiCan't get much uglier than that. :(
mauriekI always like this company, still own few of Zalman product, but they need to focus to produce better product meanwhile their cooler market share is being eaten by better innovative company. And yet they choose to fight in already crowded Graphic card market.

Differentiation technique works better when we already have a different product
RejZoRSomeone at Zalman is a Transformers fan...
droozelwell, it is ugly, at least in photos.. :twitch:
Posted on Reply
#22
TurdFergasun
you sure seem worked up about ppl not liking a poor quality, shotty looking, and overpriced gpu cooler. you sure you're not having cramps?
Posted on Reply
#23
m1dg3t
Zalman should stick to what to what they know; over priced, underperforming, unappealing cooling product's. This card/cooler combo is fugly! I mean you would think they would spend 5sec on getting the colour combo right :shadedshu
Posted on Reply
#24
H82LUZ73
MindweaverOr Spiderman... :roll:
Or Smurfette forgot to change her pads.

eidairaman1 man if you want red pcb try buying Diamond or PowerCooler Tul brands,They have RED PCB.
Posted on Reply
#25
THE_EGG
m1dg3tZalman should stick to what to what they know; over priced, underperforming, unappealing cooling product's. This card/cooler combo is fugly! I mean you would think they would spend 5sec on getting the colour combo right :shadedshu
back in the day they were great, in fact even the 9900 cooler is still quite good especially for the price of only $49 here is aus (zalman products are cheap in aus). But yes since they diversed into other products they haven't been performing lately unfortunately.
Posted on Reply
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