Zalman CNPS9900 LED CPU Cooler

Pinchy · Jan 14, 2009

Zalman's CNPS9900 LED is their newest all copper model in the CNPS series. A silent 120 mm blue LED fan has been placed between two arrays of pure copper fins. With exceptional performance and amazing looks, the CNPS9900 LED is a great CPU cooler if you can justify spending $79 for a CPU cooler.

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TRIPTEX_CAN · Jan 16, 2009

Nice review I like how Zalman changed the mounting system from the 9700. I like the 4 screw system because it's much easier to deal with than the 9700.

mlee49 · Jan 16, 2009

Excellent Review Pinchy! At first I thought the fan shourd would help the air flow over the heatsink more, but I guess thats not the case. In theory shouldn't the shroud provide air flow direction?
One last question, do you think it is compatible with most Mid-Tower cases? Would there be any clearance questions with any "average" sized cases?

Either way it sounds like this is a nice cooler over all.

Castiel · Jan 16, 2009

Wow that is nice! I'm going to go find one and buy it!

The Witcher · Jan 16, 2009

Just imagine this thing with a direct touch heat pipes.

I bet it would lower the temp by 5c or more just if they added that technology.

kenkickr · Jan 16, 2009

For the price I think I'll just move onto some WCing. It is a nice looking HSF though.

Apocolypse007 · Jan 16, 2009

The Witcher said:
Just imagine this thing with a direct touch heat pipes.

I bet it would lower the temp by 5c or more just if they added that technology.

Just what I was thinking. I wonder why they didn't do that?

I like the brushable thermal paste as compared to the syringe. It seems it would spread it nice and thin much easier

TRIPTEX_CAN · Jan 16, 2009

Apocolypse007 said:
Just what I was thinking. I wonder why they didn't do that?

I like the brushable thermal paste as compared to the syringe. It seems it would spread it nice and thin much easier

Probably patents and cost savings reasons... Although they are typically overpriced anyway.

Gam'ster · Jan 16, 2009

Nice review pinchy, and nice product zalman looks good and works better, As for the price you get what you pay for.

Random Murderer · Jan 16, 2009

looks like a damn good cooler...

off topic:
PINCHY! i thought you had died. what's going on, man?

J-Man · Jan 16, 2009

When I look at CPU coolers, I go straight to the performance tab :roll:

qubit · Jan 16, 2009

Higher is better

Higher is better should be lower is better in the performance charts.

Apocolypse007 · Jan 16, 2009

qubit said:
Higher is better should be lower is better in the performance charts.

Unless you are intel

qubit · Jan 16, 2009

Apocolypse007 said:
Unless you are intel

Yeah, I had to look twice at it, to make sure I didn't make a fool of myself correcting it. :laugh:

rozienzia · Jan 16, 2009

is it universal socket? i prefer to buy an AM2+ mobo next week..hope i can build my dragon platform with this one,

cheers everyone..
many appreciate

Frederik S · Jan 16, 2009

Nicely done!
Looks like a decent cooler.

Pinchy · Jan 16, 2009

Thanks for comments + diggs

mlee49 said:
Excellent Review Pinchy! At first I thought the fan shourd would help the air flow over the heatsink more, but I guess thats not the case. In theory shouldn't the shroud provide air flow direction?
One last question, do you think it is compatible with most Mid-Tower cases? Would there be any clearance questions with any "average" sized cases?

Either way it sounds like this is a nice cooler over all.

I am unsure why the shroud doesnt help. It could possibly be that there is less airflow as I think the fan takes air from around it as well as behind it (if the shroud was on, it can only take air from behind it...through a block of fins and that single heatpipe). Also size-wise, it should be able to fit into any mid atx case just fine but for the smaller cases, you may have to remove the side panel fan.

qubit said:
Higher is better should be lower is better in the performance charts.

Thanks for picking that up...I didn't even notice!

Now fixed

rozienzia said:
is it universal socket? i prefer to buy an AM2+ mobo next week..hope i can build my dragon platform with this one,

cheers everyone..
many appreciate

Yep it has different brackets/clips included for AM2+.

Random Murderer said:
looks like a damn good cooler...

off topic:
PINCHY! i thought you had died. what's going on, man?

LOL Im on holidays atm

(Have been since two days after Christmas!). Doing a review on a rainy day didnt sound like a bad idea

. Im only "borrowing"

D) neighbours internet to check TPU every now and then, check emails and post reviews lol.

Also FYI to anyone who has noticed temps changed dramatically since the last review; The CPU has changed from an e6750 to an e8500. Every cooler has been rebenchmarked for accuracy.

mlee49 · Jan 17, 2009

Thanks man, great review! I look forward to more!!!

v12dock · Jan 17, 2009

Woot going to pick one up now.

t77snapshot · Jan 17, 2009

I just bought the 9500A and now this comes out....Damn! Its similar to the Asus Silent Knight, but with a way better design.

aCid888* · Jan 17, 2009

Good review as always. (that's why TPU is the place to be for all your tech needs!)

Back to the cooler...its far too expensive and to be honest, Zalman often ride on their fame of yester-year.
I have a Scythe Ninja rev 2 and a Xigmatek HDT1283 and they both will outperform this cooler with the Xiggy being considerably cooler then both the Zalman and the Scythe.

Save your money, stop buying eye-candy (if you must buy eye-candy, look into p0rn) and get this cooler instead. HERE FOR DUAL'S | HERE FOR QUAD'S

Pinchy · Jan 17, 2009

aCid888* said:
Good review as always. (that's why TPU is the place to be for all your tech needs!)

Back to the cooler...its far too expensive and to be honest, Zalman often ride on their fame of yester-year.
I have a Scythe Ninja rev 2 and a Xigmatek HDT1283 and they both will outperform this cooler with the Xiggy being considerably cooler then both the Zalman and the Scythe.

Save your money, stop buying eye-candy (if you must buy eye-candy, look into p0rn) and get this cooler instead. HERE FOR DUAL'S | HERE FOR QUAD'S

I wouldnt be too sure about the Xiggy beating it as on other sites I have looked at, the Core Contact Freezer does around what the Xiggy does and this seems to do better. That being said, different reviewers use different ambients, I know my control is relatively high, and I know coolers do slightly different at different ambients. (Some coolers dont do as well under a higher ambient, for example).

That being said tho, it i definately overpriced.

WarEagleAU · Jan 17, 2009

Guess they got tired of getting their ass kicked by the DHT of Xigmatek and the like and by the TT Duo Orb. It kind of has the feel of the Duo Orb to it though.

15th Warlock · Jan 18, 2009

Thanks for the review!

I have one question only, how does this cooler compare to Zalman's previous top of the line model, the 9700?

Thanks!

EarlZ · Jan 18, 2009

The review over xbit labs shows that it doesnt even beat the age old SI128 from thermalright, yet the review i see here seem its like a pretty decent performer.

System Name	UltraPC
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Zalman CNPS9900 LED CPU Cooler

Pinchy

TRIPTEX_CAN

mlee49

Castiel

The Witcher

kenkickr

Apocolypse007

New Member

TRIPTEX_CAN

Gam'ster

New Member

Random Murderer

The Anti-Midas

J-Man

New Member

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

Apocolypse007

New Member

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

rozienzia

New Member

Frederik S

Pinchy

mlee49

v12dock

Block Caption of Rainey Street

t77snapshot

aCid888*

New Member

Pinchy

WarEagleAU

Bird of Prey

15th Warlock

EarlZ

New Member

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Power Supply	750 Watt Apevia Warlock
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