Zalman Announces CNPS12X High-End CPU Cooler

[btarunr]

Zalman announced its latest high-end CPU air cooler, the CNPS12X. This beast was first shown to public at this year's Computex trade-show, back in early June. Between then and now, the CNPS12X got some important retention module changes that make it fully compatible with the upcoming LGA2011 socket on which "Sandy Bridge-E" Core i7 processors are based, as well as AMD AM3+ and FM1. Measuring 151 x 132 x 154 mm (L x W x H), and weighing exactly 1 kg, the CNPS12X uses a design that's essentially identical to that of the NH-D14 from Noctua, that of two fin stacks. It's just that the stacks here are somewhat circular in shape, and that the CNPS12X uses three fans: an intake (before the first stack), a conveyer (between the two stacks), and an exhaust (after the second stack). All three fans are 120 mm in size, and are illuminated by blue LEDs.

The fans seem to be using 3-pin (voltage) method of speed control. Supplied with the cooler are three RC5 intermediate resistors, which make the fans spin at speeds between 850 and 1100 RPM with as low as 22 dBA noise output. Without the RC5, the fans spin between 950 and 1200 RPM, with at least 24 dBA noise output. The heatsink is made almost entirely of dark nickel-plated copper, with certain aluminum parts. Heat is conveyed to the two copper fin stacks by six nickel-plated copper heat pipes, that make direct contact with the CPU at base. Zalman did not give out pricing and availability information.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[chrone]

if this big could not beat thermalright ultra extreme, what does?

 

[H82LUZ73]

that thing is freaking huge,is it about the size of the Noctrua Dh14 .Good to see they went back to their rots of cpu coolers.3 fans lit ,that is more power strain to me.

 

[borden5]

this look cool for a cpu cooler i wonder what's the price

 

[Sasqui]

Amazing looking cooler, bottom looks a little rough. LED's should always be optional!

 

[popswala]

Looks nice. There coolers have been pretty good for some time now. Wish it had copper base. I guess you could always lap the bottom for better heat absorption.

 

[jalex3]

Any cooler I cant change fans on is an instant no buy.

 

[Delta6326]

This thing looks sweet and it looks like you don't have to worry about memory clearance. But I don't like it when you can't turn the LEDs off on fans.

 

[Fx]

this looks like win

 

[WarraWarra]

make it fully compatible with the upcoming LGA2011 socket

The magic words we where all waiting for and it looks like they spend time on this cooler's design and performance.
Except for size there is nothing wrong so far that I can see except the base plate that touches the cpu. Nice works Zalman. 98/100

 

[pantherx12]

if this big could not beat thermalright ultra extreme, what does?

Loads of heatsinks beat TRUE extreme, hell I bought a true black and gave it away because my Alpenfóhn heatsinks were better : ]


Also, I wish people would stop putting leds in things! Or if they do add a damn switch to turn them off.

 

[D4S4]

that base looks like crap. i wish this D.T.H. bullshit had never even gotten started. :shadedshu

 

[Breathless]

FANTASTIC looking heatsink...

 

[Volkszorn88]

Wow, what a sexy design. Finally something different and new and not the same-old same-old.

Love how the heatpipes make contact with the cpu.

 

[pantherx12]

that base looks like crap. i wish this D.T.H. bullshit had never even gotten started. :shadedshu

It's okay, once it's installed you won't see the base

 

[_JP_]

Looks impressive.
PERFORMANCE FIGURES PLZKTHX.

 

[techtard]

Good looking cooler. Hate the integrated fans though. I like to be able to easily change fans.

 

[csikosbela]

Looks good, but I thing that's all :/

 

[pantherx12]

Looks good, but I thing that's all :/

Yeah I reckon so too, if you look at the side profile picture you can see the amount of surface area availible is less than what you'd get with many other tower heatsinks.


Still, purty though.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

At first glance this looks aesthetically pleasing. Then you get to that pic of the top with that dark grey plastic POS. I'm really getting sick of all these simple yet epic aesthetic design flaws. Make it metal, paint it black, remove it completely, just put a modicum of thought into it assholes.

 

[Animalpak]

Nice a beast ! Hope they made one with green led's too.

 

[Zubasa]

Also, I wish people would stop putting leds in things! Or if they do add a damn switch to turn them off.

Well. Zalman usually does a fine job of making their coolers look good.
As long as the LEDs aren't in you face bright, it should be fine.

From what I see the LEDs are the moody darker blue that Zalman tends to use.

Nice a beast ! Hope they made one with green led's too.

Red will look good with AMD Graphics Cards

 

[Animalpak]

yeah thanks for your fanboyism disease...

 

[3volvedcombat]

I don't know about you guys,

But I see one of the roughest surfaces I have seen.

Yeah the CPU will probably touch at only 40-50% of the base.

But you can see a massive ripple affect and a "stamped" on affect at to the base of the CPU that doesn't look smooth at all, like ripple in a wave

 

[micropage7]

Good looking cooler. Hate the integrated fans though. I like to be able to easily change fans.

agree, it would much better if it can be paired with different fan.
but it looks impossible since the hsf is round like basket ball