Zalman Displays CNPS12X, Massive CPU Cooler

[btarunr]

Here are the first pictures of CNPS12X, Zalman's new top-tier CPU cooler. Zalman is popular for its omega-shaped aluminum fin ring coolers that were counted among the best in the business for the better part of last decade, before tower-type coolers took over. Tower-type coolers offer the best cooling efficiency to the weight. The only way so far to better tower-type air-coolers in their category is double-tower type, where heat pipes pass through two aluminum fin towers, with two or three fans nested in between, in coolers such as the Noctua NH-D14 and Coolink Corator DS. Zalman made its first tower-type cooler with CNPS10X, and later implemented the design a number of times over, on CNPS11X, CNPS5X, and CNPS7X.

The CNPS12X is a faint tribute to the round fin-ring design heatsink, except that it's not. It is a double-tower type heatsink, with ring-like aluminum fin stacks. Unlike with true ring-type heatsinks where fins would propagate along the main heat pipes, on CNPS12X, they pass straight upwards from the base. The heat pipes pass through the first fin stack, through a base where they make direct contact with the CPU, and then on through the second fin stack. The cooler comes with three fans pre-installed, one at the intake, one between the two fin stacks, and one at the exhaust. The heatsink is large, at 151 (L) x 132 x 153 mm, weighing in at 1.00 kg.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[micropage7]

wow, zalman must try hard to pair aesthetics and performance.
with direct contact it would improve heat transfer better than previous edition

 

[RejZoR]

Interesting. This might even fit into my microATX system. If the performance is good. Hm, might even consider this one.

 

[Jonap_1st]

look so gorgeous. strong contender for the best HSF..

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I'm going to assume performance will be right up there with top air coolers, so I only have two complaints. Sleeve the damn fans. It'd be a bitch having to do that yourself with that 3 in 1 fan header. Secondly, ditch the plastic top. I get real sick of these coolers like the frio that have these plastic "engine" cover type things right up top where we have to stair at it. Plastic is just always going to look out of place against all that metal.

 

[RejZoR]

I think that's because center fan is mounted there (it has 3 fans).

 

[micropage7]

i just realize its triple fans, thats kinda over kill although it helps reduce the temp. noise and vibration are the next matter

 

[Yukikaze]

This is pretty sexy, I have to say.

 

[Hayder_Master]

When i see Zalman this days im always say we miss old times

 

[Yellow&Nerdy?]

Brings back memories from the old Zalman coolers. Other than the signature circular design and 3 fans, this is pretty similar to a bunch of the dual-tower coolers out there. Let's hope both price and performance are where they should be.

 

[mlee49]

Not bad, one of the few that does not require those silly fan clips or snaps.

Results should be good too, 3 fans keeping very nice airflow.

 

[wahdangun]

WTF 3 fans !!!!!!!!!!

so what the use of the fan in the middle ?? its just add more noise. and its look so ugly

damm I miss old zalman

 

[mlee49]

Well hopefully it will cool more than just the heatsink, specifically provide airflow under the cpu area to the mosfet/power phase area.

 

[Batou1986]

Well hopefully it will cool more than just the heatsink, specifically provide airflow under the cpu area to the mosfet/power phase area.

i think your on the right track, notice in picture 2 that the fan blades on the middle fan are different then the outer fans.
Secondly 3 fans at low speed can push more air while being quiet compared to 2 or 1.

 

[jalex3]

i bet its loud and does not perform well... like their last few... also i cant change the fans? :shadedshu

 

[IINexusII]

Not bad, one of the few that does not require those silly fan clips or snaps.

Results should be good too, 3 fans keeping very nice airflow.

if this thing had clips it would break right off when its in a case... 1kg weight

 

[PopcornMachine]

Looks real nice, but the main questions are the noise level and, most importantly, does it have blue LEDs.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

I love there coolers, and this looks like the first one in a couple of years I am actually compelled to purchase!

 

[xBruce88x]

hmm... maybe this will cool my cpu. Summer just hit strong and hard here... was 100F yesterday, about 97 now... with high 90s for a week forcasted (and probably until aug) with no ac i need a pretty good heatsink/fan, this may do the trick

 

[WarraWarra]

Design / shape is nice, 1kg bloody hell, 3 fans 1 of them would likely negatively affect eh others but there is no way to remove 1 of 3 and still get the rated cooling performance.

Would this be any better price and performance than the Zalman CNPS9900MAX ?
Could be much better during install and on your hands with fins and mounting it.

O wait I see there is a few others in the pics mix page.
Look at the one behind the first link description board, looks interesting.

http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/Computex_2011/unsorted_092.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/Computex_2011/unsorted_089.jpg

 

[damric]

Does this also have the 2nd generation heatpipes like the cnps11x?

 

[pantherx12]

Design / shape is nice, 1kg bloody hell, 3 fans 1 of them would likely negatively affect eh others but there is no way to remove 1 of 3 and still get the rated cooling performance.

Would this be any better price and performance than the Zalman CNPS9900MAX ?
Could be much better during install and on your hands with fins and mounting it.

O wait I see there is a few others in the pics mix page.
Look at the one behind the first link description board, looks interesting.

http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/Computex_2011/unsorted_092.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/live/images/Computex_2011/unsorted_089.jpg

Most tower heatsinks are 700-750 g without fans.


I really like the aesthetics of this.
So when you add two fans two a tower sink your over a kilo anyway : ]

Also the middle fan will reduce resistance, basically the whole thing is a wind tunnel so you get no hot spots ( in theory )

 

[Zubasa]

WTF 3 fans !!!!!!!!!!

so what the use of the fan in the middle ?? its just add more noise. and its look so ugly

damm I miss old zalman

3-Fans are good for static pressure, especially for multi-fin-stack heat-sinks like this. They did this so that they don't have to use noisy high RPM fans to get enough air-flow.
Those fans are only running at 1200RPM max, they won't be noisy at all, unlike the recent CNPS coolers with 2k RPM+ fans.

i bet its loud and does not perform well... like their last few... also i cant change the fans? :shadedshu

People just bitch for the sake of bitching.
Did you even look at the pictures?
Those 3-fans are only 1200RPM.

 

[damric]

i bet its loud and does not perform well... like their last few... also i cant change the fans? :shadedshu

The recently released 11x performed as well as high end coolers like the TR Archon due to new internal design of the heat pipes, and only uses one fan.

 

[Play3r]

only time will tell with reviews. but it looks pretty decent