A Closer Look

The Zalman CNPS14X is a dual-tower design that makes use of six 6 mm heatpipes arranged in a "U" shape. A 140 mm fan placed in the center of the heatsink provides active cooling by pulling air through the first set of aluminum fins--there are a total of 45 fins--before pushing the air through the second set of fins.


Zalman's CNPS14X has a surface area of 10,466 cubic centimeters for heat dissipation, spread across dual-fin stacks made up of 45 aluminum fins. The design itself is, considering its size, simple and light, but the quality is not in the same league as competing products from the likes of Noctua, Phanteks, or Silverstone.


The fan is uniquely Zalman in that it differs greatly from more traditional fans with plastic frames. The fan is mounted to a metal bracket that attaches to the heatsink's base with four screws. No specifications on airflow are listed on the packaging, but its model number is ZP13525BLL.


Zalman's six 6 mm heatpipes are arranged in a "U", with equal amounts space between each one of them. The aluminum fins are pressed onto the heatpipes with no readily visible gaps. With only a minor visible gap, the connection between the base and heatpipes was also fairly solid on my sample. Zalman has given the base itself a nice polish. That, while not a mirror finish, is still nice to see.