Zalman's CNPS14X CPU cooler was, while not the quietest in my tests, far from noisy, but its low noise levels are perhaps its best feature. Many users want quiet but powerful systems, and the CNPS14X certainly helps fill that role by being a quiet CPU cooler. The option of adding two more fans to further increase cooling performance is great. Performance gains from an additional two fans, while not always consistent, can be staggeringly large. When put under heavy load with Prime95, the CNPS14X went from 58°C with a single fan to 51°C with three fans. Once the system was overclocked, I again saw temperatures take a huge drop of 5°C when going from single to triple fans. The fact that the cooler still remains fairly quiet at just 47 dBA with three fans is a nice a touch. The ZM-STG2M thermal grease Zalman includes is also a nice improvement over more generic pastes. The CNPS14X, while not excellent in any one category, does alright, and its $54.99 price tag is affordable.

A few problems do stick out that really detract from Zalman's CNPS14X. The biggest is its price/performance ratio. At $54.99, the CNPS14X is all over the place, with the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO being far cheaper and more stable in terms of performance. The Silverstone Argon AR03 is in the same price range as the CNPS14X, but beats it soundly overall. This is bad because it leaves the CNPS14X cooler out in the cold, as it is shown up by cheaper and smaller competitors. The mounting hardware is also terrible; it felt like going back in time because its design made it annoying and tedious to install. You also need two more fans for around $15 a piece to maximize its performance. The other issue is the installation manual. Its small images are hard to make out.

My only other complaint about the Zalman's CNPS14X is the total cost to maximize its performance. The price of the cooler and two ZM-F4 fans comes to $85. This puts the CNPS14X in the same price range as the heavy-weight PH-TC14PE that slaughters it in terms of performance. I honestly expected much better performance. As it stands, it is hard to recommend this cooler when the cheaper Silverstone Argon AR03 is better and costs less--at least as they are out of the box. Meanwhile, adding extra fans makes the Zalman perform worse than the PH-TC14PE in the same price range. I am mostly left scratching my head as to the true purpose of this particular cooler from Zalman.

The Zalman CNPS14X, while promising, ends up falling short of the mark. There are currently better options available, such as the Silverstone Argon AR03 and Phanteks PH-TC12DX.