The Zalman CNPS17X is a bit of a mixed bag. To start with, performance is only decent overall. Under stock conditions, the cooler actually does exceptionally well. This holds true for the majority of OC tests, but as the load on the processor increases, it begins to fall behind. In the end, it is tied by a $27 entry-level ID-Cooling SE 224 XT Basic cooler in the OC FPU test, which is not a great showing. Keeping price and performance in mind, the Scythe Fuma 2 is also more affordable, 7 dBA quieter, and delivers 2°C lower temperatures. As a whole, the price to performance here isn't all that great and only gets worse when you factor in that it is somewhat loud at 47 dBA and has lackluster memory clearance since the cooler doesn't have an offset design. Because of this, the cooler encroaches on the first expansion slot, which limits potential compatibility on some Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards and even blocks a DIMM slot on our motherboard. So while performance isn't terrible, it is the little things that really hit the Zalman cooler hard when compared to competing products.

I can say the CNPS17X is definitely more focused towards the visual design elements than pure performance, and even then, they won't be to everyone's taste. Zalman's spider-inspired fans and the copper-colored electroplated fins mean you do end up with a truly unique, eye catching cooler that stands out in a sea of look-a-likes but that alone isn't quite enough. The ARGB lighting, while limited to the fan, is definitely different compared to what you will usually find. Granted, RGB lighting still remains a love-it or hate-it feature, but at least here, if you turn it off, there is still a visually interesting design even when the lighting is turned off.

In terms of build quality, there really aren't any major flaws for the Zalman CNPS17X. Its smaller size means the mounting hardware isn't nearly as finicky to work with compared to the CNPS20X. Of course, it can still be improved upon with captive bolts, but at least here, it is not nearly as tedious as it was on their flagship cooler. Sadly, Zalman only backs this cooler with a one year warranty. Granted, air coolers don't typically fail like AIOs or other products, but considering the overall build quality, I would expect more than the bare minimum here. Customers like to know they will be supported and that a company stands behind their product, which would have definitely made some longer-term support a nice bonus.

Overall, the Zalman CNPS17X doesn't quite measure up. Instead it is too expensive for the performance it offers and the minor issues encountered. Zalman really needs to bring the price of CNPS17X down into the $40–$50 range to increase competitiveness. For now, if you love the looks of the cooler, I would recommend the CNPS20X over its smaller sibling considering the minor price difference and its far better thermal performance.