Zalman CNPS12X CPU Cooler Review

[nextpage title=”Introduction”]
We saw the Zalman CPNS12X for the first time during the CES 2011, and we were impressed by its size, since it is the world’s first CPU cooler with three fans. The manufacturer has finally released this cooler, and it is time for us to review it.
The CNPS12X’s huge box can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Package

Figure 2 shows the contents of the box: the cooler itself, thermal compound, a manual, power adapter, a case sticker, and installation hardware.

Figure 2: Accessories

Figure 3 displays the Zalman CNPS12X.

Figure 3: The CNPS12X

This cooler is discussed in detail in the following pages.
[nextpage title=”The Zalman CNPS12X”]
Figure 4 illustrates the front of the cooler. The heatsinks are round-shaped, but the heatpipes are disposed side-by-side inside them.

Figure 4: Front view

Figure 5 reveals the side of the heatsink, where you can see how large it is. Here we can see the three fans.

Figure 5: Side view

The rear side of the cooler is presented in Figure 6. Here is the fan that pulls the air from the second heatsink.

Figure 6: Rear view

[nextpage title=”The Zalman CNPS12X (Cont’d)”]
Figure 7 shows the top of the cooler, where you can see the tips of the heatpipes.

Figure 7: Top view

The base of the cooler is seen in Figure 8. Notice that the six nickel-plated copper heatpipes keep direct contact to the CPU. There are no gaps between the heatpipes at the base; gaps occur frequently in the newer direct-touch heatpipes’ coolers.

Figure 8: Base

The wires from the three fans are connected to a single three-pin connector, as you see in Figure 9.

Figure 9: Fan wires

[nextpage title=”Installation”]
Figure 10 reveals the backplate used to install the CNPS12X on all CPUs except for those with socket LGA2011. You must install the nuts at the backplate in the holes matching the socket used by your CPU.

Figure 10: Backplate

After putting the backplate on the solder side of the motherboard, you need to attach four thumbscrews from the component side, installing two metal pieces over them, as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11: Frame installed

After installing the frame, put the cooler over the CPU and hold it in place, screwing the transversal holder to the frame.

Figure 12: Cooler installed

All three fans present on the CNPS12X have blue LEDs. Figure 13 shows the cooler turned on.

Figure 13: LEDs glowing

[nextpage title=”How We Tested”]
We tested the cooler with a Core i7-860 CPU (quad-core, 2.8 GHz), which is a socket LGA1156 processor with a 95 W TDP (Thermal Design Power). In order to get higher thermal dissipation, we overclocked it to 3.3 GHz (150 MHz base clock and 22x multiplier), keeping the standard core voltage (Vcore), which was the maximum stable overclock we could make with the stock cooler. Keep in mind that we could have raised the CPU clock more, but to include the stock cooler in our comparison, we needed to use this moderate overclock.
We measured noise and temperature with the CPU idle and under full load. In order to get 100% CPU usage in all threads, we ran Prime 95 25.11 with the “In-place Large FFTs” option. (In this version, the software uses all available threads.)
We compared the tested cooler to the Intel stock cooler with a copper base (included with the CPU), as well as with other coolers. Note that in the past, we tested coolers with a socket LGA775 CPU, and we retested some “old” coolers with this new methodology. This means you can find different values in older reviews than the values you will read in the next page. Every cooler was tested with the thermal compound that accompanies it.
Room temperature measurements were taken with a digital thermometer. The core temperature was read with the SpeedFan program (available from the CPU thermal sensors), using an arithmetic average of the core temperature readings. During the tests, the left panel of the case was open.
The sound pressure level (SPL) was measured with a digital noise meter, with its sensor placed 4″ (10 cm) from the fan. We turned off the case and video board cooler fans so they wouldn’t interfere with the results. This measurement is only for comparison purposes, because a precise SPL measurement needs to be made inside an acoustically insulated room with no other noise sources, which isn’t the case here.
Hardware Configuration

• Processor: Core i7-860
• Motherboard: Gigabyte P55A-UD6
• Memory: 2 GB Markvision (DDR3-1333/PC3-10700 with 9-9-9-22 timings), configured at 1,200 MHz
• Hard disk: Seagate Barracuda XT 2 TB
• Video card: Zotac GeForce GTS 250
• Video resolution: 1680×1050
• Video monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 2232BW Plus
• Power supply: Seventeam ST-550P-AM
• Case: 3RSystem L-1100 T.REX Cool

Operating System Configuration

• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1

Software Used

• Prime95
• SpeedFan

Error Margin
We adopted a 2 °C error margin, meaning temperature differences below 2 °C are considered irrelevant.
[nextpage title=”Our Tests”]
The table below presents the results of our measurements. We repeated the same test on all coolers listed below. Each measurement was taken with the CPU at idle and at full load. In the models with a fan supporting PWM, the motherboard controlled the fan speed according to core load and temperature. On coolers with an integrated fan controller, the fan was set at the minimum speed on the idle test and at full speed on the full load test.

		Idle Processor			Processor at Full Load
Cooler	Room Temp.	Noise	Speed	Core Temp.	Noise	Speed	Core Temp.
Intel stock (socket LGA1156)	14 °C	44 dBA	1700 rpm	46 °C	54 dBA	2500 rpm	90 °C
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 G1	14 °C	47 dBA	2050 rpm	33 °C	56 dBA	2900 rpm	62 °C
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme	14 °C	45 dBA	1400 rpm	27 °C	53 dBA	1950 rpm	51 °C
Thermaltake Silent 1156	14 °C	44 dBA	1200 rpm	38 °C	49 dBA	1750 rpm	69 °C
Noctua NH-D14	14 °C	49 dBA	1250 rpm	27 °C	49 dBA	1250 rpm	53 °C
Zalman CNPS10X Performa	14 °C	46 dBA	1500 rpm	28 °C	52 dBA	1950 rpm	54 °C
Prolimatech Megahalems	14 °C	40 dBA	750 rpm	27 °C	60 dBA	2550 rpm	50 °C
Thermaltake Frio	14 °C	46 dBA	1450 rpm	27 °C	60 dBA	2500 rpm	50 °C
Prolimatech Samuel 17	14 °C	40 dBA	750 rpm	40 °C	60 dBA	2550 rpm	63 °C
Zalman CNPS8000A	18 °C	43 dBA	1400 rpm	39 °C	54 dBA	2500 rpm	70 °C
Spire TherMax Eclipse II	14 °C	55 dBA	2200 rpm	28 °C	55 dBA	2200 rpm	53 °C
Scythe Ninja3	17 °C	39 dBA	700 rpm	32 °C	55 dBA	1800 rpm	57 °C
Corsair A50	18 °C	52 dBA	1900 rpm	33 °C	52 dBA	1900 rpm	60 °C
Thermaltake Jing	18 °C	44 dBA	850 rpm	34 °C	49 dBA	1300 rpm	60 °C
GlacialTech Alaska	18 °C	43 dBA	1150 rpm	36 °C	51 dBA	1600 rpm	60 °C
Deepcool Gamer Storm	18 °C	43 dBA	1100 rpm	35 °C	48 dBA	1600 rpm	62 °C
Corsair A70	26 °C	56 dBA	1900 rpm	40 °C	56 dBA	1900 rpm	65 °C
Deepcool Ice Blade Pro	23 °C	45 dBA	1200 rpm	38 °C	52 dBA	1500 rpm	64 °C
AC Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2	23 °C	47 dBA	1750 rpm	44 °C	51 dBA	2100 rpm	77 °C
Corsair H70	27 °C	60 dBA	1900 rpm	37 °C	60 dBA	1900 rpm	61 °C
Zalman CNPS9900 Max	27 °C	55 dBA	1600 rpm	38 °C	58 dBA	1750 rpm	63 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 11 LP	25 °C	45 dBA	1700 rpm	51 °C	49 dBA	1950 rpm	91 °C
CoolIT Vantage	26 °C	60 dBA	2500 rpm	37 °C	60 dBA	2500 rpm	62 °C
Deepcool Ice Matrix 600	25 °C	46 dBA	1100 rpm	41 °C	53 dBA	1300 rpm	69 °C
Titan Hati	26 °C	46 dBA	1500 rpm	40 °C	57 dBA	2450 rpm	68 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 13	27 °C	49 dBA	1950 rpm	41 °C	53 dBA	2300 rpm	70 °C
Noctua NH-C14	26 °C	52 dBA	1300 rpm	37 °C	52 dBA	1300 rpm	61 °C
Intel XTS100H	26 °C	49 dBA	1200 rpm	42 °C	64 dBA	2600 rpm	68 °C
Zalman CNPS5X SZ	23 °C	52 dBA	2250 rpm	38 °C	57 dBA	2950 rpm	69 °C
Thermaltake SlimX3	21 °C	50 dBA	2700 rpm	46 °C	50 dBA	2750 rpm	99 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 101	21 °C	50 dBA	2600 rpm	38 °C	57 dBA	3300 rpm	71 °C
Antec Kühler H2O 620	19 °C	52 dBA	1400 rpm	34 °C	55 dBA	1400 rpm	58 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro	20 °C	46 dBA	1100 rpm	36 °C	49 dBA	1300 rpm	62 °C
GlacialTech Siberia	22 °C	49 dBA	1400 rpm	34 °C	49 dBA	1400 rpm	61 °C
Evercool Transformer 3	18 °C	46 dBA	1800 rpm	33 °C	51 dBA	2250 rpm	65 °C
Zalman CNPS11X Extreme	20 °C	51 dBA	1850 rpm	34 °C	56 dBA	2050 rpm	61 °C
Thermaltake Frio OCK	15 °C	44 dBA	1000 rpm	27 °C	64 dBA	2200 rpm	51 °C
Prolimatech Genesis	18 °C	49 dBA	1050 rpm	30 °C	49 dBA	1050 rpm	54 °C
Arctic Cooling Freezer XTREME Rev. 2	15 °C	41 dBA	1050 rpm	32 °C	44 dBA	1400 rpm	60 °C
NZXT HAVIK 140	16 °C	48 dBA	1250 rpm	29 °C	49 dBA	1250 rpm	55 °C
Antec Kühler H2O 920	18 °C	41 dBA	650 rpm	29 °C	64 dBA	2500 rpm	49 °C
Zalman CNP7X LED	18 °C	45 dBA	1950 rpm	33 °C	48 dBA	2150 rpm	58 °C
EVGA Superclock	14 °C	43 dBA	1300 rpm	27 °C	58 dBA	2350 rpm	47 °C
Evercool Transformer 4	15 °C	46 dBA	1500 rpm	26 °C	53 dBA	1950 rpm	52 °C
Xigmatek Dark Knight	18 °C	47 dBA	1700 rpm	30 °C	53 dBA	2150 rpm	57 °C
Xigmatek Aegir	15 °C	44 dBA	1500 rpm	27 °C	50 dBA	1950 rpm	52 °C
Cooler Master GeminII S524	16 °C	45 dBA	1300 rpm	29 °C	53 dBA	1800 rpm	58 °C
Enermax ETS-T40-TA	16 °C	40 dBA	1050 rpm	28 °C	48 dBA	1800 rpm	55 °C
Corsair H80	14 °C	42 dBA	2150 rpm	25 °C	52 dBA	2150 rpm	47 °C
Akasa Venom Voodoo	13 °C	40 dBA	1000 rpm	26 °C	48 dBA	1500 rpm	51 °C
Xigmatek Thor’s Hammer	15 °C	44 dBA	1500 rpm	30 °C	50 dBA	2000 rpm	55 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 612 PWM	19 °C	45 dBA	1400 rpm	30 °C	52 dBA	1900 rpm	54 °C
Xigmatek Loki	17 °C	44 dBA	1850 rpm	34 °C	55 dBA	2750 rpm	60 °C
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO	14 °C	44 dBA	1250 rpm	26 °C	50 dBA	1750 rpm	50 °C
Xigmatek Gaia	17 °C	44 dBA	1250 rpm	32 °C	46 dBA	1500 rpm	61 °C
Rosewill RCX-ZAIO-92	21 °C	48 dBA	2050 rpm	37 °C	54 dBA	2600 rpm	68 °C
Thermalright True Spirit 120	16 °C	41 dBA	1000 rpm	30 °C	46 dBA	1400 rpm	55 °C
Corsair H100	20 °C	55 dBA	2000 rpm	29 °C	59 dBA	2000 rpm	50 °C
Zalman CNPS12X	20 °C	47 dBA	1200 rpm	31 °C	47 dBA	1200 rpm	58 °C

In the graph below, at full load you can see how many degrees Celsius hotter the CPU core is than the air outside the case. The lower this difference, the better is the performance of the cooler.

[nextpage title=”Main Specifications”]
The main specifications for the Zalman CNPS12X CPU cooler include:

• Application: Sockets 775, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, and FM1 processors
• Dimensions: 5.2 x 5.8 x 6.1 inches (132 x 151 x 154 mm) (W x L x H)
• Fins: Aluminum
• Base: Nickel-plated copper, direct-touch heatpipes
• Heat-pipes: Six nickel-plated copper heatpipes
• Fan: Three, 120 mm
• Nominal fan speed: 1,200 rpm
• Fan air flow: NA
• Maximum power consumption: NA
• Nominal noise level: 24 dBA
• Weight: 2.2 lbs (1 kg)
• Extra features: Blue LEDs on fans
• More information: https://www.zalman.com
• Average price in the US*: USD 100.00

* Researched at Newegg.com on the day we published this review.[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]
Based on the characteristics found on the Zalman CNPS12X CPU cooler (large size, three fans, six direct-touch gapless heatpipes, etc.), we thought it would reach outstanding cooling performance. However, it seems like Zalman favored silence over performance. Even with three fans, it is quieter than most high-end coolers, yet it presented only good (not excellent) cooling performance.
The Zalman CNPS12X offers an outstanding look, low noise level, and good cooling performance. Therefore, it is receiving the Hardware Secrets Silver Award.
It would be a good idea if Zalman equipped the CNPS12X with stronger fans with a speed controller, because then the user would be able to choose at any time between silence and extreme performance. Maybe in the next version…