[Review] Zalman CNPS9500 LED - Figure of '8'

[EazTerence]

This is the first time I post my review right here in XSF. Hope you guys will enjoy. =)

Introduction
The new Zalman CNPS9500LED is out! The latest cooling solution that lots of enthusiasts have been talking about and waiting for. On the Box of the package, it stated 'High Performance' and 'Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler'. Bold statements Zalman has given, and will those statements be honoured?

Zalman has been coming out a few unique design for their cooling solutions. Flower Heatsink is one of the popular ones. Before 9500LED, there is actually a 8500Cu from what I remember, but I've no idea why it is not out yet.

Coming back to 9500LED, it is famous for the 'Figure of 8' design. It actually reminds me of 2 CNPS7000Cu being stick together base to base. Does this means that the cooling would then be alot more effective? Read on to find out..!

--------------------
Zalman CNPS9500 LED

Specifications
Dimensions: (L)85 x (W)112 x (H)125 [mm]
Heatsink Material: Pure Copper Base/Fins/Heatpipes
Weight: 530G (18.69oz)
Dissipation Area: 3,698cm²
Fan Size: 92 x 25 [mm]
Fa Operating Voltage: 5 ~ 12 [V]
Rated Current: 0.35A
Max. Power Comsumption: 4.2W
Bearing Type: 2-Ball Bearings
Fan Speed: 1,350 ~ 2,600 +/- 10% [RPM]
Noise Level: 18.0 ~ 27.5 +/- 10% [dB]
Connector: 3-Pin
Fan Controller: Fan Mate 2


Key Features
1. 100% copper heatsink with aerodynamically optimized “tunnel” design for maximum cooling efficiency.
2. Innovative and patented, curved heatpipe design for a heat transfer capacity of up to 6 heatpipes with the use of just 3.
3. Optimized heatsink layout for maximum cooling efficiency with minimal materials.
4. 0.2mm ultra-slim fins for minimized weight and reduced airflow resistance.
5. Ultra quiet CNPS 92mm opaque fan with blue LEDs.
6. Aerodynamically optimized heatsink for smoother airflow and minimal noise.
7. Compatible CPUs:
- Intel: All Dual Core Pentium CPUs (Socket 775), All Pentium 4 CPUs (Socket 775/478)
- AMD: All Dual Core AMD Athlon 64 X2 CPUs (Socket 939), All AMD Sempron/AMD64 CPUs (Socket 775/939/940)
8. Adjustable fan speed controller (FAN MATE 2) enables control of noise and fan speed.

Product Images

Nicely packed. An opening where you can see the actualy heatsink that is protected by hard plastic.
Plastic handle to help retails save their bags. =)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2430.jpg

Package seperated into 2 portions. The heatsink, and box of accessories.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2431.jpg

Looking into the box of accessories. This is what you'll be getting.
Mounting tools for AMD64, Intel Pentium 4, also AMD/Intel Dual Cores..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2433.jpg

Front view of the '8'.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2434.jpg

Continue to Next Post...


Back view. Absense of fins at the center, obviously due to deadspot of the fan.
I'm sure it'd be better if there is another optional fan installed here.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2435.jpg

Side view. 2 CNPS7000Cu bonded together at their base?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2436.jpg

Another picture at an angle.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2437.jpg

Now from the top.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2438.jpg

Continue to Next Post...

[EazTerence]

Coming on to the base of the heatsink. Not entirely flat. I can feel the ridges when my finger nail went thru it.
Rather reflective however..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2439.jpg

6 heatpipes.. I mean THREE!
The big circular block is there to let the retention bracket hold on to the whole heatsink.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2442.jpg

Lastly, on the Fan. Looks pretty normal, 92mm LED Fan.
The fan is being hold onto position by 2 metal bar that is screwed onto the base of the heatsink.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2445.jpg

The fan is being accompanied by Zalman's Fan Mate 2. It actually allows you to control the speed of the fan. Nice gadget to suit the fan's noise to your needs. However, the CNPS9500 has actually a fan which is not very noisy. So, most people wont mind having it plugged onto the mainboard directly, bypassing fan mate 2.

Continue to Next Post..

[EazTerence]

Installation

Installing the CNPS9500 is a very easy task on a A64 platform. Just by using the K8 Retention bar given, slotting it to the circular block, then putting onto of the Processor, screw on the 2 ends, Done. =)

If you plan to use it on other platforms, a very user-friendly guide is there to follow you thru. The bracket is given together with the backplate for LGA775 platforms.

There is one good point about the CNPS9500LED, that I really liked. With the Retention Bar given, it is design in a way that you can actually mount your heatsink, having the fan blowing in 4 either directions. This is something that most Tower Style heatsink is deprived of. Now you can customize the air flow to your needs easily already.

'8' on my AMD64 platform. Fan blowing vertically, with respect to ground.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2458.jpg

Powered Up..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2459.jpg

Next with the fan blowing horizontally with respect to ground.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2460.jpg

Powered Up..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2461.jpg

I'm sure you will be thinking, 'Should I mount it Horizontally/Vertically?'
Having the fact that heatpipes would be at best, not going against the gravitational pull. Also, another fact that hot air rises and cold air sinks, would it be better to mounting it horizontally? This would mean that heat would be conducted thru the heatpipes easily thru 3 of the heatpipes, and would be having a hard time conducting thru the other 3. Would it be better to mount it vertically so that the heatpipes would all work the same?
Well, the results would answer the above question. However, results may vary in your system. Read on to find out why..


Continue to Next Post..
--------------------

[EazTerence]

Performance

System

System Specifications
- AMD Athlon64 3000+ (Venice) @ 2.7Ghz
- Patriot PDP XBLK+3200 (1GB Samsung TCCD) @ DDR624, 2.5-3-3-2
- DFI LanParty UT nF4 Ultra-D
- TuL X800GT @ 600/1200 (Mhz)
- OCZ PowerStream 520W

Cooling Solutions of Chasis
- 1 12CM Intake Fan (1400RPM)
- 1 12CM Exhaust Fan (1200RPM)
- 1 8CM PSU Exhaust Fan


How are the temperatures derived?

Measuring Temperatures
- Onboard temperature sensors are known to be inaccurate
- CoolerMaster Aerogate II is used to attain much accurate temperature readings
- Entire system is placed in air conditioned room of 23'C
- Chasis side panel is closed so as to simulate normal usage of system
- Thermal probes had the excessive plastic covering trimmed, sensor can now be placed even nearer to heat source
- Integrated Heatspreader of Processor is removed. Thermal probes is now placed right beside the core
- Thermal Probe is taped on totally to reduce air currents around it

Placement of Thermal Probes
1. Right beside the Processor Core (Processor Temperature)
2. Just before the intake fan of the Heatsink (Ambient Temperature)

Picture of Processor Integrated Heatspreader Removed
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/IHSRemoved.jpg

Programs used for testing
1. Load Temperature - OCCT Test (Highest Load temperature hit in the Test)
2. Idle Temperature - Windows Desktop (Highest Idle Temperature hit in 10mins)
3. Heatspikes - OCCT Test (SpeedFan 4.25 Graph Chart)
4. Overclocking Ability - (Loading into WindowsXP and Prime95 to determine time to unstability/failure)

Compatitors
1. Tuniq Tower 120
2. Gigabyte G-Power BL

The main character, with the 2 enemies. =)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/DSCN2491.jpg


Temperatures

CNPS9500/H -> CNPS9500 Mounted Horizaontally
CNPS9500/V -> CNPS9500 Mounted Vertically
Tower120 -> Tuniq Tower 120

CNPS9500 (Low) -> 1350RPM
CNPS9500 (High) -> 2600RPM
Tower120 (Low) -> 1000RPM
Tower120 (High) -> 2000RPM
G-Power BL -> Only at 1600RPM

AMD Athlon64 clocked at 2.7Ghz, 1.575V.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/temp95.jpg

T. Delta in Figures
CNPS9500/H (Low) - 10'C
CNPS9500/H (High) - 7.5'C
CNPS9500/V (Low) - 11'C
CNPS9500/V (High) - 8.5'C
Tower120 (Low) - 11'C
Tower120 (High) - 7.5'C
G-Power BL - 13.5'C
AMD Heatsink/Fan - 25.5'C

In case you do not understand, T. Delta is the difference between the Load and Ambient temperature. Comparing the T. Delta would be more fair as different heatsink may work in different ambient temperature.
Also, to have the heatsinks compared against the stock AMD heatsink/fan, I'd need set VCore to 1.575V to have it stable.

Edited: Please take note that Ambient Temp is for during load. Its taken down to derive the T. Delta. =)


Heatspikes
A new section that I've added in this review. You have to know that no matter how good the Load temps a heatsink can take, it must also be able to handle heatspikes. Lots of times heatspikes are the cause for system unstability. Having heatspikes may also mean that the temps of the processor would actually shoot up once its on load. Such is rather unhealthy and we would want to see perfection in this area. In the picture below, there is already an example of heatspikes and compared against the actually temperature graph of CNPS9500 on load for 30mins on OCCT Test.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/heatspike95.jpg
CNPS9500 handles heatspikes quite well I must say. No major 'tall/sharpie' triangles being noted down. =P

Continue to Next post..

[EazTerence]

Overclocking Ability
As above, you'd have understand that the CNPS9500 performed better when its mounted Horizontally in my system. Nonetheless, I'd still overclock my processor with it mounted vertically to see for any difference in overclockability.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/EazTerence/ocability95.jpg

For Speed/Voltage Comparison, I actually tested the heatsink at the respective speeds, and tweaked the VCore. Its stated at the lowest VCore that the processor can run, at the particular speed, with the particular heatsink.
Also, I pump up the HTT 1Mhz by 1 Mhz, at 1.7V, to see how far can the heatsink handle ONLY to load into Windows.

For Prime95 Failure, I used 325HTT x 9 = 2.925Ghz, 1.7V, to determine the time to failure of the particular heatsink. Reason being that I notice most of the heatsinks cannot handle 325HTT stabilly. Only CNPS9500 at Horizontal can withstand the stability to up til 2hrs.

As of the above statistics, you should understand why the above temperature are taken at the system running on 2.7Ghz, 1.575V. =)

Lastly, I've to say that, ONLY CNPS9500 can get me stable at 324 x 9 = 2.92Ghz, 1.7V. Even for my Gigabyte G-Power BL or the Tuniq Tower 120, they can only handle the system stable at 2.9Ghz.

Sounds/Noise
If you've followed up from a few of my previous reviews, you'd know that I prefer quiet systems.
For CNPS9500, accompanied by the Fan Mate 2, I'm sure it'll suit you perfectly. However, I'd still need to say that I can hear a slight whining sound from within the casing when its at full blast. 1500RPM is the sweet spot for me as the whining sound is much softer and being absorbed together with the other fans in my system.


--------------------
Conclusions

Good or Bad?

The Good:
- Powerful Performance
- Supports all current platforms
- 100% Full Copper, YET LIGHT @ 530G
- LED Fan, although not very bright
- Fan Mate 2
- High Quality
- Mounting Methods allow fan to blow in various directions
- Nice, Unique Looking
- Rather quiet


The Bad:
- E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E
- Fan has slight whining at full blast
- Single Fan allowed, able to fit another optional at the other side, but no means to do so
- LED not bright enough
- Its still the price that I'm thinking of..!



Ratings
1. Performance: 9/10 (No doubt its good)
2. Noise: 7/10 (I've mentioned about the whining at full)
3. Looks: 9/10 (8 looks good and unique)
4. Price: 5/10 (E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E)
5: Bundled Items: 9/10 (Great..! Mounting solutions are Great..!)

Total: 7.8


Final Evaluation
Well, I wont have much to say here. Except for that, it maybe better for you to mount it Vertically if you have a PSU with the exhust fan on the down side. Becuase currently my OCZ PowerStream's exhust fan is at the back side of the chasis. Hot air is not immediately taken out of the chasis. But if mounted horizontally, the air is pushed right thru the fins, and out of the casing by my back 12CM fan. That maybe the reason why horizontal works better than vertical in my case. But its definitely worth a try for your case..!

The total score that I've given is obviously being pulled down hard by the pricing. If Zalman were to revise their price, I'm sure this would be a MUST HAVE Product. A really nice and attractive looking piece of art by the 'Quiet' Zalman Company.

Finally, my 2 FULL Days journey ended here with the Figure of 8. Was so happy that chance was given to review it, I din even stopped..! TIme to rest for now..

Cheers Guys..!

[EazTerence]

Quite a long review. Longest I've done. Hope you guys will enjoy. =)

[bachus_anonym]

Just checking... Is it me or that graph or legend is a bit messed up? :) Ambient higher than Idle :confused: ?

[EazTerence]

Its as stated from my Aerogate. A. Temp is the temp right before the fan during load. Idle's A. Temp din note down.. I go edit now.. =)