Zalman CNPS 8700 LED Heatsink Review

Zalman has been making some of the most innovative and quiet after-market heatsinks in the computer industry for several years.  They have had to keep up with the thermal trends as processors became more powerful over the years, which has had the unfortunate side effect of making their products rather large.  One of Zalman’s best performing heatsinks is their CNPS 9700 NT, but it is also a behemoth of a paperweight and cannot be used in smaller cases like their original products.

Zalman has gone back to the drawing board and delivered a new sibling into their CNPS (Computer Noise Prevention System) line of products.  This new little sister is low profile like their original products, so it will fit in more cases without worrying about clearance space and utilizes the heatpipe technology implemented in their newer line.

	Zalman CNPS-8700 LED Features and Specifications FHS Dimensions 120(L) X 123(W) X 67(H) mm Weight 475g Base Material Pure Copper Dissipation Area 3,300cm2 Fan Bearing Type 2 Ball-Bearing Speed(1) 1,150rpm +/- 10% ~ 2,300rpm +/- 10% Noise Level(2) 17.5dBA +/- 10% ~ 33dBA +/- 10% (1) The fan operates at 2,550rpm (35.5dBA) if directly connected to the motherboard’s power connector without the use of Fan Mate 2. (2) Measured 1m distance away from source.   Compatible with all single, dual, and quad core CPUs for Intel socket 775 and AMD socket AM2/754/939/940.  Compatible with Slim Tower / Low Profile Home Theatre PC Enclosures. 100% pure copper heatsink with aerodynamically optimized ¡°tunnel¡± design for high performance cooling. Patented curved heatpipe design for heat transfer performance of up to 4 heatpipes using just 2. Ultra-thin 0.2mm fins for minimized weight and significantly reduced airflow resistance. The 110mm fan inside the heatsink cools not only the CPU, but the VGA card, Northbridge, FET, and RAM as well. Does not generate noise or vibration in Silent Mode. The adjustable fan speed controller (Fan Mate 2) enables control of noise and fan performance.