Zalman CNPS 8700 LED Heatsink Review

It’s no real surprise that the Zalman CNPS 8700 LED heatsink doesn’t perform as well as heatsinks that are much larger, but is has excellent performance for its size.  If space is at a premium (as in a low-profile case) then the 8700 is more than adequate to do the job.  The new heatpipe technology gives them an advantage over the 7700 line without sacrificing the profile.  This heatsink is a perfect match for a Home Theater PC case, which typically have similar clearance issues with taller heatsinks.  You may have some side-clearance issues depending on your motherboard, but in most cases the 110mm fan won’t be a problem.

The mounting system is about as complex as Zalman’s other heatsinks, which can be simple or involved depending on your motherboard type.  No method is extremely difficult, but it may require removing your motherboard.  The heatsink is highly compatible with most motherboards made within the past few years, and has enough thermal performance to handle modern processors.

The fan is a little noisy at top speed, but most users will either use the included Fanmate to hush it, or let the motherboard dynamically adjust the fan’s speed.  The load of a typical home theater PC isn’t that intense, so you can safely slow the fan down in this application.

Since the 8700 is all copper, it is priced about the same as other all-copper heatsinks, which will offer better performance.  The main reason to use this heatsink is because of its forgiving profile.  It performs great for its size, so if you have a need or a smaller heatsink then the Zalman 8700 LED is just what you need.

	REPORT CARD : Zalman CNPS 8700 LED CPU Heatsink category rating comments Quality 5 Polished mirror-finish base and high-quality soldering Innovation 5 A new approach to efficient heatsink design without simply adding weight Performance 4 Not as powerful as taller (and heavier) products, but great performance for its size and weight. Installation 4 Can be straightforward or a pain, depending on your motherboard Value 3 Priced similarly with higher-performing heatsinks FINAL VERDICT: 4 out of 5 stars