Zalman CPNS10X Performa CPU Cooler Review

[Apoptosis]

Zalman CPNS10X Performa CPU Cooler Review

Today we take a look at the newest cooler in the Zalman CNPS10x line up, the CPNS10X Performa. With five heatpipes and a high capacity 120mm fan it will be interesting to see how this cooler erforms on our Intel Core i7 test bench. Read on to see how it stacks up against its own predecessor the CNPS10X Extreme and more than a dozen other Intel Socket LGA 1366 processors!

Last year Zalman released the CNPS 10X Extreme CPU Cooler. It was in a more traditional square upright tower cooler design, and in Zalman fashion had flare to its design. Today we get to take a look at the newest version of the CNPS10X line, the CNPS10X Performa. Performa, short for performance, makes this version of the CNPS10X the no nonsense, no frills, get the job done cooler.

Article Title: Zalman CPNS10X Performa CPU Cooler Review
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1260/1/
Pricing At Time of Print: $44.99 plus $7.65 shipping

[Optix]

Thread necro!

I'm thinking of picking up one of these but I'm curious about the test results. The low setting is obviously 900RPM but the high setting is unclear. With the fan add-on connector the maximum speed is 1350 RPM but without it the maximum speed is 2000 RPM.

Could you tell me which speed the tests were done with?

Thanks!

[bubba]

Both, I tested the cooler with and without the inline resistor.

The High speed without the connector was the 2,000 RPM

The low speed with the inline resistor it topped out at the 1,350 RPM

[Optix]

Good deal!

How as the sound? A lot of reviewers noted how loud it fan was at 2000 RPM.

[Apoptosis]

Good deal!

How as the sound? A lot of reviewers noted how loud it fan was at 2000 RPM.

They need to hear a GeForce GTX 480 at 4000RPM if they want to hear loud!

[Optix]

I don't know, dude.

I'm running the original NZXT Tempest with all 6 fans wide open. My wife is getting tired of telling me a story while I sit there with a stunned look on my face trying to figure out if she is asking me what I want for dinner or if I can fix the leaky tap.

[bubba]

If the OG Tempest is loud for you then you will hate this on high. Its defiantly louder then I remember the tempest being.

The fan on high will get into the 35 dBa, that is "loud" in terms of CPU coolers anymore, nothing like the deltas from back in the day, or the more current GTX480 fans that are twice as loud.

That's why I like the Noctua fans, no need for a fan control because running them at 100% you cant hear them, a whisper is louder.

Are you sure its not the video card you're hearing? I'd be inclined to blame that over the 140mm fans of the tempest.

Here is a video I made when I tested the OG Tempest. I ran the camera past all the fans in the case at the end I put it next to a rather loud PSU fan that I'd say was mid-high 40's dBa wise.


Deltas from back in the day ( I love this video )

[Optix]

My 9800GTX+ is whisper quiet. I can just start to hear it when the fan speed hits 80% but I can't recall it ever hitting that speed without me doing some sort of artifact testing and manually setting it.

I think the problem is that the front fans in the Tempest are creating some sort of turbulence with the grill that they are attached to. When I remove the fan they are very quiet. I'm going to put the removable plastic and mesh air filters back on them to see if that does something.

Space is the main reason why I'm getting rid of it along with my current system but my game plan is to go with an Antec Three Hundred, which comes with two Two Cool fans, pair them up with another three Tri Cool's and hopefully a fairly quiet heatsink like the Mugen 2 or the Performa with the fan scaled back to 1350 provided they can cool an i3 530 at 4Ghz+. I already know the Mugen 2 is a work horse but is also super quiet.

I'm at the point now where all components are picked out but I'm stuck trying to balance noise vs. performance.

I remember the video of the Tempest fans though. I think I watched it while I was waiting for the case to arrive.