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Introduction and Features

In the CPU heatsink world, there are only three things that matter to consumers – performance, looks, and cost. Many vendors usually get two out of three right on the money. But, it’s always that third thing that makes you stand out from other heatsinks or what leaves you out on the clearance rack at Fry’s Electronics or Micro Center.

    
(Images courtesy of Zalman)

No vendor, other than maybe Thermalright, has made a name for itself in the CPU cooling industry more than Zalman. Zalman’s full-copper, flower design has stood the test of time and performed brilliantly for several years now. The best part is Zalman has tried to not mess with the core reason people like their heatsinks. The flower heatsink design is not only effective, but incredibly appealing to the eye and pretty much works in any enthusiast’s system. Combined with great looks, performance, and even a low-RPM fan, Zalman has pretty much created the perfect silent CPU heatsink.

But, Zalman hasn’t rested on its laurels and has tried to improve upon an already close-to-flawless design. The Zalman CNPS9900 LED is one of their newest heatsinks, and it actually has a dual-heatsink design that uses ultra-thin fins to minimize weight and reduce airflow resistance.

Zalman CNPS9900 LED main features:

• Does not generate noise or vibration in Silent Mode. 
• 100% copper heatsink with aerodynamically optimized “tunnel” design for maximum cooling efficiency. 
• Patented heatpipe design for cooling performance of up to 6 heatpipes with the use of just 3.  
• Ultra-thin 0.2mm fins for minimized weight and significantly reduced airflow resistance. 
• Compatible with all Intel Socket 1366/775 and all AMD Socket AM2+/AM2/754/939/940 based Single, Dual, and Quad Core CPUs.  
• Ultra quiet 120mm PWM LED fan for automatic fan speed control according to the CPU's temperature.

The CNPS9900 LED uses three heatpipes that they claim perform like six heatpipes. We’ll definitely have to put this claim to the test during our idle and load benchmarks. Our readers will also notice the “ultra-thin” fin arrays and the spacing for the 120mm fan that can speed up from 1,000 to 2,000 RPM.

Next Page - Specifications and Packaging

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