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October 8, 2012 by Lawrence Lee
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Product
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Zalman CNPS9900DF
CPU Cooler |
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Manufacturer
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Zalman |
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MSRP
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US$90 |
When the Zalman
CNPS9900 LED CPU cooler was released in 2009, we thought it might be
the end of the flower series. We were almost certain of it when they launched
conventional tower coolers in 2010. To our surprise, they revived the 9900 in
2011 with the MAX,
which added nickel-plating and a larger fan. And now, in 2012, they've updated
it once again with the CNPS9900DF. It seems there is some life left in iconic
Zalman flower HS line after all. The "DF" stands for dual fans, following
in the footsteps of twin tower coolers like Noctua
NH-D14 and Thermalright
Silver Arrow. Like these premier heatsinks, the DF carries a very high
MSRP, US$90. Zalman's all-copper heatsinks have always been costly but
this takes it to another level.
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The box.
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As you can probably guess, it's larger than its predecessor, sporting an extra
100 grams of bulk and a 26% higher heat dissipation area than the MAX. Instead
of one 140 mm high speed fan, the DF has both a 140 mm and 120 mm model with
more moderate speeds so it shouldn't be much louder than the MAX, if at all.
We weren't impressed by the MAX's performance though so we're not convinced
this latest iteration is enough to compete with coolers in the same price range.
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Package contents.
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Like previous versions of the CNPS9000 series, the heatsink is packed in a
sturdy plastic clamshell container. The accessories include an instruction sheet,
thermal compound, and mounting hardware. It's essentially the same package as
the MAX except for the inclusion of a dual fan adapter and hardware for socket
LGA 2011. We frown to see the same installation scheme as the MAX being recycled.
It didn't produce enough pressure on the base and used very small hexagonal
screws that were hard to secure.
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Feature & Brief
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Our Comment
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Cross Bending Fin Technology
Front and rear airflow incident angles are designed in different directions. This cross bending fin technology produces cooling performance with minimum noise. |
The radial shape of the 9900 pushes exhaust
air out in every direction. One could argue that a standard tower design
directing air toward the case exhaust fan is more effective. |
Triple Composite Heatpipes
3 composite heat pipes and pure copper cross bending fins quickly cools down the heat from the CPU. |
Not really different than the heatpipes used by other manufacturers. |
Dual Fans
Cross Bending ultra quiet powerful 120mm Front Fan and 140mm enter Fan produces top performance. |
We're not crazy about having mismatched
fans &151; they sometimes produce nasty acoustic results. |
Blue LED FANS
Beautiful blue LED dual fan. |
A must have feature. |
Mirroring Base
Zalman's unique sanding process provides excellent heat transfer ability. |
It's not necessary for a base to have a mirror shine to produce good results. |
Fits in Mid Case
With height 160mm and width 180mm it fits in a variety of cases including mid case. |
We believe they mean that 160 x 180 mm is the limit for most midsize cases as the 9900DF is much smaller than this. |
High compatibility
Compatible with Intel Socket LGA 2011, AMD Socket FM1 and most Intel, AMD platform. |
Expected for most performance heatsinks. |
ZM-STG2
High performance ZM-STG2 helps to maximize the heat transfer from CPU to CNPS9900DF base allowing optimal cooling performance. |
We'll have to take their word for it. TIM is one of the controls we employ to more accurately compare heatsink performance. |
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| Dimensions |
140(L) x 100(W) x 154(H)mm |
| Weight |
850g |
| Materials |
Copper(base & Fin) |
| Dissipation Area |
6,800cm2 |
| Heatpipe Q'ty |
3EA |
| Fan Speed |
Front 120mm: 1,000rpm ±10% (3pin)
Center 140mm: 900 ~ 1,400rpm ±10%(4pin) |
| Noise Level |
19 ~ 27dBA ±10% |
| Bearing Type |
Long Life Bearing |
| Control Method |
PWM Control, Auto Restart |
| Input Voltage |
12V |
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