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TEST RESULTS
Stock Fan Testing
The stock fan was tested briefly for its noise characteristics. The results
were not surprising.
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
|
12V
|
37 dBA@1m
|
2380 RPM
|
|
9V
|
30 dBA@1m
|
1790 RPM
|
|
7V
|
25 dBA@1m
|
1050 RPM
|
|
5V
|
21 dBA@1m
|
790 RPM
|
|
5V*
|
18 dBA@1m
|
790 RPM
|
|
*Test platform placed on soft foam
|
The CNPS9300 AT fan is very loud, especially at high speeds — an unfortunate
trademark of Zalman fans. The CNPS9300 is subjectively poorer than its predecessors
due to the vibrations transmitted by the fan — far more noticeable
on this particular model than any of Zalman's previous coolers. When we placed the test board
on foam, SPL dropped by 3 dBA at 5V. In addition, though
the Zalman has finally gone with a PWM fan, reducing the fan voltage did not
result in drastic reductions in fan speed as we typically see with PWM fans.
Cooling Results
| Zalman CNPS9300
AT |
|
Fan Voltage
|
SPL @1m
|
Temp
|
°C Rise
|
°C/W
|
|
12V
|
37 dBA
|
37°C
|
14
|
0.18
|
|
9V
|
30 dBA
|
40°C
|
17
|
0.22
|
|
7V
|
25 dBA
|
41°C
|
18
|
0.23
|
|
5V
|
21 dBA
|
46°C
|
23
|
0.29
|
Load Temp: CPUBurn for ~10 mins.
°C Rise: Temperature rise above ambient (23°C) at load.
°C/W: based on the amount of heat dissipated by the CPU (measured
78W); lower is better. |
Fan @ 12V: Performance was excellent at 14°C above ambient temperature.
This is only two degrees higher than the best load temperature we've ever recorded.
Of course at 12V the fan was just plain loud. Very growly and aggressive. The
vibration noise was somewhat masked by turbulence.
Fan @ 9V: The CPU temperature increased 3°C. The fan sounded less harsh,
and more tonal, whiny.
Fan @ 7V: Thermal rise was an additional one degree. The fan exhibited chuffing
and the vibrations became more noticeable.
Fan @ 5V: Cooling suffered another 5°C — it would seem the cooler's
sweet spot is between 9V and 7V (roughly 1000~1800 RPM). The fan chuffed and clicked up close. The
vibration though dominated the noise signature — it was very conspicuous,
as if the fan were not secured properly.
Comparables
Though the noise measurements we took of the CNPS9300 AT were taken in our
new anechoic chamber, items generating over 20 dBA@1m measure roughly the
same in both our old and new testing facilities. Since all our measurements are over 20 dBA@1m, the results can be compared
to those taken previously.
|
Zalman CNPS9300 AT: Comparables
|
|
Thermaltake V1
|
Zalman
CNPS9700
|
Zalman
CNPS9300 AT
|
|
SPL @1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL @1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL @1m
|
°C Rise
|
|
30 dBA
|
16
|
30 dBA
|
16
|
30 dBA
|
17
|
|
24 dBA
|
18
|
23 dBA
|
19
|
25 dBA
|
18
|
|
21 dBA
|
22
|
20 dBA
|
24
|
21 dBA
|
23
|
The performance of the CNPS9300 AT is eerily similar to two other loud heatsinks
we've tested previously. There was very little measurable difference between
the CNPS9300, CNPS9700 and another loud CPU cooler, the Thermaltake
V1, at equivalent noise levels. Surprisingly, despite having only two
heatpipes and a greatly reduced width and surface area, the CNPS9300 performs
almost exactly the same as the CNPS9700. As the mounting system is the same,
and fan is actually smaller, this suggests that the 9700 may have been
bigger than it needed to be. (Editor's Note: On the other hand, with a significantly hotter CPU, you might see an advantage in the 9700. However, not many current CPUs run hotter than our test platform's Pentium D950, which has a TDP of 130W.)
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