Introduction

From the Zalman website:

Zalman Tech Co., Ltd, was founded in 1999 and introduced to the computer industry the concept of "noiseless computing". In a world filled with noisy computers, "silent" cooling solutions were sought after everywhere, which contributed to Zalman's rapid growth into the world's leader of high-performance, ultra-quiet PC cooling solutions.

Zalman continues to lead in the industry through decisive R&D investments, peerless craftsmanship, intensive global marketing, and generous customer support.

Zalman has long established itself as an innovator of often quiet CPU-cooling solutions. They have also branched out into many other markets over the years, including cases, power supplies, VGA coolers, notebook coolers, and more. That said, it is their CPU coolers that made them famous, cementing them in the minds of enthusiasts the world over.

Zalman continues to innovate with various designs, always pushing forward to deliver compelling products to all market segments. They, most importantly, haven't stuck to just one design philosophy, releasing not only low-profile air coolers but tower designs like the CNPS10X Optima, fanless units like the FX100, and even liquid AIO coolers like the LQ320. Zalman continues to innovate, offering enthusiasts new and exciting options in the PC-cooling market.

For today's review, I will look at Zalman's CNPS14X CPU cooler. It is a dual-tower design that makes use of one fan in the middle. However, it has a few tricks up its sleeve with the option to add two more fans for a total of three. Add to that its six heatpipes and you have the makings of a formidable CPU cooler.

Packaging & Contents

Zalman has placed the CNPS14X into a box that measures 20 cm in length, 16 cm in width, and 25 cm in height. The front of the box has a, to grab your attention, massive image of the cooler in the center. The front also lists support for Intel's LGA2011 socket and the ability to mount up to three fans. The right side lists features in various languages. These features include the U-shaped dual heatsink, options for additional 140 mm fans, and the ZM-STG2M thermal grease Zalman provides.


The back of the box goes into much greater detail on the various features. It also lists the cooler's basic specifications. The left side of the box has Zalman show the CNPS14X off with three fans right next to a list of compatible sockets. The box for Zalman's cooler is definitely more colorful than some of the more subdued boxes of the competition.

Contents

Opening the box, I was surprised to see the accessories simply sitting on top. Only a piece of cardboard kept the heatsink steady. Some foam on the bottom of the box cushioned the heatsink, but its packaging was extremely minimalistic; however, I still prefer it over the cheap, flimsy plastic trays I have seen in the past.


Zalman includes all the necessary accessories to mount the CNPS14X. The heatsink is very large, giving it the appearance of a high-end air cooler. However, the fan and the design's cooling efficiency have me be a bit worried. The lack of a shroud around the fan makes me wonder about just how much air will escape instead of flowing through the second set of aluminum fins. Zalman has of course included extra fan clips, which is nice to see as a total of three fans can be attached to the cooler. Along with the rest of the mounting hardware, Zalman has also included a packet of ZM-STG2M high performance thermal grease. Even if only a small packet, it's still an improvement over generic pastes.

Common parts supplied for mounting include:

• 4x Fan clips
• 4x Silver bolts for Intel/AMD sockets
• 4x Silver bolts for LGA2011
• 4x Side caps
• 4x nuts
• 2x Mounting clips
• 1x Double-sided tape
• 1x Loading block
• 1x Thermal grease (ZM-STG2M)
• 1x Spanner
• 1x Backplate
• 1x 135mm fan
• 1x Heatsink
• 1x User's manual