Tuesday, August 18th 2026

Zalman Launches New CNPS Series Dual-Tower CPU Air Coolers

The CNPS CPU cooler series from Zalman spans more than a decade and recently the company has silently introduced four new dual-tower CPU air coolers, the CNPS15X BP and CNPS12X BP, each available in standard and ARGB variants. The CNPS15X BP cooler measures 126 x 135 x 159 mm and weighs 1,170 g. It uses six reverse direct-touch black-coated heat pipes, a 104-fin aluminium radiator with 9,997 cm² heat dissipation area, and is rated for 285 W TDP. The included dual 120 mm ZM-XF120 (ARGB) fans run between 600 and 2,000 RPM with up to 32.9 dB(A) noise level and 71.14 CFM. For RAM clearance, Zalman says it is 44 mm for standard memory modules and up to 52 mm for RAM modules with the cut-out fin design.

The CNPS12X BP is a smaller variant measuring 120 x 120 x 153 mm and 750 g. It uses six nickel-plated copper heat pipes with a direct-touch design and is rated for 260 W TDP. The two 120 mm fans spin between 800 and 1,800 RPM, reaching up to 74.62 CFM at 32.2 dB(A), slightly quieter and with higher airflow than the 15X model despite the lower TDP rating.
Both Zalman CPU coolers include anti-vibration rubber dampers and an anti-bending system that secures the dual towers with a high-strength reinforcement bridge. The coolers are compatible with Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200, and 115X, plus AMD AM5 and AM4 sockets. A sachet of ZALMAN ZM-STC11 (for CNPS15X) or ZM-STC8 (for CNPS12X) thermal compound is included with the coolers. No pricing or exact availability has been announced.

CNPS15X BP
CNPS15X BP ARGB
CNPS12X BP
CNPS12X BP ARGB
Specifications:
Source: Zalman
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10 Comments on Zalman Launches New CNPS Series Dual-Tower CPU Air Coolers

#1
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
Zalman. Fighting their way out, one gulag at a time.

Unfortunately. The world outside has changed and Thermalright is the final boss.

Its still gonna be a tough fight. Hopefully they have their distribution sorted out.
Posted on Reply
#2
wNotyarD
I don't see any of the soul the old CNPS series had.
Posted on Reply
#3
Dr_b_
wNotyarDI don't see any of the soul the old CNPS series had.
do see a lot Seoul though.
Posted on Reply
#5
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
Legacy-ZATheir support sucks.
They've been having quite a rough time over the past decade. Cut them some slack.
Posted on Reply
#6
_roman_
Another boring design. There are other choices with better support or most likely the better price with known test results
Posted on Reply
#7
freeagent
They really should bring back their legacy coolers unless they simply cannot keep up with todays demands, which I would not doubt. But to stand out in this market you have to do something different. 95% of the coolers on the market look like clones of each other. Meaning either a Thermalright, or a Noctua :D

I still have my baby CNPS 9500 cooler, and my buddy has my old 8800GTX with Zalman cooler. Good times.

These look like all fan no fin stack. I doubt they can take the TDP they claim to. Only to find out is to test it I reckon.. I have nothing that will do that TDP anymore :D
Posted on Reply
#8
wNotyarD
freeagentThey really should bring back their legacy coolers unless they simply cannot keep up with todays demands, which I would not doubt. But to stand out in this market you have to do something different. 95% of the coolers on the market look like clones of each other. Meaning either a Thermalright, or a Noctua :D
I'd say DeepCool could stand out. The Assassin IV is a thing of beauty, and the AK Digital range was pretty much a trendsetter.
Shame that they got in the middle of a politics kerfuffle.
Posted on Reply
#9
EsaT
wNotyarDI don't see any of the soul the old CNPS series had.
Not moving from those last millennium fan/circular shaped heatsinks to utilitarian designs with heatpipes was precisely the reason why they fell so hard from being top contender.
Posted on Reply
#10
Tess
I used to love those copper fin designs they came out with.







If I could get that one with double the heat pipes and two 120mm fans I would go for it!
Posted on Reply
Nov 13th, 2026 21:36 CST change timezone

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