Zalman Cnps9500
 

I've heard alot of hype about the ZALMAN CNPS9500 cpu cooler. Is it really as good as they say it is?

I am currently using the Cooler Master Hyper 6+ with the AMD 3800+ @ 2.5ghz 1.5v. It runs 49C(120F) idle and up to 66C(150F) full load. Ambient room temperature is 29C(84F).

A few problems I have with it are that it is very noisy and the 100mm fan design doesnt allow for replacement, and it's also pretty heavy and bulky and I am always afraid my mobo will crack whenever I am carrying it over for a LAN or something. Not to mention it prevents me from using two of my RAM slots on my mobo.

Now the Zalman is supposed to be quiet and very effective. Do you guys think it's worth getting temperature wise? Or is it time to face up to the facts and get myself a water cooling system?

But even if it helps one or two C then at least it won't be as loud and take up so much room and weight.

http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=406


there you got a large comparison, the 9500 is not the best choice depending what you want

Hmmm....so the AC 64 Pro seems to be the better than the zalaman at both temperature and noise wise.

But all these running at 22C ambient :( Wish my room was 22C.

If you really want a silent computer, you will need to get one of the larger heatsinks.


The Freezer 64 Pro is just very cheap, performs well, is not THAT heavy and is easy to install. But it is only quiet if you turn it down a bit.

how is that a problem?

@ jmke

It's a problem because how can you run a computer component (air cooled) at 28C when your ambient temp is 29C? Now I'm not saying I am aiming at running my CPU at 28C, or 29C, or even 30C something, but somewhere in the low 40s (like 43c-44c) would be nice instead of 49c-50c idle, and possibly around 60C load instead of 66C.

@Rutar
Thanks, it looks like I might give the 64 Pro a try.

I still dont see why it would be a problem, CPUs can run at 60°C without problem, and even 66°C is no real issue.

in that roundup I tested with a very high wattage CPU, the A64 S754 with 1.7v at 2400Mhz puts out easily 120W+

your 3800+ with low vcore (1.5v) and moderate clocks (2500) doesn't even surpass 100W :)

Lol, jmke, I guess your right. I'm just such a temperature freak. I guess then for the sake of the noise the cooler master hyper 6+ makes. I mean, when I have it set to running at around 9-10v (the fan) in the BIOS, it makes this high pitched sound as the air passes through the fins. At 11-12v it doesn't make the high pitched sound, instead if makes a deeper, but still as loud and anoying sound. I wish I had a db measuring device to measure the dbs, but all my case fans (5x80mm) working together at highest speeds make about as much sound as the cooler master does alone :(

I would love quiet cooling and all, but I don't want to risk the CPU temps too much either. That's why I was thinking of the Zalamn because people have said how quiet it runs and still performs great. But acording to the tests you did the AC 64 Pro seems to cool better and run more quiet, and is about the same weight as the Zalman (none of which come close to the weight of the Cooler Master - 795g without fan)