FrostyTech.com Heatsink Reviews and Analysis
   
  

TOP 5 Heat Sinks     TOP 5 Low Profile Heat Sinks     TOP 5 Liquid Coolers    
 Heatsinks by Brand / Mfgr      Reviews + Articless     Advanced Search    

Zalman CNPS10X Extreme Heatsink Review
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme Heatsink Review
  87%   
Abstract: Zalman's CNPS10X Extreme fulfills both roles pretty well care of a cleverly integrated PWM fan speed controller in the top part of the fan shroud. Do nothing and the CNPS10X Extreme's 120mm fan will fall under BIOS control, automatically scaling fan speed from 1000RPM to 2150RPM as needed.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Zalman   Cooling / Heatsinks   Jan 03, 2010   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Intel LGA775 Heatsink Temperature Comparison

FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results
Intel Pentium D / Extreme Edition & Quad Core class heatsinks tested at 150W
Intel Core 2 Duo / Pentium 4 / Celeron class heatsinks tested at 85W

Results based on readings from a 30x30mm copper interface die with 150W and 85W heat loads applied on the LGA775 version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
Socket 775 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer: model no.: fan speed: 150w
thermal test* (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)

Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme high 14.1 8.4 43.5
3Rsystem iceage 120 Boss II high 15.4 9.8 49.9
Titan TTC-NK85TZ high 15.5 8.8 58.6
Thermolab BADA high 16.0 9.6 54.0
Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer high 16.1 10.0 51.3
Spire Thermax II (SP67951) high 16.7 9.5 57.8
Xigmatek HDT-S1283 high 16.8 10.7 50.7
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus high 16.9 10.9 50.1
Kingwin XT-1264 high 17.2 10.5 45.5
Thermolab BARAM 17.3 10.5 53.0
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme high 17.6 10.1 58.2
CoolIT Domino ALC high 17.8 10.6 60.2
Thermalright Ultra 120 17.8 10.6 53.7
Akasa Nero AK967 high 17.9 10.8 39.3
Xigmatek DK-S1283 high 17.9 11.0 49.6
Zerotherm Nirvana NV 120 PWM high 18.0 11.0 44.9
Ibuypower IBP-Z001 high 18.0 11.6 61.7
Coolermaster Hyper Z600 18.0 11.6 47.7
DeepCool Killer Whale Premium high 18.1 11.7 52.5
Xigmatek HDT-S1284EE high 18.1 9.4 44.2
Zerotherm FZ120 high 18.2 11.4 47.6
3Rsystem Iceage 120 high 18.2 12.1 47.9
Coolage X120TF 18.3 11.0 53.0
Vantec VAF-1225 Aeroflow FX 120 high 18.3 11.8 54.2
nPowerTek Hurricane NPH-105 (NB fan) high 18.3 11.2 47.7
Glacialtech F101 PWM high 18.4 11.4 47.5
Zerotherm Core 92 high 18.4 11.5 53.4
Coolermaster V8 high 18.4 11.2 52.6
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme 18.4 11.4 44.5
DeepCool Killer Whale high 18.7 12.6 53.5
Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro high 18.8 11.6 59.7
Xigmatek HDT-SD964 high 18.8 11.6 57.2
SilenX iXtrema IXC-120HA2 high 18.9 11.2 52.9
Coolermaster Hyper 212 19.0 11.8 45.9
Apack Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed high 19.0 11.2 53.6
Zalman CNPS9700 LED high 19.0 10.4

56.5

Xigmatek HDT-S983 high 19.5 11.8 52.7
Scythe Mugen 19.5 11.4 46.0
Xigmatek S1284 Achilles high 19.6 11.6 42.7
Tuniq Tower 120 high 19.6 12.2 51.6
Thermalright Ultra-90 high 19.6 13.0 56.2
DeepCool Ice Blade Pro high 19.8 13.1 46.1
Apack Zerotherm Nirvana 120 high 19.8 12.3 49.2
Enzotech Ultra-X high 20.0 8.5 59.1
Scythe KAMA Angle high 20.1 21.0 43.3
Zalman CNPS9900 LED high 20.2 13.3 57.5
Zalman CNPS9700NT high 20.3 12.4 52.2
Scythe Infinity SCINF-1000 20.3 12.6 37.8
Cooler Master Hyper Z600 Black Label high 20.5 12.4 49.2
OCZ Vendetta 2 high 20.5 12.5 41.9
Dynatron Genius high 20.6 13.0 47.2
Corsair Hydro H50 high 20.7 13.7 45.6
OCZ Gladiator Max high 20.7 12.6 42.9
EKL GroB Clock'ner 20.8 13.2 40.6
EKL GroB Clock'ner Blue Ed. high 21.0 12.9 42.4
Vantec VAF-9225 Aeroflow FX92 high 21.2 14.0 57.9
Noctua NH-C12P high 21.2 13.1 40.4
Coolermaster GeminII S high 21.3 13.4 49.6
OCZ Vendetta high 21.3 13.5 52.8
Noctua NH-U12P high

21.3

13.4 40.7
Akasa Blue Aurora AK966BL high 21.6 14.0 44.4
Thermaltake ISGC-300 high 21.7 12.9 44.0
Xigmatek Thors Hammer S126384 21.8 13.2 46.4
Apack Zerotherm BTF90 21.8 12.7 52.1
Xigmatek HDT-S963 high 21.9 13.7 50.2
AVC Black Samurai high 22.2 11.5 56.7
Akasa AK-965 high 22.2 13.8 48.1
Coolermaster Hyper N520 22.4 14.1 49.0
Apack Zerotherm BTF80 22.8 13.9 51.9
Thermaltake MaxOrb high 22.9 13.1 57.4
DeepCool IceWing 5 Pro high 23.1 12.3 53.2
Scythe Zipang 2 23.2 14.0 37.7
Coolermaster Hyper TX3 high 23.2 14.0 56.0
Zalman CNPS8700 LED high 23.2 14.1 48.1
Cooljag Falcon 92-AL high 23.2 14.2 52.1
Rosewill RCX-Z3 high 23.3 14.0 58.6
Coolink Silentator high 23.5 16.4 41.2
Nexus HOC-9000 high 23.6 14.6 43.0
Scythe Mine Rev. B 23.6 15.0 36.8
Cooljag Falcon 92-Cu high 23.6 14.8 52.8
Thermaltake MaxOrb EX high 24.0 13.9 56.5
nPowertek NPH-775-115HC 24.2 15.3 55.0
Akasa AK-920 high 24.3 14.1 52.9
Thermaltake V1 high 24.4 12.3 59.6
Intel FCLGA4-S Reference (P mode) high 24.5 15.2 61.1
Scythe Zipang 24.7 15.2 33.1
Evercool HPK-10025EA 24.8 13.8 50.9
Glacialtech Igloo 5750 PWM high 24.9 14.6 52.3
Asus Arctic Square high 24.9 14.9 44.9
Zalman CNPS10X Extreme low 25.2 15.2 36.2
Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer 92mm Ed. high 25.3 15.6 50.2
AMA Serac 770 25.4 15.7 42.1
Evercool HPJ-12025 Transformer 4 25.5 15.3 38.9
Akasa AK-922 (EVObue) high 25.5 15.4 60.3
Thermaltake SpinQ high 25.7 15.6 50.9
Asus Lionsquare high 25.7 15.3 44.7
Coolermaster Aquagate Mini R80 high 25.7 16.2 59.2
Asus Silent Square EVO high 25.8 15.6 42.8
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 PWM high 25.9 15.9 59.5
Thermalright SI-128SE 26.5 15.2 44.5
Thermaltake DuOrb 26.7 16.1 49.5
Scythe Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000 26.7 14.2 38.4
Dynatron Evo-11 high 26.8 16.4 54.1
Titan Cool Idol TTC-NK75TZ high 26.9 15.1 56.3
Gelid Silent Spirit high 27.0 17.1 48.5
Zalman CNPS9300AT high 27.1 18.2 55.5
Noctua NH-U9B high 27.1 17.2 41.9
Thermaltake ISGC-400 high 27.2 16.3 45.4
Asus Triton 79 Amazing 27.7 17.0 44.3
ASUS Triton 77 high 27.7 17.6 41.2
Auras SLC-747 high 27.9 25.7 52.2
Thermaltake ISGC-200 high 28.1 16.5 48.7
Auras LPT-700 28.3 16.9 52.2
Thermalfly F1-IACSHA high 29.0 18.3 60.4
Coolage Frozen Orb 2924HDC high 29.2 18.7 56.0
Evercool Transformer 6 high 29.2 14.6 51.6
Cooljag JYC 8A03A high 29.3 19.8 50.6
nPowertek TTIC NPH1000 29.3 16.8 47.5
3Rsystem Iceage 90 29.4 18.0 47.2
Glacialtech Igloo 5710 Silent 29.4 18.0 43.4
Thermalfly I75DUB high 29.5

16.8

68.5
Zalman CNPS9500 AT 29.6 17.3 53.3
Glacialtech Igloo 5750 Silent 29.8 18.5 35.5
Coolermaster Hyper TX2 29.9 18.8 53.7
Alpha Novatech PRE9060M92P high 29.9 18.5 51.5
Scythe Kama Cross 30.0 18.8 40.0
Akasa AK-961 30.0 18.7

60.7

Auras LPT-709 30.1 18.6 43.9
Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX high 30.1 18.7 45.9
nPowertek NPH-775-1 30.1 18.8 50.1
Glacialtech Igloo 5710 Plus Silent 30.2 18.5 39.3
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Silent 30.4 17.1 44.7
Sunon Waturbo 30.6 18.3 57.5
Auras CTC-868 (closed) 31.0 18.6 48.7
Akasa Revo (horizontal) high 31.0 20.3 44.5
Scythe Shuriken high 31.4 18.8 38.2
Apack CF800 high 31.4 20.7 48.4
Thermaltake Jungle512 high 31.6 20.4 60.8
Glacialtech UFO V51 Silent 32.0 18.7 42.4
Coolage Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL high 32.0 19.9 48.9
Xigmatek AIO-S80DP high 32.4 21.4 55.0
Scythe Katana II 32.5 18.6 37.9
Rosewill RCX-Z2

32.6

19.3 59.9
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu high 32.9 19.7 50.7
Apack CF900 high 32.9 20.3 48.3
Evercool PT02-9232CP 33.3 19.9 63.3
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu LED high 33.5 20.6 49.8
Scythe Ninja Mini 33.7 19.9 41.7
Thermalright MST-977SLE 33.8 20.0 46.5
Intel Stock Pentium D high 33.8 20.7 47.5
Scythe Orochi SCORC-1000 34.0 20.8 27.8
Zaward Gyre ZCJ010 high 34.4 21.3 52.7
Scythe Big Shuriken high 34.6 22.1 39.6
Thermolab TLI-S Micro Silencer 34.7 19.2 52.0
nPowerTek SF775-2 high 34.7 21.1 64.6
Asus Silent Knight 2 high 34.9 21.4 46.2
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Plus Silent 36.1 20.9 38.0
Akasa AK-960E 36.1 21.4 56.3
Gigabyte Volar GH-PSV21-FB high 36.3 22.1 56.1
Auras SMF-660 36.4 23.0 43.4
Zalman CNPS7500-Cu LED high 36.4 22.9 50.9
Thermalfly I75DUH 37.8 22.8 48.7
Akasa AK-975CU high 38.4 23.0 47.7
Cooljag OAK-H high 38.5 22.9 55.7
Cooljag OAK-H2 high 38.6 24.1 55.6
LS Cable SHS-T700 38.7 22.8 48.5
3Rsystem Iceage 80 Prima Mini 38.8 24.5 35.4
Thermaltake ISGC-100 high 39.5 24.6 45.5
Arctic Cooling Alpine 11 Pro high 40.0 24.7 46.1
nPowertek NPH-775-140HC high 40.2 24.8 56.7
Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro high 40.5 23.8 44.1
Intel Stock Core 2 Duo E4400 41.5 25.2 41.6
Intel Stock Core 2 Duo 49.2 29.0 36.7
Thermolab TLI-U Nano Silencer 50.4 28.8 48.3
Glacialtech Igloo 5062 Cu Light 50.6 29.7 45.2
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7LP high 53.1 31.2 46.1
Silverstone NT07-775 high 55.2 32.9 36.5
Glacialtech Igloo 5063 Light E 56.5 32.1 51.5
Glacialtech Igloo 5063 Cu Silent E 57.3 34.4 41.0
Glacialtech Igloo 5057 E 58.5 36.1 53.4
Asus Triton 75 58.6 16.1 49.6
Spire Fourier IV SP607B3-C 63.6 18.7 60.2
Asus Triton 85 high 71.5+ 16.2 41.1
Glacialtech Igloo 5058 Light E 73.8 39.9 48.5
150w
thermal test (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 150w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

With a 150W heat load applied by the Intel LGA775 version of FrostyTech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Zalman CNPS10X Extreme heatsink is able to maintain an excellent result of just 17.6°C over ambient at full fan speed (58.2dBA noise).

Under the same thermal load but operating with the 120mm fan slowed down to 1000RPM, the Zalman CNPS10X Extreme levels off at a quiet 36.2 dBA noise while temperatures rise to 25.2°C over ambient. Clearly, good thermal performance can be had by running the CNPS10X Extreme at a slower fan speed, without sacrificing cooling performance by very much (~8°C).

The built in manual PWM fan speed controller (pictured above, disengaged from the heatsink's fan shroud) allows further control over fan speed at all points in between. For the sake of simplicity Frostytech is sticking to the maximum (2150RPM) and minimum (1000RPM) fan speed settings for the purposes of our thermal test scenario's.

Zalman's CNPS10X Extreme heatsink was then tested on an 85W heat load; akin to a Core 2 Duo or Core i5 processor (the CPU die interface would be larger on the latter though). Faced with 85W of heat load, the CNPS10X Extreme had no difficulty maintaining a 10.1°C over ambient temperature result at stock fan speed and 15.2°C at reduced fan speed (1000RPM).

Final Thoughts

For many years Zalman held onto its hallmark flower-style heatsinks, expanding them to the limits the design could bare. What we are seeing from Zalman's latest heatsinks, like the CNPS10X Extreme Frostytech reviewed today, is a shift from 'primarily quiet cooling heatsinks' to heatsinks that are capable for both quiet and performance cooling needs.

Zalman's CNPS10X Extreme will cool an Intel or AMD processor very well at its quietest setting, without making much more than a whisper. It's also capable of top level performance cooling on both CPU platforms, though with a moderately loud noise output of 58.2 dBA (per our real world sound measurements). The option is yours. Couple these qualities with an easy-to-use mounting system and the only limiting factor is the CNPS10X Extreme's 161mm height. This shouldn't affect most mid-tower or any full-tower computer cases. In all other respects the Zalman CNPS10X Extreme is a good upgrade on previous Zalman heatsink designs, although it is louder than competing performance heatsinks. Recommended.

Related Articles:

The Top 5 best heatsinks for low noise and low temperature are ranked here. For more reviews on the latest heatsinks and cooling solutions, rely on FrostyTech's inventory of 400+ heatsink reviews. Here are a few other articles that you might enjoy as well.

- Sunbeam Core-Contact Freezer 92mm Heatsink Review
- Titan Fenrir TTC-NK85TZ Heatsink Review
- Thermolab BARAM Heatsink Review
- Thermaltake SpinQ Heatsink Review
- Zalman CNPS9900 LED Intel Core i7 Compatible Heatsink Review
- Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro Heatsink Review
- Akasa Nero AK-967 Heatsink Review

 Previous Page ° Heat Sink Review Index  

Table of Contents:

 1:  Zalman CNPS10X Extreme Heatsink Review
 2:  360° View - Zalman CNPS10X Extreme Heatsink Review
 3:  Acoustic Sample and Heatsink Sound Levels
 4:  AMD K8 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 5: — Intel LGA775 Heatsink Temperature Comparison

List all Zalman heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

Facebook RSS Feed Twitter
Resources
° Got Feedback?
° Mk.II Test Platform
° Where To Buy?
° Manufacturer Index
° Industry Dir.
° Cooling Projects
Recently Tested

Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 CPU Watercooler Review

Scythe Mugen 5 Rev B SCMG-5100 Heatsink Review

Gelid Tranquillo 4 Air Cooled Heatsink Review

Coolermaster Ergostand III Laptop Cooling Stand Review

Noctua NH-D9DXi4-3U LGA2011 Xeon Server/Workstation Heatsink Review

Noctua NH-L9x65 Low Profile Heatsink Review
...More Articles >>


Websites you may also like:
PCSTATS

FrostyTech.com
Since June 1999


Find a Heatsink
Latest Heatsink Reviews
Top 5 Heatsinks Tested
Top 5 Low Profile Heatsinks
Top 5 Liquid Coolers
Heatsinks by Mfgr / Brand


Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest


FrostyTech.com Info
Feedback
Contact Us / Heatsink Submissions
Submit News
Privacy Policy
Suite 66

© Copyright 1999-2024 www.frostytech.com All Rights Reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of Use
Images © FrostyTech.com and may not be reproduced without express written permission. Current students and faculty of accredited Universities may use Frostytech images in research papers and thesis, provided each image is attributed.