Zalman Releases a Triple Fan CNPS12X CPU Cooler
Zalman has officially released the CNPS12X CPU cooler, with its three ... yes, I said ... three 120mm fans and two circular VFP dual heatsinks.
This massive cooler measures in at 5.95 (L) x 5.20 (W) x 6.06 (H) inches, weighs 2.2 pounds and has three 120mm Long Life Bearing fans boasting blue LEDs. The fans have two fan modes - Quiet (850 to 1100 RPM operating speed, up to 22 dBA output sound) and Performance (950 to 1200 RPM / up to 24 dBA).
The CNPS12X features a VFP (Variable Fin Profile) dual heatsink, which is almost identical to the design utilized on the Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler. The cooler uses a W-DTH (Whole-Direct Heatpipes) base to go along with six composite heatpipes that have a transfer capacity 50 percent better when compared to ordinary Sintered-type heatpipes.
| VFP Dual Heatsink Optimized dual heatsink, applying V.F.P(Variable Fin Profile) technology, maximized it’s performance through dual air-intake structure that increase Air Flow. - Radiator Surface Area : 9,635 ㎠ - Noise : 22dBA ±10% (with RC5) | W-DTH Base applied As applying W-DTH(Whole-Direct Heatpipes) technology, heatpipes in the Base Cover touch the CPU directly and transfer the CPUs heat directly to heatpipes, hereby minimizing heat resistance and maximizing cooling performance in a short time. |
The CNPS12X supports Intel LGA 775/1155/1156/1366/2011 and AMD Socket AM2(+)/AM3(+)/FM1 processors, is bundled with a syringe full of ZM-STG2 thermal grease, and can be found for pre-order at around $92.
You can see a review of the cooler at benchmark.pi (Review in Polish) & visit the product page for more details.


Spire II 65$
Zalman CNPS12X $92
Spire Eclipse II still rated best in the market.
(Although I want to see the Comparison test for the Zalman CNPS12X)
Then I'll be impressed.
If it can't compete with a cheaper / better cooler, the only reason's why I'd see someone would buy it is.
Zalman Fanboy.
Ascetic Value.
But still nice looking.
the non existant phone number for zalman which is unlisted by them got me a call back a week later. this was after calling several times and leaving a message with general reception... the phone number has many dead end connections resulting in hangups.
zalman told me tough luck after i very politely told them what happened, te offered to replace the spinner and i could keep the old one. the bottle of additive (which i would no longer ever use) wouldn't be replaced even though it had all gone to waist flushing the system. the cpu block wouldn't be replaced as i had opened it (4screws no damage done) and they for sure wern't on the hook for my now f'd up $580 cpu.
Intel was so gracious they mailed me a new 970 chip immediately, i simply put the old chip in the box it came in and put the PREPAID mailing label on it and phoned for pickup.
I phoned thermaltake and explained i had an old kandalf case that i had replaced with the zalman because i was tired of the door on the kandalf and it's massive size, thermal take mailed me an i7 kit to mount my thermaltake cpu block to my i7 motherboard FOR FREE. and they also sent me FOR FREE 4 litres of there green UV reactive additive that i had told them i had always used in the past.
ZALMAN ... overpriced junk
I have a older all copper circular CPU heat-sink with one fan from Zalman and I love it. It runs very quiet, and the fan is probably not even necessary for what I am running. Only thing I hear on my PC are the HDDs, and on the next build it will just be an SSD with all the storage on the network, so it should be dead quiet!
Probably have to drill four holes through your case to get the extended mount bolts attached the 3lb counter weight lol.