Zalman’s CNPS9700 has held the top spot in the air-cooling category of our cooler charts for the past 18 months now. This makes it a reference against which all new products tested in this comparison are measured. Since the Zalman isn’t exactly a bargain at a price of nearly $80, many buyers choose less expensive alternatives - often regretting their choice later. In the fourth part of our CPU Cooler Charts 2008, we take a look at six new coolers. We’ve also included Zalman’s new CNPS9700 LED to see if it can still keep up with the newer models.
We got a good deal of reader feedback asking us for our opinion on Xigmatek’s products, which can often be found at much lower prices than competing coolers. For this reason we decided to include the company’s two most popular models, the HDT-S1283 and the XP-S964, in our comparison.
Previous installments of this series:
- CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part 1 - Losing your Cool?
- CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part 2 - Junk or Jewel?
- CPU Cooler Charts 2008, Part 3 - Are Box Coolers any Good?
| 3R System | Antazone | Arctic Cooling |
| Asus | Cooler Master | Coolink |
| CoolJag | EKL | Foxconn |
| Gigabyte | Glacialtech | Hiper |
| JouJye Dynatron | MSI | Nexus |
| Noctua | OCZ | Scythe |
| Silentmaxx | Silverstone | Spire |
| Tacens | Thermaltake | Titan |
| Verax | Xigmatek | Zalman |
| Zaward | Zerotherm |
If you are interested in our test methodology and how we rate the products, feel free to read up on these points here:
- Can Low-Cost Coolers Compete?
- Xigmatek HDT S1283: Cool, Not Quiet
- Xigmatek XP S964: You Get What You Pay For
- Scythe's Mugen: A Fair Deal
- Verax Helado 2 PWM-T: Simply Too Expensive
- Zalman CNPS9700 LED: The Reference Cooler
- Coolink Silentator: Licensed by Noctua
- Tom's Hardware Performance Results
- Cooling Performance
- Noise
- Weight and Fan Speed
- Conclusion: Xigmatek Snags the Recommended Buy Award
I agree with mike, CPU/VGA cooler charts would be useful.
Calibration of equipment? Several different methods? Dude, match the room temperature in the first place. LOL
I am also curious to why it is not being used here, I am currently using one and I idle at 33 degrees with my CPU OCED Q9550 from 2.8-3.2ghz.
Moreover, Coolink and Zalman 9700 also requires underneath brackets but its score is alot higher than Thermalright IFX. I own both Zalman and the IFX 14 and both takes the same amount of screws in brackets (both seems painless) installing the retention bracket on the IFX may require a longer screwdriver but I cut myself in the fingers on the 9700 due the direction of the fins while IFX was rather painless. Regardless to its size the IFX isn't any harder to install then any other bracket retention coolers out there. IFX actually offers, arguably, better quality of installation due to that it has rubber rings for your screws for noise reduction as well as optional heatsink that extents from beneath the board. so Quality of the installation is a WHOLE LOT better than what other coolers offered, we all want Quality right?
I think there should be a CONTENT category instead because like what the article mentioned, some DONT come with all the brackets for the most used sockets. I think sometimes that is a deal-breaker to many due to the 'additional' purchases required as well as a not-very-nice surprise when you actually do get it then find out you have to spend more and wait for a number of days depends on stock and quality of the store you are buying from. (e.g. Thermalright XP-90, XP-120 doesnt come with the LGA 775 with some of these heatsink sellers dont even carry, i have to get mine bracket elsewhere because N@w@gg was out of stock)
BOTTOMLINE: INSTALLATION category deserves points but not all 10pts. TH should revisit of all these coolers and give them 1-5pts instead while score 1-5pts on their CONTENTS would make a lot more sense.
my 2cents
i guess im ready for flames?
gl
an Intel 6300, stock 1.86Ghz, running at 3.4Ghz, and even running Crysis
never breaks 58C. The scoring weighted poorly too. Cooling performance
should count twice as much as installation or noise. Planning ahead, I
bought my cooler and Gigabyte board together, installation was a breeze
and the backing plate reduces strain on the board. Fantastic cooler, 6
heatpipes, 460 grams and very quiet. It tested very close to the
Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme and as well as the Ultra 120. I did have
to lap the bottom, not even close to smooth,but my results have to top
Anand's.
"INSTALLATION category deserves points but not all 10pts. TH should revisit of all these coolers and give them 1-5pts instead while score 1-5pts on their CONTENTS would make a lot more sense."
I completely agree. Installation is one time only and contents matter (especially if you don't get everything you were expecting. It really sukz to delay your build on something like a piece of mounting hardware (or a fan) when those things are generally expected with a cooler) and who doesn't want to get to playing a new game asap when you probably were building it so you could play.
Wasn't my experience since I got a Vendetta, but I know the feeling.
The Zalman costs more than the TRUE at most websites. Why do they keep including it then if this is for budget coolers?
They've also reviewed compact liquid kits and the IFX-14, both of which are over $60.
The exclusion of the TRUE is getting pathetic, THG.