Zalman CNPS7700: The New Giant of Coolers
Installation
Installation is quick and easy for Socket 478 systems. Unfortunately, all other motherboards have to be removed from the case, to mount the backplate on the bottom. The same retention guides from the CNPS7000 are used; they are inserted into the retention module, and the cooler is then locked in place with two screws.
Two mounting brackets that can be hung are used to attach the unit. Any screw that gets inserted incorrectly and then disappears into the wrong hole, no longer results in the user having to remove the whole cooler from the system again.
Mounting brackets that can be hung simplify installation
If you have a retention module, it must be removed first. Once the backplate is mounted, the cooler is positioned with two screws. The shorter mounting brackets (S type) are used in LGA775 systems, and the longer ones (L type) for all other sockets.
Long (left) and short mounting brackets (right)
Even the old CNPS7000 did not fit on every motherboard, and the newer model is significantly larger. This makes the search for a motherboard that can accommodate the CNPS7700 even more difficult. The installation on the Asus P5AD2-E Premium clearly shows the huge size of the new cooler.
It's so big that it hangs off the edge of the board
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Height comparison between the old 7000 and the new 7700
Users thinking about a purchase should not only consider the compatibility of the motherboard, but of the case as well. It might be a tight fit in small midi-towers.