Zalman CNPS7700: The New Giant of Coolers

Cooling Performance

The cooling performance of the CNPS7700 is slightly better than that of the old model. Thermal resistance is an average 0.02 K/W lower. At 0.23 K/W, it's on a par with some water-cooled systems. The 0.42 K/W of the Intel boxed cooler (Socket 478) lags far behind.

Noise Levels

While the noise levels of the new model are measurably lower than the older unit, the differences are not discernible to the ear. At the slowest speed ("silent mode"), the cooler is barely audible. At its fastest speed ("low noise" - direct control without the Fanmate controller), the 7700 reaches 38.6 dB(A). The boxed cooler from Intel is considerably louder at 44.3 dB(A).

Weight

Naturally, the amount of material built into the CNPS7700 is reflected in its weight. Tipping the scales at a whopping 923 grams (a little over 2 pounds), the all-copper version is beyond any specification. That's probably why the new cooler no longer includes any brackets for the Athlon XP. While the AlCu cooler is appreciably lighter at 545 grams (1.2 pounds), it's still a good one third heavier than the Intel boxed version.