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Computer Specials |
 Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu Ultra Silent CPU Cooler (cont.)Installation: Because the CNPS7700's size, not all motherboards are compatible with it. Check out the notice at the end of the review to see if your motherboard can accommodate this cooler.
Installation on a compatible motherboard is pretty straight forward. The User's Manual provides good installation instructions for all the supported socket types. For Pentium 4 (socket 478) users, the cooler works with the retention guides. For Pentium 4 (socket 775) and AMD Sempron/64 (socket 754/939/940) users, the motherboard will need to be removed from the case during installation. Those socket types will require backplate supports to be installed. Which ever CPU type you have, make sure to apply some thermal grease to the CPU before mounting the CNPS7700.
Once the cooler is mounted, assemble the FAN MATE 2. The FAN MATE 2 consists of a black rectangular controller unit and a cable that has three ends: a 6-pin connector, a male 3-pin and a female 3-pin. The 6-pin plugs into the controller unit, while the male 3-pin plugs into the CPU fan port on the motherboard and the female 3-pin plugs to the CNPS7700. Using the included double sided tape, the FAN MATE 2 can be mounted anywhere inside or outside of the case. Testing and Performance:
The CNPS7700 will be tested against Intel's stock cooler. The test CPU is a Pentium 4 3.2E (478) on an Asus P4C800 Deluxe motherboard. The CNPS7700 will be tested in two modes: Low-Noise (fan controller turned to its highest) and Silent Mode (fan control returned to its lowest). The idle temperature is obtained by turning the computer on and doing nothing for five minutes. The load temperature is obtained by running Sandra's Burn-In Wizard (CPU Arithmetic and Multi-Media Benchmarks only) 20 times. The highest temperature reached will be recorded. All temperatures are in Celsius and the ambient temperature is about 29C. The results were: The P4 3.2E is one of the last CPUs to use a socket 478. It is also one of the hottest temperature output CPUs available. Compared to Intel's stock cooler, the CNPS7700 does quite well in both modes. In Low-Noise mode, both idle and load temperatures are four degrees lower. In Silent Mode, load raised two degrees while idle raised four degrees compared to Low-Noise mode. In Silent Mode, the CNPS7700 is almost inaudible. In Low-Noise mode, depending on the rest of your system, the sound produced is reasonable or unnoticeable over other fans. As mentioned in the features, the size and design of the CNPS7700 allow it to cool everything around it; from the Northbridge to the memory, to the video card (mainly if it uses a "sandwich" heat pipe cooler). Using a temperature probe, I did notice a 2-3 degree drop in temperature for the Northbridge and a 1-2 degree drop for the memory. My video card temperature did not change, but it does not have a heat pipe cooler. Conclusion: Zalman coolers have a reputation for being great coolers for those looking for peace and quiet, but not those looking for high performance and overclocking. Unfortunately, the CNPS7700 only adds to that reputation. It performs well against Intel's stock cooler, but that is not really saying much. Because of the enormous size, compatibility issues may arise with certain motherboards. On the plus side, the cooler puts out very low noises. In addition, it cools everything around it (albeit slightly). Again, the Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu is a great choice for those looking to quietly cool their CPU and everything around it, not for superb performance. Pros:
Cons:
Ratings:
(Ratings Possible: Terrible, Very Bad, Bad, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent) Compatibility Notice: Because of the CNPS7700's size, there are some compatibility
requirements that your motherboard must meet in order to be able
to accommodate this cooler. The CNPS7700's product page on Zalman's
site offers a list of tested compatible motherboards. Your motherboard
does not have to be on the list to work with the CNPS7700, just
as long as it meets the requirements.
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