Zalman CNPS8900 Quiet PURECOPPER/ALU 110MM Fan Heatpipe CPU Cooler LGA1156 1155 1366 775 AM3 AM2 FM1

Comment:
zalmans have always been a good deal when it comes to cpu cooling. they are silent, efficient and perfect for the overclocker !using this on an AMD a10 5800k

Comment:
Relatively low profile compared to many other HSFs, but so low that it can block RAM DIMMs if slots are too close. RAM without heatsinks will fit (i.e. plain PCB + memory chips), but anything with a passive heatsink will probably not fit next to it. Luckily I only bought two DIMMs so I could use my other two slots.-The CPU contact plate is not a polished flat base. The heat pipes are recessed into the surface but exposed, revealing four small but significant grooves. I could also see visible mottling or pitting in the finish. This causes potential problems with maximizing contact and thermal compound spreading. With an i7 2600k and eight Prime95 threads, temperatures max out at 70C in CPUID. Cleaned and reapplied Arctic Silver 5 using their instructions two more times with similar results. Currently running undervolted, maxing out at 60C.-The mounting system is also a pain. It's a screw-in type rather than a latch-on, and the screws are underneath the heatsink, meaning you have to use a screwdriver at an angle. Downward angled pressure with a pointy tool on sensitive electronic equipment could mean bad news.-I'll try it out for a while to see if the thermal compound settling will improve much, but I doubt it. Zalman makes good coolers, but this doesn't seem to be one of them. Get one with a flat polished base and better mounting system or heatsink placement.The fan is quiet though, I'll give it that. Its low speed may have something to do with my temps, but 70C still seems a bit extreme. This review was modfied by poster @ 08-01-12 05:20 AM