Date: October 20th, 2006
Article by: Joe Anderson (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was submitted by:
<--SHOP FOR A ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED ULTRA QUIET CPU COOLER HERE
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
Some charts and tables, from the Zalman website, give us a good overview of what the 9700 brings to the table.
The 9700 is a big, heavy cooler! For the metrically challenged among us, it measures 3.5”L x 4.9”W x 5.6”H and weighs in at a substantial 1.7 pounds. This is well above the ATX spec. of 450 grams. However, many coolers these days exceed the ATX spec. with no apparent ill-effects. Regarding the listed fan speed numbers, I was unable to get the fan to turn above 2,500 RPM using the included Fan Mate 2 controller.
Zalman has earned a solid reputation for making quiet, efficient heatsinks from premium materials with wide compatibility. Excellent design and ease of installation are also characteristics of Zalman products. The 9700 is no exception. Detailed CPU and motherboard compatibility information and an installation movie can be found HERE .
The advertised noise levels are impressive and one of Zalman's Fan Mate 2 controllers lets users adjust fan speed to suit their particular application. For a bit of added value, Zalman has included a bottle of their ZM-STG1 thermal grease. This is good stuff and comes with its own brush applicator.
PRODUCT COMPOSITION
For around $70 US, you'll get the following:
I'm never disappointed with the quality of Zalman's packaging designs. The tough cardboard box houses a clear plastic “clamshell” that holds the cooler itself, with a second box containing the accessories. The packaging, while providing superior protection for the contents, is also very easily opened. This is a big plus in my book, as I detest those welded plastic containers that only yield to sharp implements and, shall we say, “colorful” language.
There is a lot of stuff included with the CNPS 9700 LED! Aside from the cooler, manual, sticker and Fan Mate, the other hardware allows the 9700 to be mounted on virtually any motherboard currently available. Not surprisingly, Zalman has included everything the user will need to install the 9700.
