Zalman CNPS7000-Cu CPU Cooler Review
By: Steve Grever

I picked up a package the mailman left on my front porch today, and it was so heavy that I thought it was some kitchen appliance for my wife! After ripping the box open I was thrilled to find out my new Zalman CNPS7000-Cu heatsink had finally arrived. This heatsink is massive! I couldn't believe how big it was and how much it weighed! I called my friend and told him we have to install this monster in my system right away!

I couldn't get over the sheer size of the heatsink and fan as I started to pop off the plastic packaging. I liked all the accessories that came with it, and the fan controller would definitely help someone who doesn't already have a fan controller or a rheobus. You could definitely tell that this heatsink was skillfully crafted and a top-notch product. The copper fin construction and design looked outstanding, and the fan itself is a sight to see. The base of the heatsink was shiny, with no scratches, or marks, so no lapping was necessary.

Installing the heatsink was a breeze and only took around 30 minutes to complete. The instruction manual was very easy to follow and provided me with everything I needed to know to get the job done. The only deviation I made from the instructions was using Arctic Silver 3 thermal grease instead of the grease that came with the Zalman CNPS7000-Cu heatsink.

When I was finished with the installation I noticed right away that the Zalman CNPS7000-Cu was extremely quiet and very efficient at cooling my processor. I had to turn off all of my other case fans to hear it whisper in the background.

I played Unreal Tournament 2003 and Battlefield 1942 for several hours and my processor temperature never went over 37 Celsius. That is a huge leap from the temperatures I was getting with the stock heatsink that came with my system.

I think the best thing I liked about this heatsink is how aesthetically pleasing it is to the eye. Out of all the other heatsinks I've seen on the market, this one is by far the best looking. I've tried to find a good balance between performance and looks with all the components for my system, and this fits right into my design scheme.

I also liked that it didn't use fan guards like many mainstream heatsinks. You can see all the parts and components very well with the Zalman heatsink, and I think that's one of the selling points for people to buy this product.

I've always considered Zalman one the top heatsink makers in the industry, and the CNPS7000-Cu proves my claim that it's a high-class, efficient product, that impressed me from the minute I installed it in my system.

The copper fins were very sturdy, and the copper base was shiny and extremely smooth. All I had to do was use my library card to spread the thermal grease onto the processor and heatsink. It uses a few screws in the base to secure it to the motherboard, and then I just had to plug in the three-pin connector and I was off and running.

I'd like to thank Zalman and Frostytech.com for allowing me the opportunity to review this product. I think companies that allow consumers to tryout their products and give people the chance to give honest opinions about their products really means a lot. Those are the companies consumers will continue to come back to for future purchases.

I hope many people try this heatsink out because once they have it in their rig they will understand how quiet their computers really can be.