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Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu Fan Heatsink Review
Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu Fan Heatsink Review
  90%   
Abstract: We were very pleased to see the CNPS6500AlCu outperform the stock Intel heatsink.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Zalman   Cooling / Heatsinks   Mar 19, 2002   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Test Results - Acoustic Measurements / Thermal Results

Acoustic Samples: Listen to this Heatsink

The CNPS6500-AlCu comes with the Zalman Fanmate 1 which allows users to control how fast the 92mm fan rotates, and thus how noisy it is.The first recording is a standard 10 sec bit with the fan connected directly to the power supply. The second recording is of the fan connected via the Fanmate 1, and also illustrates what happens when you turn the dial down so the fan makes less noise.

FrostyTech Acoustic Sampling Chamber (~10 sec)
Listen to this Heatsink now.
Standard Waveform view.
(Listen to an MP3 recording of this heatsink by clicking on the headphones)

You can see the effect visually in the second wave form image, or you can click on the pair of headphones and listen in to each recording separately.

Hi to Low Fan Speed Acoustic Sampling Chamber (~10 sec)
Listen to this Heatsink now.
Standard Waveform view.
 
Sound Level Measurements:
 
Being able to listen to the heatsink allows you to hear things that pure numbers alone cannot get across, but to further emphasize Frosty's reliance on cold hard facts when evaluating a heatsink, we are now pleased to offer sound level measurements. While the list of heatsinks which have been measured for sound levels is still growing, this is now a firmly part of our test procedures.
 
FrostyTech Sound Level Results
Manufacturer Model Noise Level Scale
1 Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu 47.4/28.9 dB quiet
2 Intel Socket 478 42.5 dB
3 AVC 117140 56.1 dB louder
 
The split results for the Zalman heatsink mean this; the first measurement of 47.4 dB is of the fan without the FanMate 1 in place, the second measurement of just 28.9 dB is of the fan with the FanMate 1 set to its maximum point. The AVC 117140 Sunflower is an excellent Pentium 4 heatsink, but it produces quite a bit more noise than the Zalman flower heatsinks do.

Synthetic Temperature Test Results: *Ranked according to 100W interface die test results.

FrostyTech Synthetic Temperature Test Platform Results
Mfg. Model Ambient Temp. 27mm large copper block 27mm large copper block Thermal pad No. Fans Fan Noise Clip force
50W 100W
1 AVC 117140 22.6 37.8 50.4 none 1 med med
2 Arkua 8568 22.4 37.8 51.7 none 1 med med
3 Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu 23.1 40.3 57.4 none 1 low easy
4 Vantec GSN-7025 22.5 41.7 58.5 none 1 med med
5 Chauh Choung DTA-478 22.4 42.1 59.0 carbon 1 low med
6 Intel Socket 478 22.4 41.8 59.8 carbon 1 low med
7 Titan TTC-MT3AB 22.8 41.5 61.2 none 2 loud stiff
8 Dynatron DC1206BM-S 22.4 43.2 62.0 none 1 med med
9 AVC 117160 22.4 42.7 62.2 white pad 1 med med
10 Vantec GSN-7015 22.4 47.5 69.0 none 1 loud stiff
50W 100W

Even for just an aluminum heatsink, the CNPS6500-AlCu has done remarkably well in this first set of test results.

With an average temp of about 2 degrees lower than the reference Intel heatsink, the Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu also boasts a much lower noise signature and very good cooling characteristics for its class.

Rise Above Ambient Temp. (c)
Mfg. Model 27mm large copper block 27mm large copper block

50W

100W

1 AVC 117140 15.2 27.8
2 Arkua 8568 15.4 29.3
3 Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu 17.2 34.3
4 Vantec GSN-7025 19.2 36.0
5 chauh Choung DTA-478 19.7 36.6
6 Intel Socket 478 19.4 37.4
7 Titan TTC-MT3AB 18.7 38.4
8 Dynatron DC1206BM-S 20.8 39.6
9 AVC 117160 20.3 39.8
10 Vantec GSN-7105 25.1 46.6

50W

100W

These are the thermal numbers which really tell us how well, or how poorly a heatsink performs under the test conditions. In the case of the Zalman CNPS6500AlCu we can see that it comes in about 3 degrees lower than the reference Intel socket 478 heatsink in the 100W test, and about 2 degrees in the 50 test.

For a low noise cooling solution these are really spectacular numbers. Generally we make allowances for low noise solutions as we expect them to come in 5 or 10 degrees behind the reference cooler. The benefit is usually the decrease in noise, and not an improvement in cooling power.

Zalman have really created a very high quality low noise heatsink that performs above the grade. After looking at these numbers, the step up to the CNPS6500Cu is sure to be even more impressive.

 Previous Page ° Heat Sink Review Index  

Table of Contents:

 1:  Zalman CNPS6500-AlCu Fan Heatsink Review
 2:  Close up look at the heatsink
 3:  New Heatsink Test Parameters
 4: — Test Results - Acoustic Measurements / Thermal Results

List all Zalman heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

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