Cooling

Zalman CNPS17X Air CPU Cooler Review

Performance

With a lot of promise seen in the exceptionally good and, in many respects, unique aspects of the Zalman CNPS17X, we went into the testing of this cooler without any preconceptions. Being different can be good, but not always. – As can be seen in our results below though, the Zalman CNPS17X is exceptionally competent at its job.

At stock levels, the temperature control offered is exceptionally impressive, with results that have this rubbing shoulders with some of the best coolers (both air and AIO) we’ve ever encountered. If you thought that there might’ve been a trade-off here with the acoustic levels, however, then you’d be wrong. The Zalman CNPS17X is exceptionally quiet, and this is clear proof (both in terms of temperature and noise) that the 4D fan provided with this cooler is a truly excellent design.

While the temperatures do get a little higher when overclocking comes into the equation, they are still entirely within acceptable remits, and again you see that the acoustic output remains exceptionally low. Given that this isn’t exactly a huge cooler, we can’t help but be impressed at just how well this performed. Put simply, for as quirky as the Zalman CNPS17X may appear in its aesthetics and design, this is, without a doubt, a high-end cooling solution in every measurable remit.