Anyone with a Zalman CNPS20LQ CPU Liquid Cooler?

MyBrainz · 2 Oct 2012 at 13:59

Thinking of getting one of these but reviews for them are really hard to find on the intertubes so i'm looking for people with personal experience with these coolers. How are they compared to say H70 or H80's? I did have a H80 but the pump clicking did my head in and i got a refund but i at least have an idea on how they perform temp wise.

Here is the cooler on OCuK and hopefully it'll be on offer again @ £55 like it was a few weeks ago

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-060-ZA&groupid=701&catid=2330&subcat=

Cheers

MyBrainz · 3 Oct 2012 at 17:41

Nobody has this cooler? :confused:

I wonder how well they are selling @ OCuK.. if selling well at all.

MyBrainz · 5 Oct 2012 at 09:20

Oh well guess i'll just buy one soon and see how it goes.. cant be selling many from OCuK if not a single person in this forum hasnt responded to this thread.. or maybe these coolers are just crap.

BrianB · 5 Oct 2012 at 14:34

I think D-14 is a much better investment.

Uncle Petey · 5 Oct 2012 at 16:22

Afaik it's just an Antec 920/620 in disguise.

I Reckon you'll be better off with air if you didn't get on with pump noises using something very similar.
As we have the same GPU running similar clocks I ran some temp tests just now with my side panel on and off to see how much the GPU could affect CPU temps with everything OC'd (2500k @4.5ghz, 7950 @1150/1400/1.15v).

Sleeping dogs benchmark @Extreme settings run 3 times back to back with side panel on/off and case/K2 fans @1000rpm. Ambient: 20C.

MAX temps:

Panel on
GPU: 79C
VRM 1: 99C :eek:

VRM 2: 71C
CPU: 54C

Side panel gets hot lol.

Panel off
GPU: 69C
VRM 1: 85C
VRM 2: 61C
CPU: 50C

As you can see, even with the case being flooded with hot air, the CPU temps are never a problem and that's with only 1000rpm which is inaudible.
You can also see why I'm looking at an Accelero

Artifacting due to high VRM temps are the only thing stopping a stable 1200mhz clock (that, and I like having a side panel).

If you're wondering about my airflow, it's all good with the exception of not having a side intake/exhaust.

Anyway, I kinda went a little OT there, but the point is that a good aircooler will do the same or better job with less noise, less cost and guaranteed reliability barring defects

Hope this helps.

Then again, I just noticed you have a CNPS10X... Anything wrong with it?

MyBrainz · 5 Oct 2012 at 19:26

Nothing wrong with my Zalman air cooler but i just want more space in my case for better airflow and lower the temps a bit and as i owned a Corsair H80 for a month before i RMA'd it (loud clicking sounds from pump) i know it'll lower the GPU temps slightly as it did this with my 6870. I have read only one person on the net saying the Zalman water cooler had a clicking sound but he said it wasnt too loud and i have since read about how to solve it. Because of this i wished i kept the H80 now :rolleyes:

Regarding the VRM temps on the 7950 i havnt seen mine go above 85c tops and that is with the side panel on but then i have one benchmark profile in Afterburner and i never use that one for 24/7 gaming so my max VRM's usually only hit around 70c.

OCuK had this Zalman CNPS20LQ going for £55 a week or so ago on offer which i think is a pretty damn good price and if they do the same again this Wednesday coming i will be picking one up. I kinda like the blue on it as it'll go with the colour scheme of my board aswell

Btw im not paying over £70 for an air cooler which blocks one of my RAM slots.. i have that problem already with my £35 CNPS10X so the water cooler will allow me to throw in a couple more sticks of RAM

BrianB · 5 Oct 2012 at 19:55

An all in 1 watercooler will not help airflow if replacing an air cooler that provides airflow. If anything it blocks the rear exhaust or turns it into an intake. You can always just get samsung green ram or low profile ram?

For £55 it's not too bad, but I wouldn't pay £75 for an all in 1 cooler that has single rad and 1 fan.

MyBrainz · 5 Oct 2012 at 20:05

BrianB said:
An all in 1 watercooler will not help airflow if replacing an air cooler that provides airflow. If anything it blocks the rear exhaust or turns it into an intake. You can always just get samsung green ram or low profile ram?

For £55 it's not too bad, but I wouldn't pay £75 for an all in 1 cooler that has single rad and 1 fan.

I'll be hooking it onto my existing rear case fan so it'll be push/pull config.. and i know its gona be cooler than my current Zalman air cooler.

I thought about the Samsung.. still thinking about it actually

Uncle Petey · 5 Oct 2012 at 20:23

MyBrains said:
Btw im not paying over £70 for an air cooler which blocks one of my RAM slots.. i have that problem already with my £35 CNPS10X so the water cooler will allow me to throw in a couple more sticks of RAM

If you're talking about the Silver Arrow or the D14, then they can be easily found for a lot less.
The K2 and probably the D14 shouldn't block any of your ram slots - even with Vengeance or Ripjawz.
Of course, if you've found that gpu temps improved without a large air cooler, then do what ya gotta do

My VRM temps are perfectly fine at high AA btw. It's extreme that makes 'em crazy lol :/

MyBrainz · 5 Oct 2012 at 20:43

Uncle Petey said:
If you're talking about the Silver Arrow or the D14, then they can be easily found for a lot less.
The K2 and probably the D14 shouldn't block any of your ram slots - even with Vengeance or Ripjawz.
Of course, if you've found that gpu temps improved without a large air cooler, then do what ya gotta do

My VRM temps are perfectly fine at high AA btw. It's extreme that makes 'em crazy lol :/

First off i have read people/reviews saying the D14 blocks RAM slot 1 and secondly i said that the H80 water cooler dropped my GPU temps a couple of degrees. Thats because there is less heat actually building up inside the case as any heat from the rad is being blown straight out.

Also another advantage of this is it frees up the space where i can now fit 2x 140mm intake fans to the side panel of my case blowing cool air directly onto the motherboard and RAM

I suppose it'll match my Zalman case too

Just wish there was some decent reviews of this Zalman CNPS20LQ as i can only find one or two.. having to rely on Newegg user feedback at the moment which most are pretty good. Just wish some users here on the forums had it and could give me their experiences.