Firslty, this is a great forum, but every now-and-then we all jump on a bandwagon without seeing the "trees for the forest".
Let me explain.
Why has/is everyone here [me inlcuded] been so hot-to-trot for the Swiftech MCX4000 / Panaflo FBA09A12L1A combo, when most here have not properly checked out the [ cooler and quieter ] Zalman CNPS7000-Cu.
Well, I now have and this is how I see it.............
=> like the Panasonic Panaflo FBA09A12L1A Fan, the Zalman fan is *also* a 92mm fan - the Zalman spins 300rpm *quicker* [more CFM] than the Panaflo *BUT* is a full 2db *quieter* - panaflo is 27db !!
I can *assure* you [ audio engineering is my business ] that in sheer volume / loudness terms, 2db *IS* a very significant and very noticeable difference.
=> the Zalman fan is "in" and "surrounded-by" the heatsink itself - this is a *much* more efficient use of airflow - ie: the airflow cooling effect with the Panaflo fan is *only* downward - the airflow cooling effect with the Zalman fan is "multi-directional" because the fan is actually "enveloped" by the sink itself
=> thin copper fins are *much* more heat conductive than thick / round aluminum poles - this is basic simple metalurgy
=> the Zalman Copper Sink weighs 773g - the Swiftech Copper / Aluminum MCX4000 hybrid sink 600g - that makes the Zalman sink a whopping %29 heavier / denser than the Swiftech - and unlike the Zalman, it is virtually %100 copper from the base up *and* all of that extra %29 is in the form of thin copper fins - which is where you want it
=> the Panaflo CFM is 42.7 - although Zalman do not quote their figure, given that (a) it is also a 92mm fan (b) it spins 300rpm quicker than the Panaflo and (c) like the Panflo is too has 7 fan blades, we can say that the Zalman CFM will be *at least* 2-4 CFM higher than the Panaflo - due to the 300 extra rpm - and remember too, IT'S QUIETER
=> you do not have to remove the P4 mouting mechanism to install the Zalman
=> you do not have to remove the m/board to install it
=> it is cheaper than the Swiftech/Panaflo combo
See here:- http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1359 for a very full analysis and comparison [not including the MCX4000 unfortunalty]
So whats the downside - well, (i) it *may* not fit your board - see the Zalman website, and (ii) it is heavy -so if you transport your PC a lot, you need to be careful
Otherwise.........subject to the two qualifiers above............. as i see it, this is a *total no-brainer* .......
I just cant believe that so many of you/us/me have jumped on, or are about to jump on, the Swiftech/Panaflo band-wagon [ which BTW is a great combo ] when there is *ALREADY* something that cools better, is more quiet, is cheaper and is already easily available.
Tillo
[ not in any way associated with Zalman or Swiftech or Panasonic-Panaflo ]
Let me explain.
Why has/is everyone here [me inlcuded] been so hot-to-trot for the Swiftech MCX4000 / Panaflo FBA09A12L1A combo, when most here have not properly checked out the [ cooler and quieter ] Zalman CNPS7000-Cu.
Well, I now have and this is how I see it.............
=> like the Panasonic Panaflo FBA09A12L1A Fan, the Zalman fan is *also* a 92mm fan - the Zalman spins 300rpm *quicker* [more CFM] than the Panaflo *BUT* is a full 2db *quieter* - panaflo is 27db !!
I can *assure* you [ audio engineering is my business ] that in sheer volume / loudness terms, 2db *IS* a very significant and very noticeable difference.
=> the Zalman fan is "in" and "surrounded-by" the heatsink itself - this is a *much* more efficient use of airflow - ie: the airflow cooling effect with the Panaflo fan is *only* downward - the airflow cooling effect with the Zalman fan is "multi-directional" because the fan is actually "enveloped" by the sink itself
=> thin copper fins are *much* more heat conductive than thick / round aluminum poles - this is basic simple metalurgy
=> the Zalman Copper Sink weighs 773g - the Swiftech Copper / Aluminum MCX4000 hybrid sink 600g - that makes the Zalman sink a whopping %29 heavier / denser than the Swiftech - and unlike the Zalman, it is virtually %100 copper from the base up *and* all of that extra %29 is in the form of thin copper fins - which is where you want it
=> the Panaflo CFM is 42.7 - although Zalman do not quote their figure, given that (a) it is also a 92mm fan (b) it spins 300rpm quicker than the Panaflo and (c) like the Panflo is too has 7 fan blades, we can say that the Zalman CFM will be *at least* 2-4 CFM higher than the Panaflo - due to the 300 extra rpm - and remember too, IT'S QUIETER
=> you do not have to remove the P4 mouting mechanism to install the Zalman
=> you do not have to remove the m/board to install it
=> it is cheaper than the Swiftech/Panaflo combo
See here:- http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1359 for a very full analysis and comparison [not including the MCX4000 unfortunalty]
So whats the downside - well, (i) it *may* not fit your board - see the Zalman website, and (ii) it is heavy -so if you transport your PC a lot, you need to be careful
Otherwise.........subject to the two qualifiers above............. as i see it, this is a *total no-brainer* .......
I just cant believe that so many of you/us/me have jumped on, or are about to jump on, the Swiftech/Panaflo band-wagon [ which BTW is a great combo ] when there is *ALREADY* something that cools better, is more quiet, is cheaper and is already easily available.
Tillo
[ not in any way associated with Zalman or Swiftech or Panasonic-Panaflo ]
