Zalman VF700-Cu Review...PureOC 1/16/06

[GalvanizedYankee]

http://www.pureoverclock.com/review.php?id=28&page=1

He details issues with the VF700's fan controll on page 3.

From what I've read in this forum the NV 5 cools better but is card specific and harder to clean if used in a dirty/dusty enviroment. The NV 5 does cost less than the VF700 but the Zalman is not card specific.

Decent review and worth the read.

In our haste, lets not forget about this up&coming bad boy

Zalman VF900 heat pipe VGA cooler.
http://www.icooler.net/news/content.asp?code=3168&topic=1

This is not avaliable...Yet. Do note, how low the profile is. A one card solution...Maybe.


...Galvanized

 

[zagood]

In a case with good airflow, the Zalman wins, by anywhere from 2-5 degrees. It also stays a tad quiet than the NV (IMO), with the NV having a higher pitched whine than the Zalman.

In a case with poor airflow, the NV5 takes it pretty much every time. The Zalman has a tendency to choke on its own exhaust if there's not enough intake air, while the NV's design exhausts out the back of the case.

"DHES (Direct Heat Exhaust System)
The DHES draws cool air from inside the case and exhausts warm air outwards. This prevents the fan from recycling warm air to cool the GPU, which increases cooling performance. Further the DHES lowers the air temperature inside the case, because the heat of the GPU will be carried out directly."

Another benefit of the NV (or drawback, depending) is that the NV series fans plug into the video card fan header, while the Zalman fan plugs into the motherboard (or fan controller). For fan controller peeps, this makes the Zalman more attractive, while people with 6800+ cards can use the onboard fan controller with the NV to automatically adjust speeds.

Just depends on what's best for you. Gotta say though that the vf700 is much prettier

-z

 

[Throwmeabone]

Could you plug the Zalman directly into the graphics card fan controller if you want to?

 

[Ayah]

Originally posted by: Throwmeabone
Could you plug the Zalman directly into the graphics card fan controller if you want to?

i don't think so. the fan is on a 3pin.

 

[The Sly Syl]

I have my zalman connected to my fan speed controller, i loved that ability.

Of course, i never take it off full load anyway, even at the lowest setting my Panaflo 120x38 "high" drowns it out... Which isn't any noise that bugs me.

The zalman was incredibly simple to install, a lot quieter than my original 6800GT heatsink, and it also happens to cool a full 11c less (idle) and over 15c load. (my old idle was 60c, now its 49c, my old load was ~80c, now its less than 70c)

This is all after overclocking it above Ultra levels (414/1.14)

Well worth it.

 

[imported_Sincity]

Wow...I really like the new Zalman heat pipe solution. Nice low profile that can fit into many SLI configurations. I have the NV Silencer and love the ability (DHES) to draw air outside the case. This way I can use lower spinning intake/exhaust fans. But the problem is that the separation between the SLI slots on my Abit will prohibit the installation of of 2 NV Silencers in SLI mode thus defeating the purpose of using slower intake/exhaust fans. I hope Arctic Cooling will make a "Rev 3.5" being a slimmer profile. Otherwise when I SLI the 7800GT I may have to get one of those new Zalamans. But then that will look pretty awkward inside the case.....but who cares...I don't have a window!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Sincity
Wow...I really like the new Zalman heat pipe solution. Nice low profile that can fit into many SLI configurations. I have the NV Silencer and love the ability (DHES) to draw air outside the case. This way I can use lower spinning intake/exhaust fans. But the problem is that the separation between the SLI slots on my Abit will prohibit the installation of of 2 NV Silencers in SLI mode thus defeating the purpose of using slower intake/exhaust fans. I hope Arctic Cooling will make a "Rev 3.5" being a slimmer profile. Otherwise when I SLI the 7800GT I may have to get one of those new Zalamans. But then that will look pretty awkward inside the case.....but who cares...I don't have a window!

Exactly what I was thinking....seems there are questions as to how to cool 2 video cards on the same mobo......perhaps Zalman solved that issue......
Looking forward to seeing it in action-- Zalman Guy!!