Zalman CNPS9700 LED > Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme?!?!?

[Madpistol]

I'm not kidding! I've been told how great the Zalman 9700 LED is, and after putting one on my Fiance's computer, I was convinced. So I bought one for my E6600, and the temps are lower than my Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme! This seriously doesn't seem possible, but I've tried stressing the processor to max, playing games for a couple of hours, etc. and the results speak for themselves... the Zalman is doing a better job of cooling my processor than the Thermalright was... and the Zalman is quieter with its stock fan than the Thermalright was with a far faster fan. :headexplode:

What gives?!?!?!?

[slaWter]

I had the 9700 before I got the Thermalright and the Zalman was not as good. Higher temps and RPMs. I still use it though, in another system. It's a great cooler but the Thermalright Ultra series is better :)

[bob saget]

kick his ass, seabass.

:p

[Feyy]

My Q6600 is being cooled by the CNPS9700 LED, great cooler however i can't compare it to the Ultra 120 cause i've never had one :p

[mullet]

I wonder if the TRUE 120 wasn't seated flat or the thermal paste wasn't all the way?

[Madpistol]

I wonder if the TRUE 120 wasn't seated flat or the thermal paste wasn't all the way?

I think the surface may have been bowed on the 120. However, I don't have the skill, nor the patience to grind that sucker to a smooth surface. If I did, I'm sure it would be fine.

[mullet]

The 9700 does great on my wifes E6600 as well. So go with what works man bottom line is what runs cooler.

[$n][pErMan]

My Q6600 is being cooled by the CNPS9700 LED, great cooler however i can't compare it to the Ultra 120 cause i've never had one :p

Likewise.... but my CNPS9700 LED does an awesome job! :D

[mullet]

Its hard to beat the polished finish on the Zalman.

[hemmy]

IMO, the 9700 and 9500 have always been overrated and way overpriced

Have never been impressed with them other than their "look"

[JaxMacFL]

I currently have the 9700 on my computer and the 9500 on my wife's (FX-60) computer. The 9500 started out on my FX-57 > FX-60 > E6850 > FX-60. The 9700 went to E6850 > E8600. The 9500 been running 3yrs strong and the 9700 2yrs. They might be considered overpriced but definitely not overrated....and yes they do look good...IMHO.:)

[Madpistol]

IMO, the 9700 and 9500 have always been overrated and way overpriced

Have never been impressed with them other than their "look"

So what do you use?

[Bman212121]

I think the surface may have been bowed on the 120. However, I don't have the skill, nor the patience to grind that sucker to a smooth surface. If I did, I'm sure it would be fine.

That is probably the case. I honestly never paid enough attention to the temps to be able to tell you which one works better. I have 2 systems that are almost identical, one uses the 9700 and one uses a TRUE. I could put that to the test but it would be a little unfair because I lapped my TRUE / Q6600 and not the 9700 / Q6600. The lap had to have dropped my temps by 5C if not 10C on the TRUE, but like I said I don't pay that much attention to temps.

FWIW I also have a 9500 in another pc. :)

I had the 9700 before I got the Thermalright and the Zalman was not as good. Higher temps and RPMs. I still use it though, in another system. It's a great cooler but the Thermalright Ultra series is better :)

It depends on what you're pairing it with. When I had my 9700 paired with the DFI-Expert and FX-60 the fan wouldn't even turn on when the pc was at idle. Even after you started using it the cooler stayed at low RPMs because of the settings in the BIOS. I would agree it can be loud if you let it run at 100%, but the same could be said for the TRUE depending upon what fan you used with it.

[slaWter]

It depends on what you're pairing it with. When I had my 9700 paired with the DFI-Expert and FX-60 the fan wouldn't even turn on when the pc was at idle. Even after you started using it the cooler stayed at low RPMs because of the settings in the BIOS. I would agree it can be loud if you let it run at 100%, but the same could be said for the TRUE depending upon what fan you used with it.

That is true but that only shows how good the Thermalright coolers are. You can pair them up with a silent, low-RPM fan and still get better performance than with other cooler-fan-combos.

[mullet]

I need to buy some sandpaper I see.:kar: