Zalman CNPS 14X Review

Performance

To provide continuity the test set up is as always

Gigabyte UD3R V2
Intel i7 950 @ 4GHz 1.25v & 1.35v
Mushkin Radioactive 2000MHz
HIS 6850
Cooler Master Storm Trooper
Corsair AX750w

For the first test we set our i7-950 overclocked to 200x20 @ 1.25v for a clock speed of 4.0GHz. We allow the system to idle for 30 minutes and then run Prime95 'maximum heat maximum stress' setting for a further 30 minutes

After 30 minutes we note the temperatures of all cores and the ambient temperature of the room. An average of all cores is taken, then the ambient temperature is removed from this figure and this gives us the delta temperature. Delta is the temperature difference above ambient which is a truer reflection of the heat-sink performance rather than mere maximum figures. Testing in an Igloo or the Sahara would give vastly different maximum temperatures, yet the Delta could be the same.

The second test follows all steps from above but with a 200x21 @ 1.35v for 4.2GHz overclock, the extra voltage in this test allows us to see if the heat-sink can cope when extreme loads and overclocks are applied.  As we saw quite high temps in the 4.0GHz test we weren't entirely surprised to see the 14X breach the 90 degree barrier and as such fail the 4.2GHz test.