Compatibility and Installation Tips

Besides all contemporary platforms, Zalman CNPS10X Extreme is compatible with the new socket LGA1156 and it is a definite advantage. In fact, it is the first CPU cooler with LGA1156 support that we have tested so far. The cooler can be installed onto AMD processors with the help of an enclosed swing-clip that catches on to the hooks on the standard socket retention frame. As for Intel processors, you have to press Zalman CNPS10X Extreme against them using special steel plate with screws that pushes against the sides of the cooler base:

The plate is screwed on to the plastic frame that should be installed onto the board using the enclosed backplate (for LGA775 and LGA1156). For LGA1366 you can use the default reinforcing plate already preinstalled on all the mainboards. In this case the frame is fastened using the enclosed screws with washers:

I was surprised to discover that even with the screws tightened to the very end the frame is a little wobbly, i.e. it is not 100% firmly pressed against the PCB textolite. Besides, it seemed very weak and bent during installation. It is actually pretty strange because the cooler is quite heavy and they shouldn’t have neglected the intensity of the pressure against the processor heat-spreader…

When the cooler is installed the distance from the lowest heatsink plate to the PCB is 42 mm. If you turn Zalman CNPS10X Extreme in such a way that its airflow is directed towards the top of the case, then the right side of the cooler will be hanging over the memory nodules:

And if the modules are equipped with tall heat-spreaders, then you will have to remove modules like that from the DIMM slots closest to the processor socket 9which is exactly what we did in our today’s test session on an AMD platform). Other than that we experienced no problems with the cooler installation and Zalman CNPS10X Extreme fit in very conveniently into our system case:

The cooler fan is equipped with blue LEDs:

If some of the peculiarities of the cooler installation remained left out, you can always consult a very well put together installation manual available on the official company web-site (PDF file, 1.64 MB).