HI This is probably about as extreme as you can get on air cooling. I was wondering which i should buy. I was close to buying the ThermalRight XP-120, for my Athlon 64 setup. However, the new Zalman CNPS9500 is soon to be released, and that threw a spanner in the works. While the review on here about the zalman wasn't great- ie it was not overly impressive- would it perform better than the xp-120 with fan?? Cheers Yatesy
I would think the performance of the two would be pretty close, but we'll have to wait for a review that directly compares the two in identical situations to determine this. It would seem though the xp-120 is the better of the two. It also comes down to what will fit in your setup and what direction the best airflow would be. I think the airflow of the xp-120 is better though since it will move air across your mobo and help keep other components cool.
xp120 seems the better sink to me. fit something like a silent X ontop and its both quieter and got better cooling potential than the zalman. but then you have the added cost of a high end £15 fan.
If it was me, XP-120, but then theres not many reviews out for the Zalman, which with 6Heatpipes should be more capable.
I dunno about UK pricing, but the 9500 looks to be about $75US. The XP120 is about $50, plus a bit for a fan. Do the math I've also used the 120 and despite less-than-stunning compatibility, if it fits, the performance is r0x0r. Also not being all copper, it's less likely to snap your mobo in half.
