CNPS10X Extreme: Zalman’s Extreme Makeover

Admittedly, the CNPS10X is relatively inefficient — whether you consider weight or price. Weighing in at 820 grams for the heatsink alone, it is the heaviest cooler we’ve tested in recent memory. The Prolimatech Megahalems comes closes at 790 grams but that cooler is the current top performer in our database. Like many Zalman heatsinks, CNPS10X is fairly expensive at US$80. Still, unlike many high performance coolers, it comes with an integrated fan, and the fan is quite good, as is the integrated fan speed controller. These help to justify the price for buyers seeking a complete, high performance CPU cooling package.