ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120 Review

Testing:  

To properly test the ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120, I will need to record temperatures during both idle time (little, to no CPU usage), as well as during full load (100% CPU usage). I will be using SpeedFan 4.33 to gather the temperatures of the CPU cores. I will be using OCCT:PK to simulate the full load testing, and run it for thirty minutes. I will let the computer sit and cool down for thirty minutes before gathering the idle temperatures. I will be testing the processor at both stock speeds with stock voltage settings, as well as overclocked speeds of 3.6GHz, with the voltage increased to 1.46 volts. All of the temperatures are measured in degrees Celsius.  

Testing Setup:

• Processor: Intel E6600 (stock & 3.6GHz)
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35-DQ6
• Memory: Mushkin Redline XP2 8000 2 x 2 GB 5-5-5-12
• Video Card: Sapphire HD3850
• Power Supply: Mushkin 800watt Modular Power supply
• Hard Drive: Western Digital 320GB 16MB Cache SATA
• Optical Drive(s): Lite-on DVD-RW
• Case: Cooler Master Cosmos 1000
• O/S: Windows Vista Ultimate
• Ambient Temperature: 23.8 degrees Celsius

Comparison Heatsinks:

• Heatsink: ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120 with 120mm Fan attached (Active)
• Heatsink: ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120 without 120mm Fan attached (Passive)
• Heatsink: Scythe Shruiken Low Profile CPU Cooler
• Heatsink: Cooler Master Hyper Z600
• Heatsink: Thermolab Micro Silencer
• Heatsink: Thermolab Nano Silencer
• Heatsink: Cooler Master TX2
• Heatsink: CoolJag Falcon 92-Cu
• Heatsink: Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme
• Heatsink: Stock Intel C2D 65nm HSF

As you can see in the graphs above, the ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120 did about average when compared to other coolers when it had its 120mm fan installed. When I decided to take the 120mm fan off of the Zen cooler, the temperatures shot up quite a bit.