Zalman 9500AT Intel 775 CPU Cooler

Zalman.. a name that so many have come to trust. Without doubt, Zalman is one of the leaders in cooling accessories for your PC, whether it be for your CPU or GPU. They manufacture other product types also, but it’s their coolers that have helped them make their mark.

Last year, they released the 9500 LED CPU cooler, which was compatible with current Intel and AMD systems. Greg took a look at that cooler this past December, noting that it had made a substantial difference over other coolers on hand, including a Spire and another Zalman. The 9500AT is the first Zalman cooler I have used, so it will be interesting to see how well it does in my system.

If you have seen the 9500 LED, then you know exactly what to expect here. The cooler is near identical, except this one does not feature and LED fan. The cooler came in a large box, which is only large due to the massive cooler it contains. The packing job was incredible. I am unsure if they will -all- be packed like this, but the packing peanuts were plenty and were even pushed inside the 9500AT box to make it even more secure.

After opening the box, I pulled out a small white box that includes the two brackets you will need, thermal paste, screws and instructions. Besides the cooler itself, that is all that is included.

The time came to take out the cooler.. and wow this thing is a beast! I have been a fan of the design of this cooler ever since it’s release, so I was happy to finally have it in front of me. Directly in the front, is the presumably 92mm fan, which is designed to be -very- quiet. The copper fins are spread out like a flower, and they total 90. Thanks to Greg for counting all the pins on his 9500LED for me to know this =)

The entire unit is comprised of copper, for ultimate heat dissipation. What makes this cooler so different from others on the market, is the unique structure of the heatpipe. There are a total of 3 pipes, but each one wraps around to effectively produce 6 pipes. These pipes are in a figure 8 design, and flow through the 90 fins. This is without a doubt, one of the coolest designs I have seen in a recent CPU cooler.