Zalman CNPS 7700 ALCU, Zalman VF700 review - Upgrading Videocards Heatsinks
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Normally overlooked in cooling solutions, videocards have recently been introduced to aftermarket cooling solutions, meaning that now you can replace your loud fan and hot heatsink on the videocards without having to fabricate your own. I'm all too familiar with that homegrown solution. One of the newest coolers out is the Zalman VF700.
The Zalman VF700 shares a lot of the same technology as the 7700 with the flower-shaped heatsink. The fan is installed lower than the fins to allow optimal airflow to transfer heat over the larger surface area. And Zalman’s CNPS technology is also found in the design of the heatsink, meaning the VF700 is also a very quiet heatsink.
Compatibility
The VF700 also has a long compatibility list; it also lists the clearances allowable for proper installation. I was hoping to test this heatsink on my PCX5750, but it is not compatible with any PCX series card, or with Matrox VGA cards.
The reason for the incompatibility with the PCX series cards is the AGP to PCI express bridge. This relocates the GPU closer to the edge of the card, which also puts the base of the heatsink over the edges of the RAM. Another incompatibility issue that I had with my PCX card was that the mounting clip hit into a capacitor next to the GPU. If I absolutely wanted to mount this heatsink to my card, it is possible with modification, but RAM Heatsinks may not be used.
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