Zalman CNPS10X Flex CPU Cooler Review

Intel System Installation

Before we begin we would just like to say that this version of the CNPS10X exhibits none of the issues we had with the Extreme version.


To begin the installation, you first have to prep the all in one backplate and set it up for the system type you plan to install it on. This is made simple by the fact that one side of this backplate is for AMD systems and the other is for Intel. The Intel side is of course compatible with not only 775 and 1366 but also 1156 systems.

The key to proper backplate setup is to make sure that you stick the bolts up through the curved side of the backplate and not the other way around. As with the Noctua D14 we reviewed recently, these curved lips keep the bolt from spinning in place but Zalman has taken it a step further with the inclusion of end caps which keep the bolts from falling out. Basically, what you have to do is stick a bolt up though the back plate, make sure the bolt is secured between the backplate lips and then apply a rubber end cap over the end to secure the bolt in place. This one-two combination ensures that the bolt is secured in all three dimensions. It really is a well done solution which will hopefully be copied by other manufacturers in the future.


With the backplate fully prepped and ready to go we then turned our attention to the Flex itself. Unlike other coolers we have looked at in the past which either came pre-equipped with retaining brackets, you have to loosen the base of the Flex and slide the proper brackets (Intel or AMD) in between the two parts of the base. This does make for a sturdy if unique way of doing things. Please note that the bottom half (the copper half) of the base plate has been soldered in place and only the top half is removable.

The next step is to secure the Flex onto the motherboard. Luckily, to prevent the backplate falling out of position, Zalman includes some double sided tape to secure it into position.


When it comes to the retaining bolts, we wish Zalman had done things a bit differently. Unlike some of the other “best of the best” coolers, we wished they had included small split washers to secure the bolts to the brackets since having to properly place the bolts and then install them is more hassle than just grabbing a screwdriver and tightening them down. They tend to fall out of place if not exactly lined up.


With all four bolts tightened down as far as they can go the Flex installation was almost complete. All that was left to do was install a fan. Like most coolers on the market, the Flex uses wire retention brackets to secure the fans to the heatsink. Here too is another area Zalman needs to closely examine and institute a tweak or two. Unlike the Noctua D14 or ever Cooler Master Hyper 212+, the Flex uses old-fashioned wire brackets which have no angled areas to stick out and away from the cooler. This means uninstalling a fan is more hassle than it should be.


At this point in the review we would go over the various installation issues we ran into but to be totally honest there really aren’t any worth mentioning when mounting the cooler in a typical orientation with a single fan. The fin array of the Flex starts up nice and high and shouldn’t cause any issues as there was plenty of room between the back of our fan and our ram slots making any and all memory issues moot.

The only issue we can point to that may possibly be a problem is when you run with two fans. With the fan in its lowest possible position it did rest on the top of our motherboard’s VRM heatsink but here once again it is not going to be an issue for most as you can push the fan up higher and away from the heatsink. If the heatsinks around your motherboard’s CPU area are overly tall, you may run into problems but considering not everyone will run dual fans on their Flex, this is a minor issue at best.