Conclusion

We have been impressed with Zalman's VF900-CU Dual Heatpipe VGA cooler. When compared to the Stock cooler on an ATI Radeon X1800XTPE there really is no competition, Zalman's alternative cools more efficiently and does so at much reduced noise levels. Additionally when compared to other high specification coolers such as Arctic Cooling's Accelero X2 the Zalman is more desirable due to its much smaller design.

Installation of the cooler is exceptionally straightforward and should not trouble even a novice when reading the easy to follow manual.

There is one area where the VF900-CU looses out to the stock cooler and that is in the direction of air flow. The stock cooler assists in overall case temp management by expelling air out of the rear of the case. That said, there is a benefit to Zalman's design, air is expelled over the other card components, keeping them a little cooler than the stock cooler.

 

Summary

A fantastic performing, reasonably priced, well designed and easy to install cooler.

What do these awards mean?

 

The VF900-CU can be purchased on-line for £28 from QuietPC or $34 from Newegg