Zalman Z9 Plus - new body models: specifications, review and reviews

All over the world, Zalman products are associated with absolute quality, whether it's a conventional CPU cooler, flash drive or some other gadget. First of all, it is a guarantee that the user buys a device that will serve him for a long period of time without grumbling. In the focus of the article - a wonderful product of this manufacturer, the case of the form factor Midi Tower - Zalman Z9 Plus. Features, reviews and reviews about this device will help the reader get to know the gadget more closely.

First meeting

The case Zalman Z9 Plus comes in a package of considerable sizes: 510х280х570 mm. Its weight is almost 9 kilograms. The usual yellow cardboard is decorated with the image of the device itself, and also has a detailed description of the contents on both sides of the box. On the sides of the package are provided handles for carrying (as in household appliances). After printing out the box, the user will discover the device itself, wrapped in a polyethylene film, squeezed by two tight foam locks, which are designed to protect the case during transportation from falls and shocks.

To save space, all accessories are placed by the manufacturer inside the case. To access them, unscrew and remove the side cover of the device. A huge plastic bag contains: a complete guide to the installation and description of the mechanisms of the case, warranty card and advertising booklets, all kinds of fasteners, power cord extension for the processor and rubberized gaskets for hard drives.

All accessories for Zalman Z9 Plus, supplied in the kit, are described in the manual, so the user can easily understand what and where to install when building a computer.

Appearance and design

Externally, the body looks bulky: its half-meter height in combination with the 7-kilogram weight at first greatly discouraged. However, in their responses, many owners note that the large size and weight contribute to reducing vibrations in work - this is a serious argument. To find fault with the quality of the metal case will not be possible - the user will not find a single cutting edge. All parts of the body not only have roundings on the ends, but are additionally painted with varnish.

Separate attention deserves the design of the case. The austere look and a lot of elegant designs outwardly resemble a complex mechanism assembled by a genius. Despair is not necessary, because for the case Zalman Z9 Plus instruction in Russian, so completely disassemble and assemble the device again will not be difficult.

Cooling system

First of all the case of Zalman Z9 Plus is intended for fans of high-performance games. Ventilation, organized in the system unit, facilitates the rapid removal of heated air outside the shell. The manufacturer installed four air coolers in the system:

• On the front of the device gadget (the cooler pushes air into the basket with hard drives and then gets inside the system);
• In the back of the case (the fan is installed at the level of the processor and draws warm air to the limits of the system unit);
• At the top of the gadget (the cooler is above the processor heatsink and draws hot air out);
• On the side panel (the cooler is located in the area of the south bridge and pushes air onto the motherboard).

Also in the case there is one more platform for installing an additional fan from the bottom of the system unit. Quite a strange decision, because the miniature rubber legs of the hull do not allow you to get a full flow of air.

Features of mounting accessories

The base of the case Zalman Z9 Plus Black, which is designed to install the motherboard, looks like a sieve. There is nothing surprising in this - the manufacturer took care that the user could easily install inside any baseboard (there is not a single negative feedback in the media on installing the motherboard).

Will please owners and removable basket for hard drives. It is very convenient to install devices using rubberized linings, which protect the drives from extraneous vibrations. There are many places in the basket, you can install an additional cooling system for hard drives as an add-on.

For the dilution of wiring and interface cables inside the case, too, do not worry, and the screeds are not needed. Almost on each face in the system unit there are terminals for placing interfering wires in them.

Body Control Panel

The Zalman Z9 Plus system unit has four platforms for 5.25-inch devices (for example, a DVD drive), but the top slot is already occupied by the control panel. It is worth noting that it was originally disabled by the manufacturer. To connect the control panel, you must carefully disconnect the protective cover from the front of the case and connect the two connectors (they are highlighted with certain colors, it will not be possible to mix up).

Do not try to output USB 3.0 interfaces to the front panel, the manufacturer mentions it several times in the instruction - 4 USB connectors have the old format. With the connection of acoustics and microphone, too, there should not be any problems, because the terminals have factory marks and special connectors.

Testing the cooling system

The device Zalman Z9 Plus Black attracts customers not only by its appearance. Many owners of gaming computers are interested in the efficiency of cooling components installed inside a huge chassis. In test labs, it is not customary to make comparisons between expensive devices and their cheap analogs, when it comes to system blocks in general. For testing, a special stand is created that works in an open space (the flow of indoor air is not limited to anything). The ambient temperature should be within 22-25 degrees Celsius. As a result of measurements, many interesting facts were revealed:

• The processor's temperature in the case is only 3 degrees higher than the stand's indicators (two coolers for blowing cope with the task);
• The video card inside the unit is heated 3-5 degrees more than at the stand;
• Hard drives do not have any differences in temperature (apparently, the blower fan does a great job of cooling).

Soundproofing

The maximum speed of rotation of the coolers installed in the Zalman Z9 Plus device is limited to 1200 rpm. In theory, noise should not be, but do not forget that the system has four fans that rotate not synchronously. Many users in their reviews say that the cooling system in the case is quiet, but if you listen, you can see that the noise of the four fans is predominant (the work of coolers of the processor and the video card is not audible).

Many owners recommend modding the cooling system by soldering the Zalman Z9 Plus cooling control resistor (for an overview of this model, see the article). It should be noted that reducing the speed of coolers to 200-500 rpm eliminates the unpleasant noise emitted by the system unit. Also, if you want, you can take out a button to completely turn off the cooling system and make a switch for turning off the backlight for the fans.

Owner feedback

The main criterion in choosing a case is its cost in the market. All users without exception believe that for the Zalman Z9 Plus the price of 3000 rubles is acceptable. I am glad that the case is delivered without a power supply unit - the user can independently install what he likes. Inside the device a lot of free space, respectively, the installation of components is very easy, and the instruction in Russian explains in detail what and where to install to ensure decent ventilation. There are also negative user reviews, and they relate primarily to the control panel:

1. Four USB 2.0 interfaces. After all, you could make 50/50 by installing USB 3.0.
2. The backlight of the cooling system does not turn off. Night battles are accompanied by a bright glow of the system unit in the dark.
3. The inability to reduce or deactivate the operation of the enclosure coolers requires knowledge of electrical engineering , otherwise the headaches may appear from the noise of the fans.

Finally

Summarizing the review of the case Zalman Z9 Plus, you can make only one conclusion: an inexpensive device that is designed for building gaming systems, obviously it will be interesting to all users who prefer a budget class. Along with the high efficiency of cooling, there is a defect in the manufacturer, which breaks the full rest of the owners with noise and visual effects. There are only two solutions: to solve problems independently with a soldering iron in hands or to purchase a more expensive case, the price of which starts from 10 thousand rubles.