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and this is an AMD only heatsink????
that's a trick

Copper? The picture is an aluminum model.

Pure copper? Bad pennies? Heat sinks were FAR at Frys this weekend. The Zalman is ok, stupid Bensie- all of these gizmos use "pure copper" tubing and fins which happens to be cheap now owing to world econ.

Stupid, stupid stupid.

Maybe they decided to plate the copper? Certainly the base and pipes are plated.

Neither copper nor aluminum, it's made by steel. Had one a few weeks ago.

We can be quite sure it won't use steel except possibly for mounting clips.

Do you know what nickel plated copper looks like?

Here are a few, http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/print/modding-tt-zalman.html


Hmm, link is borken, copy and paste into new browser window.

<table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>danpi wrote:</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote"><table width="90%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" border="0" align="center"><tr> <td><span class="genmed"><b>dave_c wrote:</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="quote">Maybe they decided to plate the copper? Certainly the base and pipes are plated.</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody">

I believe that plating would be more expensive, at least for the fins. Pure copper fins would likely be too soft, so they are likely alloy ("spring copper"). I don't see any reason for Cu-plating aluminum- plus it is relatively difficult.

You are likely correct re the base plate- pure copper too soft and difficult to machine. Perhaps if nickel plated to provide a harder surface-- I am not familiar with the tradeoffs.</td> </tr></table><span class="postbody">

Plating is certainly more expensive than leaving them bare, but you have to do something to differentiate the product, if it looks not much better but costs more you make 0 profit rather than a little due to losing a sale. I don't think copper fins are very important though, aluminum will do the job but as I mention below it is harder to solder (or effectively as nickel plating joins them) to the tubes since it so readily oxidizes.

The base plate is copper, machined easily enough. It is nickel plated for aesthetic reasons, fancier looking to be near-chrome sheen instead of the eventual dull brownish or greenish hue that copper takes over time.

I agree about copper alloy for the fins, being superior for something so thin. Another factor is that if you press-fit the fins on the tubes and then you nickel plate it, that is a much better thermal path between the tubes and fins than just the friction fit, but on the base the nickel is only cosmetic si... [Truncated]