Final Pictures:

Final

Final

Final

Test Results:

Accelero GPU1 Idle Temps	VF900-Cu GPU2 Idle Temps
Accelero GPU1 Load Temps	VF900-Cu GPU2 Load Temps

   I didn't think it would happen so soon, but as you see, the new Zalman VF900-Cu has beaten my previous champs: the Arctic Cooling Accelero. Not only has it beaten it hands down, there's another critical component to this : the size. The Zalman VF900-Cu is much smaller, thinner, and just as quiet as the Accelero. Very interesting indeed.

   If you'd like to know what the stock nvidia cooler temps are, please visit here.

   I have heard rumors around the web that GPU2 runs cooler than GPU1 because GPU2 does "less work" than GPU1. Well I can say that I've never experienced that anomaly myself. In fact GPU2 has usually run warmer because of lack of airflow in most PC chassis` compared to GPU1, or because of the GPU2 card being jammed against another PCI card. However now that I'm using an open-chassis design for this review, the GPU's are more evenly matched in airflow.

   However regardless of all the speculation out there and "what about this and that?" scenarios, getting a new GPU cooler is always recommended to keep your hardware running cool. Do you NEED one? Probably not...but cooler is better. Period.

   Please note that with ANY one showing their temperatures in a review means very little to the end user unless you have a similiar setup, and similiar ambient temperature. Ambient temperature can drastically affect your system temps, right down to your cpu core temp. 

*UPDATE*

  Do to further speculation on the GPU1/GPU2 matter, I have just retested my setup. However this time I flip flopped my 7800GT's so that the Zalman VF900-Cu is now in the GPU1 location and the Accelero is in the GPU2 location. Guess What? Exact same temps! You can read more about this matter over in the forum thread.

Never doubt the Diceman :)

Conclusion:

   With it's ease of installation, top quality construction, and superb cooling abilities at very low sound levels, the new Zalman VF900-Cu is an easy pick for an Editors Choice Award from me.

   Zalman continues to design and produce some of the best VGA cooling products in the market that are affordable for everyone.

   It's extremely difficult to make it to the top of your game, and even tougher to stay there. Zalman continues to show they're on top for a reason and aren't ready to give it up just yet.

   I highly recommend the Zalman VF900-Cu to just about every non-watercooling freak out there. It's great heatpipe design and slim profile will make this a great alternative to some of the big block coolers available elsewhere. Not to mention the extremely low noise levels.

   Great Cooling + Low Noise = Winner!