The first image of the FX100 Cube, a new passive CPU heatsink from Zalman, has leaked out ahead of an announcement from the company.

Obtained from an unnamed source by fan-free cooling specialist site FanlessTech, the image reveals a beast of a cooler with an unconventional design. A base plate is connected to what appear to be several interconnected fin stacks, likely aluminium, through four copper heat pipes. The centre of the device features a raised surface in a hexagonal mesh, while the corners are rounded and covered over.

With Zalman being tight-lipped on the product until its official unveiling, we're left guessing as to its method of operation. As a fanless cooler - and with nowhere to put a fan, that's a given - the system would appear to be designed to work through a process of convection, drawing cooler air in through its underside and expelling it from the vent on the top.

One thing is clear from the image, however: the FX100 Cube is absolutely massive. The black structure towers over the teeny-tiny base plate, meaning that Zalman is definitely aiming for those with larger than average cases with this model. For those who can spare the room, and who have adequate airflow through their case, the system could offer a silent alternative to the common forced-air cooler.

Its impressive size will have to be matched with equally impressive performance, however. Zalman's products tend to be priced towards the mid- to high-end of the enthusiast market, which means the company will be targeting buyers with higher-than-average processor thermal design profiles (TDPs.) If the passively-operated FX100 can't deal with such powerful chips, it could struggle to sell regardless of how impressive its design may be.

When Zalman feels like offering up some details regarding the FX100 Cube, we'll let you know - but until then, you'll have to settle for the single leaked picture.