Page 2 - Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
The overall design of the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 is very similar to the original Hyper 212 EVO we reviewed nine years ago with a heatsink capable of holding two fans, but only including one fan. The shape of the fins is close to rectangular-shaped, where both sides of the heat are cut to allow the fans to be clipped on. The box includes a fan mounting tool to attach another fan to the back.
The fin on the top of the heatsink is the same width as the other fins. The heatpipes are also exposed at the top of the heatsink. Generally, manufacturers will use a thicker top fin to aid in creating a sturdier build. This fact matters a little more when considering the heatsink is fully exposed. Personally, I would have preferred the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 to have a thicker top fin that was also colored black likewise to the Reeven Justice II RC-1207, as I personally find it looks better and maintains a sturdier build. That said, the Hyper 212 series have always been a budget option, and the way it is designed keeps the price in check.
When it comes to measurements, The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 is 120mm in length, 80mm in width, and 155mm in height, including the fan. The SickleFlow 120 fan adds an additional 25mm to the width of the heatsink. This is relatively average for a cooler with a 120mm fan. The Hyper 212 EVO V2 weighs in at about 662g including the fan. This weight is fairly average amongst 120mm coolers, meaning there will be an average amount of stress on the motherboard. The size of this cooler should also give you an idea of how it will perform, but we will dig into the details in the next page.
Taking a look at the side, you can see how the thickness of each fin is constant throughout the entirety of the heatsink. These thin fins are used to keep the cooler lighter while maximizing surface area. The fins are made out of aluminum likewise to many other coolers. The reason behind most fins being made out of aluminum rather than copper is because aluminum is a lighter metal. Although copper has better thermal conductivity, the trade-off between weight and performance is typically not worth it as the gain in weight is much higher than the gain in performance.
Moving on, the material used to build the heatsink is not the only factor in lowering temperatures, but the fan used is another essential aspect of this cooling solution. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 uses a 120mm SickleFlow fan, as previously mentioned. The maximum rated airflow of the SickleFlow 120 is 62 CFM and the maximum rated air pressure is 2.52mmH2O. Note that CFM stands for cubic feet per minute. On paper, the CFM does not sound that great, but let us see how this fan will actually perform in the testing performance explored on the next page.
In regard to the noise level, with the use of rifle bearings, the SickleFlow 120 is specified as 27 dBA at the loudest, which is pretty good. This bearing type is different from the fan used in the original Hyper 212 EVO, which used a long life sleeve bearing. Rifle bearings are similar to sleeve bearings, but are quieter and have a longer lifespan. Regarding RAM clearance, there may be issues during installation as I had to move a stick of RAM to properly install the fan. Generally, you will not need to worry about the clearance between the heatsink and the motherboard.
Looking at the base of the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2, the base uses a direct contact heatpipe design. The heatpipes are not electroplated with nickel, potentially allowing them to oxidize over time. I personally would have preferred to have the heatpipes be electroplated with nickel, as it will protect against oxidization. Nickel is highly resistant to corrosion, making it perfect for sustaining copper surfaces. I also personally prefer the shiny silver look over the look of copper. That said, the lack of electroplated nickel simplifies to manufacturing process to lower the cost, which is justifiable as the Hyper 212 EVO V2 is a budget option. The Hyper 212 EVO V2 comes with a small tube of thermal paste, aiding with the transfer of heat from the CPU to the rest of the cooler. All four continuous heatpipes are soldered to the base. The fins are also attached to the heatpipes quite firmly. The whole build is overall pretty decent.
For the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2, the orientation of the heatpipes is parallel with the fan mounting surface of the heatsink. The heatpipes are staggered throughout the radiator fins. The layout of the heatpipes of the Hyper 212 EVO V2 is used to optimally dissipate heat. Looking at the previous pictures, you can see how the fan is attached to the heatsink by the included fan clips. The process of removing and reattaching the fan was quite simple, so I have no complaints.
The installation of the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 was fairly simple. The manual was necessary in understanding which clips to use for the backplate, as it is used for both AMD and Intel. The installation manual was fairly simple to follow along. The installation is fairly standard after putting the backplate together, as you attach the brackets and screw in the cooler. You will need to install the standoffs, then mount the mounting clips onto the standoffs with the included thumb nuts. It is important to note the fan cannot be mounted onto the heatsink until after the heatsink is installed onto the motherboard. All parts used for the installation are made out of metal, meaning the build quality of these parts is strong enough to hold up this cooler.
After installing the backplate and mounting bracket alongside the standoffs and clips, you will be ready to install the Hyper 212 EVO V2. There are several ways to install this bracket, as the cooler is compatible with both AM4 and LGA socket CPUs. The fan must be installed after the heatsink in all cases, as the fan will get in the way of screwing the heatsink in if not removed. As I have said previously, I did have some small issues regarding RAM clearance, as I did have to relocate a stick of RAM to install the fan onto the heatsink.
Overall, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 V2 is decently made. As mentioned earlier, the top fin was thin, leaving a greater chance of bending if you are not careful. The installation process was fairly simple as you can simply just read the installation manual to understand. I had a new but great experience with the installation process, and it was certainly an improvement over its predecessor with the infamously frustrated X-bracket. Now, we can continue to the part that really matters, the cooling performance. Let us take a look at the results on the next page.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware, Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
