Tom's Hardware Verdict
Priced around $40 at release, the Hyper 212 Evo v2 is a fantastic frugal option with a surprising amount of cooling potential, and makes a great choice for first time system builders or budget PCs. However, if you’re considering performance CPUs with high core counts or strong overclocks, we advise to temper your expectations or seek a more capable solution.
Pros
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Budget pricing
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Simplified installation over previous versions
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Silent operation
Cons
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Better suited for entry-level or mid-range CPUs
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Struggles with high-core count CPUs at overclocked speeds
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The newly updated Hyper 212 looks to tug at the heartstrings of many system builders from over a decade, who may recall countless tech sites spouting consistent praise and community recommendations for the original Hyper 212 product line as a budget air-cooling option. Much like its earlier predecessors, the new Hyper 212 Evo v2 aims for the sweet spot of budget performance potential, with the latest version finding itself amidst a large selection of competitive alternatives.
Specifications
| Height | 6.25" / 158.8mm |
| Width | 4.75" |
| Depth | 2.0" / 50.1mm, (3.25" / 82.6mm w/fan) |
| Base Height | 1.38" / 35.1mm |
| Assy. Offset | 0.5" / 12.7mm (rear), (0.5" /12/7mm forward w/fan) |
| Cooling Fans | (1) 120 x 25mm |
| Connectors | (1) 4-pin PWM |
| Weight | 23.4 oz / 662g |
| Intel Sockets | 775, 115x, 1366, 2011x, 2066, 1200 |
| AMD Sockets | FM2(+), FM1, AM2(+), AM3(+), AM4 |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Web Price | $40 |
Features
The Hyper 212 Evo v2 does away with the swing-arm flex mount bracket and makes use of a fixed torsion bar, which greatly simplifies mounting and installation of the cooler. Cooler Master provides hardware to support most Intel and AMD CPU sockets, although Threadripper is not among them. A set of additional fan mounting hardware is included for users seeking to add an additional fan to the Hyper 212 Evo v2 for push/pull airflow, a PWM splitter for dual fan operation and a syringe of thermal compound round out the boxed accessories.
Cooler Master covers the Hyper 212 Evo v2 with a 2 year product warranty.
Cooler Master provides an updated SickleFlow 120 fan rated to 1800 RPM for use on the new 212 Evo v2, which ships with mounting clips pre-installed. The face of the fan hub is adorned with a holographic logo.,However, the cooling fan does not offer RGB/aRGB lighting as Cooler Master appears to be sticking with the original Hyper 212 theme of budget-minded minimalism.
The cooling fin stack looks very similar to the Hyper 212 models of years past, but with some improvements. A milled aluminum mounting block is fixed to the heatpipes of the Evo v2 and provides much needed relief from the struggles of installing the original 212’s with the adjustable swing arm mount. The cross-section of the cooling tower reveals offset heatpipes and an ‘open’ fin stack which allows airflow to escape at any angle.
The milled aluminum base has an aggressive saw-tooth milling that allows it to function not only as a mounting plate, but also to aid as additional thermal dissipation. The tension mounting screws are maintained with washer clamps, further adding to the improved mounting system.
A set of four copper heatpipes provides the cooling power for the Hyper 212 EVO v2, which are integrated with the aluminum mounting plate and milled flush for CPU IHS direct-contact. The underside of the mounting block shows the securing clips for the tension mounting screws as well as the heatpipe integration into the cooling fin stack.
The milled base of the Hyper 212 EVO v2 is visibly perfect using a steel straightedge for comparison. We see no evidence of convexity or concavity.
The base of the cooler mated well with the face of our Intel Core i9-10850K CPU IHS and provided a quality thermal compound spread, showing consistent contact across the entirety of the processor with all four heatpipes directly interfaced.
The updated mounting hardware for the new Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo v2 allows for a simpler installation than some of the older 212 models. The fixed mounting plate provides good stability to provide almost automatic alignment of the tension screws and the mounting brackets without rocking or twisting.
The last step of installation is to add the SickleFlow 120 fan by snapping the retention brackets around the cooling tower and finding the appropriate 4-pin PWM header for fan management. With taller memory DIMMs like our Corsair Dominator Platinum modules, we can easily see how fan clearance can be an issue for systems using memory and tall heat spreaders, so take this into account.
While the fan mount itself is adjustable, moving the 120mm fan also raises the airflow up and over the top of the cooler, lowering the efficiency of the cooler itself. Less airflow through the cooling fins means a lowered thermal load potential.
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