Cooler Master Hyper 612 Version 2 CPU Cooler Review
CM Hyper 612 V2 CPU Cooler Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Cooler Master built the Hyper 612 V2 for a better solution to stock coolers and wanted it to be near silent while operating. They definitely nailed those points all while making the cooler look pretty slick. Though I have not had too much exposure with these large air coolers, I was extremely impressed with how simple Cooler Master made installing the Hyper 612 V2. I couldn’t have asked for an easier experience!
Performance wise this cooler didn’t have much in terms of previously reviewed air coolers to compete against, leaving the stock Intel cooler and the V3 Voltair as its main competition. V3’s TEC technology built into the cooler absolutely shined on top of a traditional air cooler, however the V3 Voltair costs $25+ more than the Hyper 612 V2. We cannot forget to mention the power consumption is significantly higher in the V3, making cost of ownership greater yet. The Hyper 612 V2 definitely kicked the butt of the stock Intel cooler in every test performed, so it is absolutely an upgrade.
This cooler has a near silent operation and includes a fan that has a fairly decent static pressure, rated at 1.6 mmH2O while having a max noise level of 20 dBA. CM did work to improve the technology behind this cooler, including a couple design updates such as: CDC (Continuous Direct Contact) heat pipes, X-Vent, and Folding Fins.
Cooler Master’s Hyper 612 V2 currently runs $47.18 shipped on Amazon and comes with a nice 2-year warranty. Amazon and Newegg are both sold out of this cooler, so you will have to wait a bit to receive one from either party.
Unfortunately the price of the Hyper 612 V2 is knocking on the doorstep of some smaller 120mm or 140mm liquid coolers, making it a fairly expensive cooler in knowing that these small liquid coolers work quite well. It is far from the most expensive air cooler, rather it’s about middle of the road, so you will have to be the judge. The Cooler Master Seidon 120V All-In-One CPU Water Cooler is $39.99 shipped after rebate, so you can actually get a water cooler from Cooler Master for less than this air cooler. Obviously one point that we pointed out on the opening page of this review is that not everyone trusts water cooling, so don’t let that be forgotten. This is a well built and designed cooler, so perhaps you may want to keep it on your list of possibilities.
Legit Bottom Line: Cooler Master’s Hyper 612 Version 2 is a very well designed and sleek looking air cooler that definitely outperforms the stock Intel cooler, but the price is knocking on the doorstep of smaller AIO liquid coolers that could potentially do a better job.