Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 Heatsink Review

There are a lot of CPU coolers on the market these days.  Some stick around for a few months while others stand the test of time.  The Cooler Master Hyper 212 design is one of those gems that has a huge cult following and actually delivers on its promise.  Of course the market being “the market” and PC builders often being on extreme budgets I believe most of the hype is driven by the cost.

Strangely enough even with the Hyper 212 being one of the best price to performance coolers out there people still complain and lucky for us, Cooler Master has listened.  The Hyper 212 EVO V2 features three major design revisions over the version released in 2011.

First we have a revised mounting system, this is one of the biggest changes since it allows the cooler to be installed more quickly over the previous design and becomes more universal in how it is mounted.

Next we have an offset cooling tower.  This is a modernization feature that allows the Hyper 212 EVO V2 to be installed on more systems without compromising memory module height.  On my system I was able to install full height GSKill and Patriot memory modules without any fan interference.

Finally there is an upgraded fan, the new SickleFlow 120mm fan is a new design that works well on heatsinks due to the higher static fan pressure and lower noise profile.  While I can appreciate how efficient the fan is I also find it to be the only weak spot of the new Hyper 212 EVO V2.  Not only is it under powered but it has no bling.

So, the question is how do you add bling to and blingless cooler? 

During this review I tested the Hyper 212 EVO V2 with one and two fans.  The two fan configuration was a dual set of SickleFlow 120mm ARGB fans.  These are exactly the same fan but with an Addressable RGB right of lights in the center hub.  You can buy these in a three pack and even come with a standalone controller or you can plug them directly into your motherboard.

Overall I am pleased with the Hyper 212 EVO V2 and the changes that Cooler Master has made to the design.  Performance and ease of installation clearly stand out with this design and the offset radiator can finally clear taller memory modules without raising the fan position.  Cooling performance could be improved by adding a secondary fan or replacing the SickleFlow with something else however, out of the box this cooler was quiet and could handle an overclocked Core i9 9900k.

Direct Contact Design
Solid Construction
Supports Dual Fan Configuration
Suitable OEM Replacement
Will Support Taller System Memory
Better Installation

Could use a more powerful fan