CPU cooler group test review with 3770K - Cooler Master GeminII SF524 - Hyper 212 EVO - Hyper 412S

We start with a quick overview of the heatpipe coolers that are being tested today. A small desciption versus a photo of the product on our test-bench.

Cooler Master GeminII SF524

The GeminII SF524 is a product that features a larger heatsink for improved cooling performance, and increased memory module clearance to support high end memory modules featuring large heatsinks of their own. It comes equipped with a modular 120mm fan with an ideal noise performance ratio throughout its supported range of rpm. It can be upgraded to a 140mm fan to further boost its cooling performance or opt for a super low noise, low rpm fan.

• Balanced cooling between CPU and components on the motherboard.
• Higher ground clearance for better memory module compatibility.
• Larger heatsink for better performance.
• Super low fan speed (900 R.P.M. with Silent Mode Adapter) provides almost noiseless performance.
• Compatible with 14cm fans (optional).

 

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

A well known series from Cooler Master is the Hyper 212 series. The Hyper 212 EVO cooling systems are designed and optimized to provide decent cooling potential. The Hyper 212 EVO now features four Cooler Master patented Continuous Direct Contact (CDC) heatpipes that are tightly packed into a flat array on the CPU cooler base. This acts as a virtual vapor chamber that dissipates a large amount of heat. The aluminum fin structure has been optimized to provide the perfect performance balance between high and low speed fan operations.

• Well-balanced cooling performance provides fin optimizations with perfect balance between high and low speed operations. 
• 4 Direct Contact heat pipes with the patented CDC™ (Continuous Direct Contact) technology - creating a perfect, sleek surface for heat conduction. 
• Wide-range PWM fan with unique wave-shaped blade design for excellent airflow. 
• Versatile all-in-one mounting solution supporting the latest Intel LGA 1366 / 1155 and AMD FM1 / AM3+.

The four heatpipe based cooler is priced very cheap at roughly 25 EUR/USD and can be considered to be an entry-level to mainstream product.

Cooler Master Hyper 412S

The product has the S for being the slimmer one but well, after testing it we feel it applies to Silent as well. Hyper 412 Slim inherits the low noise design of Hyper 612 PWM with good heat dissipation at low fan speeds. It features the wider fin gaps, wide range PWM fan and Cooler Master’s innovative patented CDC technology to further improve the cooling performance while maintaining the quiet idling. Bundled with 2 slim fans, Hyper 412 Slim is best suited to the Intel socket LGA 2011 platform due to its compact size.

• Adopts the innovative patented CDC (Continuous Direct Contact) technology - side-by-side heat pipe configurations with no gaps creating a perfectly smooth surface for heat conduction.
• Optimized with wider fin gaps to reduce the air flow resistance which maximizes cooling performance at low fan speed condition.
• Quick-snap fan bracket design for easier installation.
• Wide range PWM fan (500 – 1,600 R.P.M.) provides versatile performance for full loading efficiency and for quiet idling.
• Versatile all-in-one mounting solution supporting the latest Intel LGA 2011 and AMD FM1.

Originally this cooler had a 2-fan design, but Cooler Master sent out a SKU with one fan. The overall performance is pretty good, especially when you consider its price at 35 EUR/USD.

The 412S has 4 copper heatpipes and that single 120mm slim PWM fan. It uses an easy-to-use Cooler Master mounting system which I personally like very much. There is plenty of space for memory as well.