Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus - CPU Cooler with 4 Direct Contact Heat Pipes

The install process is fairly straight-forward, although the directions could be fleshed out more by CoolerMaster. The illustrations are small and detail is lacking. However, the install process is simple enough that it can be figured out based on the minimal directions and the parts included.From start to finish the install process took about 1.5 hours, including prep and cleanup time. My Antec P280 case has the back of the motherboard exposed for just this purpose (swapping CPU heatsinks), so I didn't have to take out my motherboard to install it which saved a bunch of time. Otherwise consider doubling that time estimate. Regardless, if you are handy with a Phillip's screwdriver and general common sense, installation shouldn't be a problem.The 212 is quite tall, so make sure you take measurements before you order. My Antec P280 is a very large "mid" tower (should be classified as a full tower), and it fits with about an inch or so to spare. If you have 120mm fans on the back or top of your case, chances are it will fit. But this isn't a given. Just measure it to be sure.The 212 can be mounted either horizontally or vertically, depending on preference. I have mine mounted horizontally so that it blows the exhaust up toward the top case fans, which in turn exhaust the hot air out. I have one filtered intake on the back of my case, which blows directly toward the 212's intake. I also have the 212's fan oriented so that air is "pulled" through the heatsink, rather than "pushed". The 212 was set up to push air through the heatsink from the factory. I'm not sure this makes much difference, but it seemed to make more sense to have it pull the air through the heatsink.On the ASUS Sabertooth R2.0 AMD 3+ mobo, a drawback to mounting the 212 horizontally is it makes the closest DIMM socket inaccessible. So If I decide to add additional sticks of RAM the 212 will have to be removed. The 212's heatsink sits high enough to clear my already installed G.Skill Ripjaws RAM (F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL)--which do have heatsinks on them--by about 1/4 inch or so.The stock cooler for my AMD FX 8350 (which is also a CoolerMaster product) screams under load, which is the main reason why I went looking for an aftermarket cooling solution. The Hyper 212 on the other hand is very quiet by comparison. It is noticeable under full load, but quiet enough to not be annoying. The stock 8350 cooler is simply obnoxious.Besides the much quieter fan, the other great feature is the reduced operating temps. With the stock cooler I was running around 53 degrees Celsius during gaming, now it runs around 43 degrees. Under test loads with Prime95 (maximum FPU stress test), I was running as high as 61 degrees Celsius with the stock cooler, but the Hyper 212 keeps it around 52 degrees Celsius or so. At idle with the 212 the CPU sits at about 28 degrees Celsius. With the stock cooler it would idle around 37-38 degrees Celsius. The 212 seems to keep the CPU about 10 degrees Celsius cooler across the board.I don't have this processor overclocked at the moment and probably won't because it's plenty powerful enough for my needs. But if you plan on overclocking you may want to take advantage of the second fan option for a push/pull set up.The 212 package does include a small tube of thermal compound (enough for several uses) and an adapter so you use your Phillip's screwdriver to seat the nuts onto the backplate. It also comes with additional brackets to mount a second fan. Basically, everything you need to complete the installation is included in the package (except the screwdriver).Assuming your case can accommodate its size, this is probably the best air cooling solution for the money.

I don't write reviews really so me even typing this says something. This is a great cooler. Its heat pipe design is great for only $30. I am using this in my latest build that is using an AMD A10-5800K Quad core processor with integrated 7660D graphics. Before I really dive I will begin by saying I am an overclocker. Also I am using a 3 fan push, pull, pull configuration (This was hard to achieve but works well):CPU- 4.2 Ghz (3.8 Org.)- 1.472 vAPU-Northbridge- 2.0 Ghz (1.5 Org.)- 2.75 viGPU- 1 Ghz (800 Mhz Org.)- 2.75 GhzRAM- 1.866 Ghz 10-10-10-27 (1.6 Ghz 10-10-10-27 Org.)- 1.632 vThere you go that is what this thing is cooling. Everything that can be overclocked is. So here are the temps:CPU- Idle: 27c...... Full load using Prime95: 53iGPU- Idle: 40c..... Full load: 56GPUs always run hotter than CPUs so those are pretty good temps. My goal is to always stay under 60c because the healthy level for most components is 70c so in my mind this will keep my components in better condition. How you use yours is up to you, so if your limit is higher you can overclock more.I am using Ceramique 2 in this review but I am switching to Arctic Silver 5 which will perform better (So realistically this can be even better with the right paste)Pros:1. Great performance2. $30 (I still cant get past the price to performance ratio here)3. Very secure mounting4. Has 4 direct contact copper heat pipes5. Large dissipation area6. Comes with a high quality PWM fan7. Quiet with 1 fan (After two is gets audible)8. Universal bracket9. Made out of high quality materialsCons:1. Because this is a universal bracket the instructions are a little vague.2. The base is uneven due to heat pipe design causing ridges between he aluminum and copper. (Solved with EVO)3. Only comes with one fan (For the price, you get what you payed for, go buy another if you really need it)4. Audible after 1 fan5. Kinda a pain to install sometimes. (Though its alot easier if your case is like mine and allows access to the back bracket of the CPU for the exact purpose of changing heat sinks)Overall I would recommend this to anyone. This is a wonderful product that is for a low price. The performance is great. What more could you ask for?