Cooler Master Hyper 612S CPU Cooler Review

Performance wise, the 612S is nothing to write home about. It gets beaten fairly easily by the V6GT, Xigmatek Aegir and Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus. Performance for the 612S is slightly better than the Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2 though.

Compatibility isn’t an issue for anybody using a current Intel or AMD system. Those of you looking to carry this cooler forward to your LGA 2011 system may have problems as there is nothing mentioned in the manual or by Cooler Master themselves as to whether or not it will be supported. Clearance for RAM modules and tall VRM heatsinks is very accommodating and the flexible fan mount method gives you even more freedom with your choice of RAM.

Ease of installation isn’t a strong point for the Hyper 612S due to its frustrating method which left us craving an extra hand. A slight revision of the procedure would make the process much easier, so hopefully this is something that Cooler Master will look into. The actual sturdiness of the installation was very pleasing, so much so that some users may consider the painful procedures beforehand a worthwhile hassle for the safe mount.

Noise output is extremely low, the lowest that this editor has tested to date. The innovative fan mounting method uses a plastic fan clip and rubber vibration dampers which prove to work very well as our Scythe AP-15 fans were actually slightly lower than what we have recorded when using them on other heatsinks. Cooler Master have definitely succeeded in producing a low noise cooler.

In regards to price, we feel that the Cooler Master Hyper 612S is slightly overpriced. Yes, it does offer better cooling performance compared to the Tranquillo Rev. 2 and yes, it is quieter, but these benefits come at a cost, £10 to be precise. £10 extra may not seem like a huge amount, but we have to remember that this is an extra 40% of the Gelid option’s £25/$40 street price. We don’t feel that the benefits of the Hyper 612S really warrant the 40% increase compared to a Tranquillo Rev. 2, but this opinion is subjective to anybody looking to purchase a heatsink for a particular role.

Cooler Master aimed for decent performance with the Hyper 612S but their main concern was noise output. It is pleasing to see large manufacturers looking for innovative ways to extend their product line-up but unfortunately, the Hyper 612S doesn’t impress us enough to warrant its £35 price tag. It is however an innovative product on Cooler Master’s behalf and is worthy of our brand new eTeknix innovation award.