Installing the Hyper 212 is a relatively quick and easy process, which is both a good and bad thing. It seems like Cooler Master may have overlooked developing the installation of this cooler in the flurry of releasing so many other devices, because some things just seem illogical. For example, to add another fan, you have to screw on the bracket from the inside of the fan (which requires removal of the cooler, which further requires removal of the motherboard, as you'll see). It seems like it would have been a good investment to put on toolless fan brackets that could be used while the cooler was still attached.


The first step for the installation of most coolers these days is the removal of the motherboard and the cleaning of the processor and base of the cooler, this one is no different. Then you have to prep the two mounting brackets and put them on the cooler, all quick and easy stuff that they would do for you in the factory if it weren't a universal cooler. After the thirty seconds we just spent putting on that bracket, the cooler is basically ready to go.




Next you take your four rubber washers and stick them down around the screws so that your motherboard doesn't short out. After applying some of the included thermal paste, you're ready to put the cooler on. To do this, I had to stand the cooler upside-down, and then place my motherboard upside-down on top of it, because you screw the cooler in from the back-side of the motherboard. This design, as I said before, means that if you want to take the cooler off temporarily, say to install another fan, you have to take out your motherboard and unscrew it that way.


Once you have the cooler securely fastened to your motherboard/processor, there's plenty of clearance around your NB and RAM. Does it perform as nicely as it looks? Let's find out in testing…