InsaneTek

Our last look at Cooler Master's enthusiast cooler left us a bit disappointed.  The Ultra Vortex cooling design was similar to the design of the Zalman CNPS series, but was not nearly as easy to install.  Yet the Ultra Vortex provided good performance, but not enough to justify the poor installation method.  Thermalright's introduction of the Light-N-Easy series of heatsinks only provided more competition.  These factors wiped away all possible considerations for using the Ultra Vortex.  Lucky for us, Cooler Master jumped on heatpipe technology once again and created the new Hyper 48.  Unlike the Hyper6 that utilizes 6 heatpipes, the Hyper 48 uses 4 heatpipes to distribute heat across the copper fins.  Hopefully, the Hyper 48 doesn't come with installation problems too.

Cooler Master Hyper 48

Like any of their products, the Hyper 48 comes in nice plastic packaging.  The box provides the specifications of both the heatsink and included fan. 

The package includes the all copper heatsink, a silent 92mm fan, installation manual, installation brackets for AMD K8 and LGA 775 platforms, a small tube of grease, and installation screws and clips.  The Hyper 48 is an all copper heatsink with massive fins and four heatpipes.  The construction resembles the Thermalright XP-90, which is made of all aluminum.  Like the XP-90, the Hyper 48 is optimized for a 92mm fan.  The large copper fins are joined right at the base and extended to provide extra surface area and immediate heat dissipation.  The 4 large heatpipes start at the very base of the heatsink and curve up to the very top of the fins, helping the heat distribution. 

The contact area of the base is circular, which rises above the rest of the base to help provide clearance for small capacitors in the CPU socket area.  This usually arises with LGA 775 platforms.  The base is covered with a plastic layer to help prevent damages and scratches, and also to help keep the base clean of grease and dirt.  The base is well lapped and is extremely flat, making full contact with the CPU.

The Hyper 48 is designed to be almost universal.  I say 'almost' because it doesn't support the old Socket A/370 platform.  Those platforms should just die.  They're way too old for enthusiasts.  The Hyper 48 supports the newest LGA 775, Socket 478, Socket 754, Socket 939, and Socket 940.  The method of installation for Intel Pentium 4 Socket 478 systems is extremely easy.  It uses two clips that latch on to the stock motherboard retention frame.  Simply sit the heatsink on the CPU and then hook on the clips.  That's all.  This is the same method used for the Hyper6 and is the preferred method.  For AMD K8 platforms (Socket 754/939/940), simply remove the motherboard retention frame and replace it with the included bracket.  The included bracket is shaped similar to the Socket 478 bracket and allows for the same easy installation method.  For LGA 775 platform, the first step requires the attachment of the silver plate onto the bottom of the heatsink.  Simply secure it on with the provided 4 black screws.  The next step is to place the LGA 775 frame underneath the motherboard.  Line up the heatsink with the bottom frame and secure it with the four provided screws.  It's as simple as that.  The only thing I encountered was that the corners of the heatsink prevented easy insertion of the screws.  Remember to slide the screws into the holes before lining up with the bottom frame.  It will make installation less difficult. 

Specifications

The heatsink is all copper and weighs in at a hefty 864g.  This is not something that most LAN gamers will like.  Those with AMD K8 and P4 Socket 478 platforms will be best advised to remove the heatsink before transporting the system, but LGA 775 owners will be glad to know that the heatsink is secured nicely to the motherboard via screws. 

Cooler Master included a thin Delta Electronics 92mm fan built for silence.  The rated dBA is lower than a slight whisper, rendering the system almost silent.  Delta is well known for their high CFM fans but they're also very capable of making whisper quiet fans.  The fan is powered through the 3-pin and is safe to connect to the motherboard's fan header.

Test Setup and Results

Test Setup and Method:

Testing will be conducted on the LGA 775 platform with an overclocked CPU.  I figured that this is the best testing method because LGA 775 CPUs produce the most heat.  If it can cool down an overclocked LGA 775 CPU, it can cool down just about any other CPUs. 

Ambient temperature was kept at a consistent 22°C.  Arctic Silver Ceramique thermal paste was used during the entire testing process.  A temperature probe was placed next to the Intel heatspreader to measure CPU temperature.  Two instances of CPU Burn-in were used to create maximum load on the CPU.  The purpose of this test was to determine the results a home end user would obtain.  There was no scientific testing conducted, simply because I do not have the proper equipment.

Test System Specifications:

• Intel LGA 775 520 2.8GHZ (12 x 250FSB = 3.5GHZ @ 1.5125v)
• Abit AA8-Duramax
• Kingston HyperX PC2-5400
• Gigabyte PCX5750
• Ultra Products 600w

Fan Specifications:

• Delta Electronics
• 92 x 92 x 25mm
• 1400 RPM
• 18.5 dBA

Competition:

• Swiftech MCX775-V w/ Vantec Tornado at 7v

Test Procedures:

• Idling at desktop for 30 minutes
• Full load with CPU Burn-in for 60 minutes

Results:

Although the Hyper 48 doesn't top the Swiftech, it is still a formidable competitor.  The Swiftech MCX775-V was better because it was paired with a Vantec Tornado at 7v.  True that the noise and CFM definitely lowered on the Tornado at 7v, but it still produces more noise than the fan on the Hyper 48.  The 2°C increase is might be worth sacrificing for the lower noise level.  Also, keep in mind that these new LGA 775 CPUs are able to withstand high temperatures, so an overclocked CPU running under 60°C in an aircooled environment would be considered acceptable.

Conclusion and Thoughts