Cooler Master Hyper 48
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:
Fan Specifications:
Competition:
Test Procedures:
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 The Cooler Master Hyper6 was a good heatsink, but the Ultra Vortex was not something worth purchasing. Fortunately, the Hyper 48 fixed all that. This heatsink is definitely a good choice for both overclocking enthusiasts and quiet-system enthusiasts. The 92mm fan can be easily changed if users wish to look for increased performance, but there isn't much need when the cooler performs so well. The 4 heatpipes help with heat distribution and the large size helps with heat absorption. Installation has improved and makes work much easier. The best part of the Hyper 48 is the noise level. The cooler produces less noise than most typical 80mm case fans and is not something you have to worry about. The only thing that prevents the heatsink from receiving the Must-Have Award would be the weight of the cooler. A cooler at 864g is not something many enthusiasts wish to use, especially K8 and Socket 478 owners. Other than that problem, the Cooler Master Hyper 48 definitely gets the high recommendation. Pros:
Cons:
We would like to thank Cooler Master for providing us the sample. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit us up in the forums. You can also check out more of our latest reviews on the front page.
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