General

Yes, because that fan is not a bad fan. The same is true for every other heatsink that is well reviewed.

[quote=djpinc19]You can switch the fan before you try the included Blade Master, but there's a good reason why the Hyper 212+ has been so popular.

The only gripe people have with the CNPS10, and the reason why I don't have the cooler, is because it has a tricky fan mounting method.[/quote]

Oh.... I think I'll get the hyper 212+ then if I don't like the fan it comes with, I'll switch it out with a fan I'll get from newegg. Should I go with this plan?

You can switch the fan before you try the included Blade Master, but there's a good reason why the Hyper 212+ has been so popular.

The only gripe people have with the CNPS10, and the reason why I don't have the cooler, is because it has a tricky fan mounting method.

The Zalman cnps10 you talked about, looks like a solid cooler. Feedback said it's quiet. I think I'll go with it I guess.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118059

So will it be okay to get a hyper 212+ and switch the fan with that pwm fan I linked earlier?

I can sleep with that fan at 1400 RPM.
You can replace the fan of any Cooler Master/Xigmatek later on if you feel dissatisfied. The Xigmatek Dark Knight has actually been succeeded in every way by the Aegir, but the Gaia's performance is not far off from its siblings with insignificant differences of up to 3*C on the same bench. The 2nd generation Core i processors are not that hot.

The newer Zalmans are well regarded such as the CNPS10 series. The CNPS9500A is too old to be even considered viable as a performance cooler when there are so many better options today, while at the same time having a fan that cannot be easily replaced.

Would you think you can sleep with it on at 1400 rpm?

What do you think about the idea of replacing the hyper 212+ fan with this one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835610003

I heard Zalman makes quiet coolers, I read the feedback to this one, it seems okay.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118223

or this Xigmatek dark knight
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233029

I'm running Prime95 right now just for you. All 4 cores on the i5-2400 are at 100% load with turbo clock speeds of 3.2 gHz with no core exceeding 50*C. Since the test started, the Hyper 212+ fan has not spun faster than 1400 RPM (~800 RPM at idle) as it does not need to spin too fast to dissipate the heat being generated. Ambient temperature is ~24*C and falling so the fan has since slowed by 100 RPM while maintaining core temperatures of 47*C. Blade Master noise is noticeable and distinct from the other fans, but it is not the loudest.

It's definitely quieter and more efficient than my OCZ Vendetta, which hit 2000 RPM while maintaining 55*C on a Phenom II X4. However, the Cooler Master Elite 310's internal airflow is inferior to the NZXT Phantom due to the lack of cable management in the former.

Do you think the hyper 212+ noise will bother me? I can compare its fan to a antec tri cool 80mm case fan I have. At night I put the case fan at med speed which it spins at 2000 rpm with a dBA of 24. It doesn't bother me. The manufacturer's specs for the hyper 212+ says it spins at 2000 rpm at most. It is a 120 mm fan, so since it's bigger it might have a difference than my 80mm antec tri cool fan.

Edit: Should I buy the hyper 212+ and just change out the fan to a better fan that makes less noise?
This seems like a quiet fan: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835610003

Wait, with the fan thats like 40 dollars. Should I might as well buy a quiet 40-45 dollar cooler, if there is any quiet 40-45 dollar coolers?

http://www.frostytech.com/top5heatsinks.cfm

The top 10 silent coolers are all old and use relatively inefficient designs. The more efficient coolers can spin their fans slower while maintaining a certain temperature. Very few games will stress a modern CPU; CPUs are stressed with intense CPU benchmarks such as Prime95.

[quote=djpinc19]Silence: Noctua NH-D14

4.5 gHz is not an aggressive overclock on the i5-2500k. The 212+ will do fine as the CPU is not the most important component in a gaming system and thus it is unlikely that the fan will reach an RPM high enough when noise is noticeable. My video card is louder all the time, but just for fun, I'm using the Z68's integrated graphics option for some really quiet nights.[/quote]

Ya the noctua is a bit pricy lol.
Well according to this, scythe cpu coolers seem to be quiet.
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2598&page=3

Scythe shuriken
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185097

Oh wait, I forgot about the GPU... Wait, is it possible to use the i5 2500k's integrated graphics? How would I like actually turn off the gpu, rather than unplugging it out? My mobo does not have any integrated graphics.

Silence: Noctua NH-D14

4.5 gHz is not an aggressive overclock on the i5-2500k. The 212+ will do fine as the CPU is not the most important component in a gaming system and thus it is unlikely that the fan will reach an RPM high enough when noise is noticeable. My video card is louder all the time, but just for fun, I'm using the Z68's integrated graphics option for some really quiet nights.

[quote=djpinc19]Yes. The V8 has been succeeded by the V6 GT.[/quote]

If silence is my #1 priority for a cooler, what would you suggest I get? So the v6 GT should be quieter than the v8 right? The manufacturer's specs said it's not. The xigmatek gaia is supposedly supposed to be quieter than the older version of the 212+.

Do you think the 212 evo, might be quiet because of anti vibration pads?

Edit: I found a good review on the evo. It said the evo is in "quiet operation" and they put a temp benchmark of an amd cpu OCed to 4000 Mhz, the temp was at 50ish with the evo, which is really great.
http://xsreviews.co.uk/reviews/coolers/coolermaster-hyper-212-evo/4/

[quote=athos28]Edit:Ah. I see. the manufacturer's standard specs is actually quite wrong like you said. If I am correct, you are saying since the 212+ has a new fan, it is now more quieter than the v8 correct?[/quote]

Yes. The V8 has been succeeded by the V6 GT.

[quote=djpinc19]The V8 can be quieter because it's fan is sandwiched between the fin array. The manufacturer specifications regarding noise levels is not universally standard. Tweaktown's sound chamber for example, has its microphone positioned fairly close to the cooler explaining the large numbers on its chart. The Blade Master fan in the Hyper 212+ is newer and thus Cooler Master has more official details released than the R4 used in the older V8. In benchmarks, the Blade Master is quieter than the R4 at load. The difference in the idle noise levels from any reputable cooler is negligible.

Here are some recent charts:
http://cdn5.tweaktown.com/content/4/2/4244_25_cooler_master_hyper_612_pwm_cpu_cooler_review.png
http://cdn5.tweaktown.com/content/4/2/4244_24_cooler_master_hyper_612_pwm_cpu_cooler_review.png
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2598&page=3[/quote]

Thank you @above. Like I said before, due to the HAF 922's extremely open mesh case, the cpu coolers will seem louder than they appear. This seems weird. Why does Frostytech say the CM v8 is louder than the hyper 212+?

I just really want a cooler that has at most 24 dBA volume at load. newegg said the xigmatek gaia has that. The v8 is at most 19. But that review said the v8 is somehow loud. How is this possible?

Edit:Ah. I see. the manufacturer's standard specs is actually quite wrong like you said. If I am correct, you are saying since the 212+ has a new fan, it is now more quieter than the v8 correct?

CM said the hyper 212 EVO has anti-vibration rubber pads on the fan. That means it must be quieter than the 212+, even though it says its max volume is louder than the 212+
http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=3053

As a HAF 922 owner, I find it to be a bit loud under heavy load, though it's most likely due to my stock cooler and fan. It's very spacious inside, provides great ventilation and has many fan slots.

The V8 can be quieter because it's fan is sandwiched between the fin array. The manufacturer specifications regarding noise levels is not universally standard. Tweaktown's sound chamber for example, has its microphone positioned fairly close to the cooler explaining the large numbers on its chart. The Blade Master fan in the Hyper 212+ is newer and thus Cooler Master has more official details released than the R4 used in the older V8. In benchmarks, the Blade Master is quieter than the R4 at load. The difference in the idle noise levels from any reputable cooler is negligible.

Here are some recent charts:
http://cdn5.tweaktown.com/content/4/2/4244_25_cooler_master_hyper_612_pwm_cpu_cooler_review.png
http://cdn5.tweaktown.com/content/4/2/4244_24_cooler_master_hyper_612_pwm_cpu_cooler_review.png
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2598&page=3

The hyper 212+ seems to be louder than most of the other heatsinks.

Is the cooler master v8 a big difference in performance than the hyper 212+?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055]

It said the max sound volume of the v8 is 21 dBA while the hyper 212+ is 32 dBA

The max volume of the gaia is 24 dBA. I might go with the Gaia just because it is more quieter than the hyper 212+.

This hyper n520 noise level is 19 dBA. It didnt say a max volume, I am assuming it will go up to 30.

The problem with the Gaia's result on Frostytech is that it doesn't match up with results and rankings done by other hardware reviewers such as [url=http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4244/cooler_master_hyper_612_pwm_cpu_cooler_review/index6.html]TweakTown[/url] and [url=http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1643/7/]Legit Reviews[/url]. Reviews for the Xigmateks newest trio are favorable, but I prefer the Hyper 212+ and EVO's fan mounting clip over Xigmatek's rubber fan standoffs.

Wow ty so much. the evo doesnt make a difference. I think the hyper 212+ will be fine. I picked the i5 2500k because i know the K-series intel cpu's are known for great overclockability. Wow the xigmatek gaia is like the cheapest one that was even cooler than the 212+. Do you think I can use it with my i5-2500k on like 4.0 Ghz with only one fan on it with no issues? Is the second fan necessary? Thanks so much.

i5-2500K overclocks out of the box just fine. An aftermarket cooler provides security, but theK-series CPU turbo frequency can be set at 4.5 gHz without the need for a change in voltage, which therefore means no additional heat is dissipated.

...and here's good 'ole [url=http://frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2607&page=5]Frostytech[/url]. Comparing the Hyper 212+ to the ~$60 Thermaltake Frio which does have two fans on a Y-splitter, the delta T is fairly small even with a 150 W heat load. As for the 212+ vs. the EVO - [url=http://www.hitechlegion.com/reviews/cooling/heatsinksfans/13336-cm-hyper-212-evo-cpu-cooler-review?start=5]this[/url] was pretty much the only review I could find.

OH okay ty. But still, wouldn't it be better getting a 47 dollar good cooler for like 3-5 more bucks than getting a cheaper one and adding the second fan? or are both of their performances equal or almost equal to each other?

Also what is better in performance, if there is big difference in value and performance. The hyper 212 evo or the hyper 212+ regular?

I plan to get a i5 2500k and after 2-3 years, I plan to move its clock speed from 3.3 to 3.8-4.0. Would the hyper 212 or one of those aftermarket coolers cover me?

Would this make a huge difference? This CM V8 looks like a boss just by looking at it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103055

http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch.asp?px=FO&scriteria=AA76523
Now change that to $13 more. xD

I only really brought up the 2nd fan to make a point about air coolers vs. closed loop, and that was even a cheaper HSF can perform similar or even better than it before adding a second fan. I wasn't necessarily saying you are require to do it, and it still a good cooler either way.

I am actually not convinced that the second fan used in push-pull configuration is worth the cost. The Noctua NH-D14 works well with just the center 140 mm fan suffering at worst a 3*C difference when compared to the typical dual-fan configuration. The related NH-C14 also cools very well with just one of its fans. Vortez.net tests multiple fan configurations in its heatsink reviews and it is hard to justify the modifications to the Hyper 212+ when their own didn't improve with two Noctua NF-P12 fans, which have better specifications compared to the Cooler Master Blademaster fan.

It was really cool seeing dual-fans back when the Prolimatech Megahelms and Scythe Infinity/Mugen were first released, but tower heatsinks have become even more efficient since then (Hyper 212 EVO performs lots better than Mugen despite the latter being larger in size.) Reviews for the Hyper 212 EVO are favorable, but the Hyper 212+ has had its MSPR adjusted so its is still a worthy buy at its new pricing tier. At this pricepoint, amateur overclockers should be practicing overclocking before jumping for the big stuff. However, don't feel left out with settling for a sub-$40 cooler; I have read of hobbyist OCers who love their (single fan) Hyper 212+.

I found a HAF 922 owner who told me the HAF 922 case fans run at a low rpm and they are really quiet. My case problem is over.

OMG TY QWAN! I searched newegg for any adapter like that and I couldn't find it! Ty so much.

Okay well another case fan costs 10 dollars and that adapter is 7. that's 17 dollars total to add another fan to the cooler. The heatsink cooler is already 30 dollars, so you spend 47 dollars just to pull that off. Wouldn't it be better just to get a 40-50 dollar heatsink that already has 2 fans in it?

What about this CM v6 one? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103089 Would it be better to get the hyper 212 or xigmatek gaia adding the adapter and fan to it or get one already with 2 fans?

I wish I had the money for a Noctua cooler, but I don't.

Can I just get the hyper 212+ or the hyper 212+ evo and NOT OC my processor, then when I am ready to OC, I can add the second fan to it. Would that be okay? BTW does the hyper 212+ evo give more benefits than the regular hyper 212+? Would the xigmatek gaia be better than both of them?

@athos28 I think that you're making too big of a deal with fans. They aren't that loud. When I have headphones on I can't hear any noise from fans at my friend's place (His rig has 16 fans). But if you really do care about fans making noise, just replace the fans with other ones, the only more silent heatsinks are expensive, like the more popular heatsinks Xigamatek and Zalman make (About $50+).

If you're really going to overclock, then you really can't complain about fans making a lot of noise because all the powerful fans make tons of noise, like the Scythe ULTRA KAZE. For quiet configurations, you should look for suppresors that'll lower the RPM of the fan, therefore making it more quiet. If you don't want to do that, set the fans to kick in at a higher CPU usage or higher temperature.

The best way to get pwm function with less expensive coolers is to buy another fan, because isn't too many heatsinks that come with really good fans. Noctua's line of heatsinks are all over $50 but their distinctive poop colored fans are really quiet.

That's why you used a PWM Y-cable. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812718001

Btw, you want to have two identical fans in a push/pull config, or else, the faster one will overwhelm the slower one and eventually burn it out.

If it's 2 fans together, I can see that one fan is a cpu fan which has the pwm function and the other one must have a 3-pin connection, which means it will work at max speed, and will probably be loud. I am not sure if it will be loud, but from my experience, the second fan might become loud since it will work at max speed. Is there any push/pull config air cooler that can work quietly?

the hyper 212+ fan has a pwm function and I heard it's quiet. If you want to add the second, since there's only 1 4-pin connection on a motherboard, the other fan can't have the pwm function. The xigmatek gaia also comes with a pwm fan, so does the hyper 212+ evo.

Almost all of these cpu coolers have that fan with a pwm function, but I can't get the second fan to have the pwm function, because there's only 1 4-pin plug.

Oh wait this cooler this cm v6 has BOTH fans with a pwm function, since I am assuming it provides one plug for both of them.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103089

Is there a cheaper way to go, is there someway I can get both fans to have pwm function with those cheaper coolers, or a fan that's quiet?

The $30 Xigmatek Gaia HSF performs better than even the H60 while the Antec Kuhler will performs a few degrees better. Both closed loop will cost you around $60. You could either get another fan to put that Gaia in a push/pull config. or get the Aegir in the same price range, and it will perform better than the Kuhler.

Source: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1609/6/

[quote=djpinc19]I do not recommend closed loop water coolers because they hold a poorer value compared to competing air coolers.

You answered your own question regarding high CFM/high pressure fans.[/quote]

In case I get this pc out in another room, so I don't worry about noise, umm why would a closed loop water cooler have a poorer value compared to air coolers? People keep telling me their temps are lower with the water cooler than with their previous aftermarket air cooler.

that hyper 212+ evo looks nice though, ty for the recommendation.

I do not recommend closed loop water coolers because they hold a poorer value compared to competing air coolers.

You answered your own question regarding high CFM/high pressure fans.

How about those pre-made water coolers? Like the h60 or the antec kuhlers. I heard only delta fans are loud, but those ones can be quiet if my cpu is under low or med load, but I'll probably be on high load, so I am guessing it will be loud right?

Other $55-70 coolers:
Xigmatek Aegir
NZXT Havik

The Xigmatek Gaia, Hyper 212+ and it's successor, the Hyper 212 EVO are the best $25-35 coolers.

Yeah, there's not a lot of people on this section, so it will take a while before you will get a response. Basically you will need to be patient when posting a thread here. This was why suggested trying other tech forums.

As for you closing your thread 2 hours ago, well, I'm not sure when I went on your thread. When I got on my computer to turn it off, I noticed I was on this thread already. I'd refreshed it, typed up a reply when the thread was still opened, and it got closed when I sent it... xD

Since the 212+ is cheaper, you could add another fan in a push/pull config, and it will perform very well even if you are going to OC. If you are planning to push your CPU to its limit, then the Frio will be obviously a better option, so it really depends on your what kind of OC you are hoping for.

Edit: Oh, the Frio is also a loud HSF.

[quote=qwan456]I was going to post in that other thread, but you closed it when I was about to...

If you are looking for feedback from Haf 922 users, it may be a good idea to attempt to ask in places like Overclock.net, Tomshardware.com, Hardwarecanucks.com, Anandtech.com, etc. where there will have more tech users who owned it.

From what I remember from seeing the Haf 922 at this guy's place, it was very quiet. If you are worry about the CPU fan is being loud, you could replace the stock HSF with an aftermarket HSF like the Hyper 212+. Throw in some low dBA fans on it like the Scythe Gentle Typhoon for example.[/quote]

Actually I was going for the hyper 212+. The thread was closed like 2 hours ago lol. It was open for like 14 hours. Anyway do you know any feedback on the thermaltake frio? I might have to go for the frio, since I might be overclocking.

Ty for the websites. Ill go to tomshardware right now.

I was going to post in that other thread, but you closed it when I was about to...

If you are looking for feedback from Haf 922 users, it may be a good idea to attempt to ask in places like Overclock.net, Tomshardware.com, Hardwarecanucks.com, Anandtech.com, etc. where there will have more tech users who owned it.

From what I remember from seeing the Haf 922 at this guy's place, it was very quiet. If you are worry about the CPU fan is being loud, you could replace the stock HSF with an aftermarket HSF like the Hyper 212+. Throw in some low dBA fans on it like the Scythe Gentle Typhoon for example.