The Noctua NH-U12S vs Hyper 212 Evo comparison you’re about to read takes measures of two products that are unique in their ways. Whichever one you pick, the most important thing is getting the best CPU cooler for your computer or system.
To help you understand which one will work best for you, we’ll be pointing out their key features, differences, and drawbacks. Every part of our review is essential to determine which one of these coolers offers a more stellar performance overall.
So, follow us throughout this article and make your decision with ease!
Contents
- A Glance at the Key Specifications
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo vs Noctua NH-U12S: Top-Notch Coolers With a Difference
- 1. Noctua NH-U12S, Premium CPU Cooler with NF-F12 120mm Fan
- 2. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler, 120mm PWM Fan
- Hyper 212 vs Noctua NH-U12S: Head-to-Head Comparison
- Factors to Consider When Buying a CPU Cooler
- Conclusion
A Glance at the Key Specifications
| Product | Key Specifications |
| Noctua NH-U12S |
|
| Evo 212 |
|
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo vs Noctua NH-U12S: Top-Notch Coolers With a Difference
To help you settle on the best CPU fan, we have chosen these two superb options for your rig.
Also, we have spent a great deal of time testing them out, including how they install, operate, and their performance in a variety of different conditions. One of the key pointers for how a CPU cooler performs is how it overclocks your processor.
Design, construction, and reliability count for something, but performance beats aesthetics any day and any time. With the Cooler Master Hyper 212 and Noctua NH-U12S, you get two pretty similar products but for their unique features.
With many users looking for a reliable option to keep their CPU cool from increased heat levels, our review will provide valid information to help every user make the right choice.
1. Noctua NH-U12S, Premium CPU Cooler with NF-F12 120mm Fan
Pros
- Compatible with various systems
- RAM- and PCIe-compatible
- High-quality materials
- Very effective and efficient at heat dissipation
Cons
- It’s pretty expensive
The Noctua NH-U12S specs include a number of quality components that make it one of the best coolers out there. It’s also renowned for its PC chassis fans and CPU air coolers.
Further, it ranks among the best U-Type CPU coolers in its catalog. As a result, it is quite a favorite for its performance, which has seen it bag many awards.
– Build and Design: Normal Looks and Covering
The NH-U12S is as normal as they come, with many reviewers tagging it as bland. We appreciate its look, though, and it has a 1.7 inches slim shape coupled with the NH-F12 Focused Flow fan.
It also offers a PWN support for fully automatic speeds.
For what concerns the materials, this cooler is equipped with a copper base and heat pipes, accompanied by aluminum fins. What you get is an arrangement to provide optimal heat dissipation and higher efficiency.
– Compatibility: Useful for Many Devices
Generally, this cooler is known to be compatible with desktop devices. However, it offers a wide range of compatibility via the RPM range of 300 – 1500.
– Performance and Noise Level: Just What You Need to Cool Your CPU/GPU
The copper base, aluminum for the cooling, soldered joints, and nickel plating combine to give you a maximum rotational speed of 1500 RPM.
To that end, the cooler can offer 55 CFM of airflow coupled with a top-rated noise of 22.4 dB(A), which is subject to change based on tests and configurations.
In addition to that, this premium cooler does not overhang the RAM or PCIe slots on most current motherboards. The highly optimized NF-F12 120mm fan has a lot to do with that, while there’s a low-noise adapter here for automatic speed control and ultra-quiet operations.
We like that it comes with other small features, including a high-end NT-H1 thermal paste and SecuFirm2 mounting system for easy installation on several systems.
– Overview
From NH-U12S review, it’s easy to see why this is a well-priced product. It will have no problem keeping your CPU nice and cool even at stick settings. It’s ideal for users that expect a high cooling performance while overclocking on intensive tasks.
2. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler, 120mm PWM Fan
Pros
- Continuous, direct contact heat pipes
- It has a simple setup process
- Quick span design fan
- Functional airflow capacity
Cons
- It doesn’t include a good enough thermal paste
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo specs are considered perfect for most users, with a tag as the best entry line CPU cooler from the manufacturers.
It is also a popular CPU cooler, unlike its less-known counterpart above, and offers a good performance to price ratio. While it offers numerous variations with slight differences, this particular Hyper 212 provides more than enough efficiency.
– Performance and Noise Level: Efficient Heat Dissipation
This NH-U12S vs 212 Evo comparison takes shape when it comes to performance because the Hyper 212 offers the same four direct contact heat pipes. However, it comes with funnel-shaped aluminum fins to provide higher efficiency and better heat dissipation.
Further, there’s a 120MM PWM fan inside with a quick span design and anti-vibration rubber pads.
To that end, you get an RPM range of 600-2000. When it comes to airflow, this cooler offers more than enough to keep your CPU cool.
For more on the performance of this product, the rated noise level goes from 9 to 31 dBA, and you can mount an extra fan to use the push-pull configuration so that you get more performance out of it. This product is also compatible with almost all the mounts, and the fans feature Rifle Bearing, which is better than sleeve bearings.
However, the Evo 212 does have to work much harder to keep temperatures down, resulting in higher fan noises. When in use, it’s essential to find the right balance between noise and performance. That way, you don’t have to hear the fan the entire time.
– Installation: Smooth and Easy
The Cooler Hyper 212 Evo is easy to install.
However, unlike the Noctua NH-12S above, your purchase doesn’t include any thermal paste. At any rate, we like the lightweight design, which creates less of a physical burden for your CPU. With that, the performance will be excellent even during overclocked loads.
It’s all set up to give users a balanced cooling performance with fin optimizations for a perfect high and low-speed operation.
– Overview
If there are reasons to dislike this master CPU cooler, there are very few. That’s because our cooler master hyper 212 Evo review shows it is excellent in both stock and overclocking conditions. If you’re a user that prefers an affordable cooler with a lightweight and direct contact design, you’ll love its overall performance.
Hyper 212 vs Noctua NH-U12S: Head-to-Head Comparison
The main difference between Noctua NH-u12s and Hyper 212 Evo is, Noctua NH-U12S 212 performs better and generates up to 30dBA of noise, while Hyper 212 Evo generates up to 32.4dBA.
These two devices give you much to look forward to, but a comparison of their key features will help you make the best decision for your rig.
Who will win this close competition?
Find out in the next section!
Noise Level
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Winner: Noctua NH-U12S 212
You’ll know an excellent cooler when it does all the dirty work without giving off a lot of noise. That’s where the NH-U12S is superior and performs better than its counterpart here. It’s billed to generate up to 30dBA of noise compared to the 32.4dBA registered by the Hyper 212 Evo.
Variations
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Winner: Hyper 212
We all love brands that make us dream with different variations of essential devices like a cooler. That’s why we stuck with the 212 Evo.
The Hyper 212 Evo offers more advantages here thanks to the number of variations in its stead. As such, users have more options to go for thematic builds or even strike for RGB illumination.
Overclocking and Performance
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Winner: Both
When you have a system that you bother with intensive tasks and applications like games, you’re going to need some serious overclocking. We think that the Noctua NH-12S offers more possibilities for control and stability while overclocking than the Hyper 212 cooler.
Performance-wise, there’s a slight difference between the two CPU air coolers, but we still think that the Hyper 212 Evo carried the day and offered better value for money. It delivers a silent operation overall than the Noctua NH-12S, and is relatively newer than the latter.
Factors to Consider When Buying a CPU Cooler
When you’re searching the market for Noctua or Cooler Master, or a different brand and model, there are vital factors to consider, including:
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Your PC Setup
Figuring out what you use your computer for is vital to getting the best CPU coolers that will do what you expect from your CPU fan. Perhaps you want a product that lets you overclock your processor for maximum performance, or you’d prefer a budget option for a gaming rig.
Whatever the case is, consider the technical specifications of your computer before getting a CPU cooler.
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Noise Levels
No matter what anyone thinks, the fact is that a constantly spinning fan is bound to make noise. That is especially true during extended periods of use. It’s also the case when your processor gets hotter due to games with more graphical needs.
Consider what kind of noise level you can cope with before settling on a brand. From our review, CPU fans with larger blades are often quieter than smaller ones. You can also get acquainted with the decibel level of the product you intend to buy before committing to the purchase.
Conclusion
These two coolers are outstanding options for several reasons, including their noise levels and overclocking capabilities. What’s more, they’re ideal for low configuration systems and are suitable for a budget build.
While budget coolers are exceptional in their ways, if you can afford it we’ll always advise you to go for AIO coolers or high-end varieties. It’s even more vital if you have a decent system to operate with.
When you want to choose based on price to performance ratio, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 has the upper hand. It’s a product you can bother with more intensive tasks because it helps you overclock well enough and still offers good cooling functions.
Again, it provides better value and properties, and it is newer than its counterpart here. In line with that, the Hyper 212 Evo carries the day the best cooler in this comparison.
