First launched back in 2007 as an air cooler targeted at AMD's Athlon 64 CPUs on platforms such as Socket 939 and AM2, as well as Intel's Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad offerings built on the LGA775 socket, the DIY PC industry has since witnessed countless iterations of the Hyper 212, as Cooler Master refreshed the line-up for successive generations of CPUs that have come and gone over the past few years. This particular RGB connector is meant for use with either the provided LED control module, or a 12V analog RGB connector on the motherboard. Cooler Master has recently released its latest revision to its legendary Hyper 212 lineup, the Hyper 212 Black Edition.

Bumping that up to 2000 dead bring down the temperature significantly and the acoustic performance was also very respectable.The Hyper 212 Black Edition coolers, available with or without an RGB fan, add a level of style that had been missing from the 212 EVO, trading exposed copper heat pipes and bare aluminum heatsink fins for a polished, all-black finish. Now switching over to the Hyper 212 Black Edition and I saw temps around 33 degrees Celsius and under load it only got as far as 62 degrees Celsius with fan speed set to 1,400 rpm and the best part was the acoustic performance was phenomenal. There has been a healthy demand for dark or blacked out components for stealthy system builds lately. Our components represent so many different personalities because PC enthusiasts don’t fit into just one mold. Even at maximum levels, the fan was almost silent, and could not be heard at all with the case side panel closed.

On to the fan frame, we get RGB diffuser rings on both sides, as well as rubber dampeners on all four corners of the fan frame to help reduce unwanted vibrations. Your personality is embedded in each of those choices, transcending from hardware to an immersive, custom-built experience. The difference is night and day, and if you plan on ever overclocking your AMD Ryzen AM4 CPU, either Hyper 212 Black Edition CPU coolers would be an excellent choice.

Motherboard removal shenanigans aside, the rest of the installation process was a cinch - the thermal paste used for this install was Cooler Master's MasterGel Pro that came included with the Hyper 212 Halo Black. The size and shape of the cooler should feel very familiar if you’ve used one of Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 coolers in the past. So a lot of factors to consider, especially when you’re planning on building your system within a certain budget.