So I upgraded my father’s CPU from an FX-4100 to an FX-6300 and decided to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler. After doing some searching, I settled on the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO.

My initial impression of this cooler was “This thing is HUGE“. So I proceeded to installing it on the motherboard and the trickiest part of the installation was attaching the monster heatsink to the motherboard. Looking back on it now, it wasn’t too bad (or hard) a process.

Here’s what I did with pictures to assist.

Here are the components of the FX-6300 and Evo 212 boxes

Now, on to the installation.

First, I removed the old FX-4100 processor from the motherboard and installed the new FX-6300

Next, I removed the fan from the heatsink to make the installation easier.

I then added the heatsink back to the motherboard, attached the screws to secure the heatsink to the board and added thermal paste to the FX-6300.

Finally, I screwed on the heatsink then realize that I needed to insert the RAM first. So I removed the heatsink, inserted the RAM (because the heatsink was directly above the first RAM slot) and re-attached the heartsink. I didn’t bother adding new thermal paste because I had literally just applied some.

Check the gallery to view all images at back to back.

Note: The included thermal paste worked much (and I mean MUCH) better than Artic Silver MX-2 (don’t buy this from Corn Electronics because I highly suspect they bought some cheap ass Chinese paste and re-branded it as Artic Silver) and Arctic Silver 5.

With the old FX-4100, the stock heatsink and Artic Silver 5, the CPU temperature was 40 or 45 on idle and 60 – 75 on load. With this EVO 212 and the included thermal paste, my CPU temperature is 30 when idle and 40 on load (playing Flight Sim X and FIFA 16 paused in the background). Amazing!!

This heatsink is very good and comparable to my Gamer Storm CPU Cooler on my older Phenom PC.

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Tags: computer