That pretty much wraps up the installation process, so it’s time to move on to performance. But I’m going to try and recreate that with a separate SickleFlow fan than I have from another Cooler Master cooler and install that onto the 212 Evo, because we couldn’t actually find a V2 version in time for this review. There is also an updated SickleFlow series fan for better acoustics and airflow at lower RPMs. First, the V2 version comes with a new stepped back heatpipe design for a little bit better memory compatibility, along with a revised mounting kit, and that is super important like we are going to see pretty soon because the original 212 Evo has an ancient mounting kit that is just a bunch of parts and is a pain in the butt to install. That V2 version isn’t meant as a replacement for the original 212 Evo, rather it’s being sold right along in parallel with it, and it has a bunch of improvements that you need to know about to make a more informed buying decision. There is now a V2 version of this that isn’t quite as widely available, but it’s out there and it cost just a little bit more. With most cases not having cut-outs on the motherboard trays, back-plate based mounting mechanisms are still superior and my personal preference.I also want to address the elephant in the room and that is how Cooler Master has modified this cooler over time. The only other qualm is that it does take a bit of pressure to push the push pins securely into the motherboard and doing so inside a case can induce headaches depending on your patience. My main complaint is that screwing the retention plates can be time-consuming, but perhaps not as much as removing the motherboard. The push-pins were surprisingly easily to operate and removing the cooler simply requires the push pins to be rotated anti-clockwise as indicated by the arrows on them. The push-pin mechanism, whilst not as robust as methods requiring back plates, is adequate for such a lightweight cooler.

The method literally takes two steps so there is little to go wrong. Place the heatsink on top and push the push-pins in a diagonal fashion for an even mounting pressure until you hear a click. After applying thermal paste to the CPU, remove the protective cover from the base of the cooler and rotate the push-pins clock wise such that the small indents on each face inwards.

Coolermaster 212 hyper evo installation