Installation

To install the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black, you will first need to attach the proper mounting brackets to the heatsink via the two small screws. With that taken care of, you must then remove the plastic mounting brackets on your AMD motherboard.


Next, apply the thermal paste and secure the cooler to the backplate. This is where the simplified design results in a more complex installation, rather than attaching the cooler to mounting hardware that is secured to the board like most competing products. Cooler Master has instead opted for the most affordable option, which will likely make you feel as if you need a third hand. If your motherboard is already mounted in your case, do yourself a favor and get someone to give you a hand, namely by holding the motherboard backplate in place while you position and tighten down the cooler. If you are doing a new build and the motherboard isn't installed in the chassis yet, the process will instead be incredibly easy.


With the heatsink now secure, attach the fan and plug everything in, which, thanks to this being a standard tower cooler, is just the fan and one ARGB cable meaning no cable clutter.

Overall, the mounting hardware, regardless of the platform, might be simple, but in this case simple can also mean pain. More traditional mounting hardware setups that use threaded standoffs remain superior. Still, in a new build, if you take the time to install the cooler before mounting the motherboard in your case, you will have an effortless time. It all depends on if you're upgrading a build or doing an entirely new one.