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Cooler Master Hyper N520


Date
: 04/22/09 – 04:07:10 AM

Author
:

Category
: Cooling

Page 1 : Index

Manufacturer:
Cooler Master

We have seen our fair share of products from Cooler Master here at Overclockers Online. Everything from cases and power supplies has rarely failed to impress.

Following several high quality cases we turn our sights today to a new heatsink from Cooler Master, the Hyper N520.

Page 2 : Package and Accessories

The Hyper N520 comes packaged in the familiar purple and white style we have seen on numerous Cooler Master products. CPU compatibility is clearly labeled on the front with the newest Intel socket, LGA1366, prominently displayed. The back lists a few features and small pictures of the cooler.

The sides include the barcode information along with specifications.

Inside the outer package the N520 is cradled inside a cardboard shell.

Hidden underneath the cooler is a box of accessories. Included are mounting hardware for the various AMD and Intel sockets, a small tube of thermal grease, warranty information and assembly instructions.

Page 3 : Specifications

I grabbed the specifications straight from Cooler Master's product page here.

Features:

Universal Design
* Intel LGA775
* AMD (754/939/940/AM2/AM2+)

Optimum Air Flow
* Distinct appearance with dual fan bracket
* Unique dual fan cooling design ensures cool air accelerates straight through the heatsink

Superior Cooling Performance
* Mirror finished copper base guarantees perfect contact between CPU and cooler
* 5 heat pipes optimize heat transfer

Specifications:

Page 4 : The Heatsink

First thing that you notice once the N520 is revealed is that it almost looks identical from front to back. The 92mm fans on either side are offset to the left leaving a small gap on either side uncovered. You can see also that there is a metal cover along the top and sides that encloses the fins and heatpipes.

Like the view from the front, the side views are identical on both sides. Also notice that both fans connect together for one 3 pin fan header. There is also another view of the metal shell that closes in the heatsink fins.

Taking a peak at the top, you can see the heatpipes peaking out in a staggered pattern. There are three heatpipes that run from one side to the other and two that each run along one side. The Cooler Master name is printed along the top of the gray case. The Hyper N520 takes a rather industrial look not unlike the styling of the HAF 932.

The base of the Hyper N520 comes with a mirror finish. If you look closely along the bottom of the fans, small arrows indicate the airflow direction. This is your only indication of airflow since the heatsink is pretty much symmetrical.

With the fans removed you can better see the heatpipes moving up through the heatsink body. The shell is held in place by two screws on the top, and after being removed you can see the heatsink in the raw.

Page 5 : Installation

Ok, now it's time to get down to installation. The first step is attaching the brackets that match your socket type, in my case the LGA775 brackets along with rubber spacers.

Luckily Cooler Master includes a separate mounting method from their backplate, as the screws were not long enough to fit on the Biostar TPower I45. This also brings me to my main complaint; you also have to balance the board while screwing down the heatsink, making installation a bit tricky.

Once the cooler is installed you can see that the clearance for any components is not an issue.

Installed inside the HAF 932, the Hyper N520 looks quite at home. Time to fire things up and get to some testing.

Page 6 : Testing

The following system was installed and used to gather temperatures:

CPU: Intel E8400
MB: Biostar TPower I45
RAM: G.Skill PI Black PC6400
Video: Sapphire Radeon HD4550
PSU: Ultra X3 1000W
HD: WD 250GB SATA
DVD-Rom: Lite-On 18x DVD Burner – SATA
Case: Cooler Master HAF 932
OS: Microsoft Windows XP w SP2
Ambient Temperature: 25-26C

Comparison Coolers:
Stock Intel HSF
Zalman CNPS9300 AT
Zalman CNPS7500-CU LED
Zalman CNPS9900LED
Cooler Master Hyper N520

For idle temperatures, the system was allowed to stand at idle for 3 hours before temperatures were taken. To achieve load temps, two instances of Orthos blend were run for three hours and the average peak temperature was recorded. Voltage readings were taken from the BIOS and temperature readings were taken using Everest Ultimate.

At stock settings, the N520 matches the Zalman CNPS9900LED at idle though falls behind under load. It's only 3 degrees of difference so a pretty good start and of course it's a far better option than the stock cooler.

Next up was to up the voltage a little to 1.28v and see how the Hyper N520 fares.

Here we see similar results as we did under stock settings. Matching the top performing CNPS9900LED at idle and only falling 3 degrees short under load.

Now as far as the noise generated by the Hyper N520, it's fairly quiet. While it was installed in the Case: HAF 932, I didn't hear it over the case fans, and I consider the Case: HAF 932 to be a fairly quiet case.

Page 7 : Conclusion

The Hyper N520 is not a flashy and in your face heatsink, but rather a workhorse that gets the job done. Dual 92mm fans ensure good airflow without generating a lot of noise and whisking away the heat carried through the five heatpipes.

My only complaint about the N520 is the installation. It is not fun having to balance the motherboard while also screwing down the four posts. Even with a cutout on the backside you still have to remove the motherboard, unless you have another pair of hands.

Cooler Master has another solid product in the Hyper N520 and you owe it your consideration if you're in the market for a new heatsink for your CPU.

Advantages

• Good performance

• Quiet
• Compatibility

Disadvantages

• Installation

Overclockers Online would like to thank Cooler Master for supplying the Hyper N520 for review.