Cooler Master Hyper N520

Cooler Master’s second cooler in this roundup is a dual 92mm fan compact unit which carries the popular Hyper name; it’s LGA1366 ready so it better be able to handle the heat of a paltry Pentium 4!

Cooler Master was founded with the mission of providing the industry’s best thermal solutions. Since its establishment a decade ago, the company has remained faithful to this mission, emerging as a world leader in products and services for companies dealing with devices where heat issues must be resolved.

In pursuing this mission, Cooler Master is absolutely committed to delivering solutions that precisely meet customer requirements for features, performance, and quality. Moreover, we strive to be a reliable long-term partner for our customers that they can truly depend on. It aims to be the first and foremost name that comes to mind for companies around the world seeking thermal solutions, and seeks to build such a reputation through outstanding technology, sophisticated design, and superior service.
Cooler Master’s current business encompasses a comprehensive lineup of thermal solutions for a full range of applications. Its products range from heat sinks and fans to component housing, chassis, and ducting for computers, industrial machinery, telecommunications equipment, and many other devices.

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Cooler Master Hyper N520

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Cooler Master Hyper N520
- Intel S775/S1366 / AMD AM2/939
- Heatsink : 571 gram (499 gr without fan)
- 2x92mm fans, each rated at 1800rpm
- ~$40

The Hyper N520 comes with plenty of mounting accessories for all current AMD/Intel platforms out there; you also get a detailed instruction manual and small tube of thermal paste.

The heatsink itself is a compact tower cooler which features two custom 92mm fans (A9225-18CB-3BN-L1) which have an open frame, they are set up in a push/pull configuration. There are a total of 4 heat pipes at each side joined in a copper base which has a very good finish. Strangely enough the two 92mm fans are not set up in a direct line, they are slightly mis-aligned as they don’t span the whole width of the N520.

The design of these 92mm fans we saw first used by Cooler Master on one of their first Hyper series heatsinks, the Hyper 48 released in 2005. These are rebadged Delta fans, the new ones feature a higher RPM than the one from 2005 which was rated at 1400rpm, the new ones: 1800rpm. We measured 1670rpm@12v and 671rpm@5v. You can replace the fans on this heatsink by removing the mounting screws, but seeing as they offer a nice RPM range and have a good performance/noise ratio, it’s not recommended.




The mounting method of the latest generations of Cooler Master HSF are identical when bolt-through kits are included, you have to secure the N520 in place from the rear of the motherboard using the included inbus-key and metal backplate. While this method takes some time, it ensures a proper fit.



The Hyper series got a very strong member at the end of 2006: the Hyper TX: a compact tower cooler with 3 heat pipes and single 92mm fan. Its performance was above par and became a favorite here at the site. A new Hyper series model will have to match up to it, at the least. We’ll also include the OCZ Vendetta which features 92mm fan and comes at a price approx $10 lower than the Hyper N520.



At full speed the two 92mm fans are very audible, performance numbers are quite good, not able to match the Hyper TX performance/noise wise, but a very close call. Undervolted the noise level drops considerably, borderline dead quiet, performance is still acceptable, slightly better than the TX. Overall though the N520 with its two fans fails to improve on the single fan Hyper TX we tested years ago.

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In summary here are the strong/weak points of the Cooler Master Hyper N520:



+ Acceptable performance/noise balance
+ Solid installation method

- Price