With the advent of the new Socket-T (LGA775) chip package from Intel, and the Socket 939/940 from AMD, things have changed for most PC users. For the most part, this change has been a good thing, with clock speeds in the new Intel package expected to top 5GHz. With that kind of performance comes a LOT of heat. When you add overclocking into the mix, things can get quite nasty, indeed. Enter the new Coolermaster Hyper48 Heatsink. This new HSF features the trendy new heatpipe technology that all the kids seem to be sporting these days. Let's see what kind of abuse it will take, shall we? But first, here's what we're dealing with, according to Coolermaster.

Specs

Taken directly from the Coolermaster product page:

"Hyper 48 is built for high performance. This super silent CPU cooler, with heat-pipe technology, wicks heat away and replaces it with the cooling breeze of a 92mm ball bearing fan. Four copper pipes embedded in densely packed copper fins dissipate heat rapidly and efficiently. The powerful good looks and quiet operation of Hyper 48 supports the latest Prescott LGA775, Pentium 4 and AMD's K8."

Key Features

1. Copper Stacking Fin & 4 Heat-pipes
2. High Air Flow 92x92x25mm Fan
3. Perfect Pin/Fin Rate - Not only supports the newest Intel Prescott LGA 775 but also Intel Pentium 4 and AMD K8.
4. High performance Thermal Grease
5. Universal Retention Module
6. Provide Fan Grill protect user & system

Specs

The Cooler

Well, the specs look good on paper, but everyone knows it's LOOKS that mean everything, right? Here's our own little PimpRig Hyper48 fashion show:

As you can see, (and it'll be more evident after you see it installed) this HSF is rather large. According to the specs, it weighs in at almost two pounds! The second pic illustrates the raised portion of the base that will make contact with the CPU, as well as the embedded heatpipes. In the third pic you can see the heatpipes extending right through the base, under the fins. According to Coolermaster, this design "wicks heat away and replaces it with the cooling breeze of a 92mm ball bearing fan."

The Hyper48 comes in your standard CPU package, a plastic blister-pack (that was a PITA to open) encased in cardboard.

As advertised, the Hyper48 included a complete set of accessories to install the unit on a number of different sockets, including both the new Intel LGA775, and the AMDK8 CPU packages. For this review, I'll be using the LGA775 hardware.

The base is as flat as Ellen Degeneres, and just as polished, too. (which is to say, not at all...) At least it's protected though! The fins are not as densely packed as other solutions I've encountered, but there's lots of room for airflow.

Installation

Installation of the Hyper48 was reasonably simple. The LGA775 spec does not call for a HSF cage, unlike the previous P4 flip-chip spec. Instead, there are just 4 mounting holes in the motherboard for the HSF to attach to. The stock Intel HSF has these weird plunger screw-clips. You basically press the clip into the hole, turn it 90 degrees, and it's in. It's a bit tricky the first time you install one. Personally, I prefer the cage method to this.

All that doesn't matter, though, because the Hyper48 is screwed into a backplate on the underside of the motherboard, sandwiching the motherboard and CPU between the HSF and the backplate. Installation was complete in a matter of minutes. A note on thermal paste. The thermal paste that Coolermaster included was very dry. It reminded me of the consistency of cookie dough. It was very difficult to apply this thermal paste to the chip, so I ended up chucking it altogether, and using Arctic Silver 5. Here's the unit installed on my Abit AA8:

Enough with the pictures already, let's see how this thing performs!