TechRadar Verdict

If it wasn't for the large form factor, we might be able to see the point of this CPU cooler in HTPCs or small desktop PCs but as it is, it is a bulky basic cooler

Pros

+
Build quality
+
Effective cooling

Cons

-
Price
-
Limited to 70W TDP
-
Large form factor for limitations

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When I first picked up the CoolerMaster Hyper 101 cooler I had fairly high hopes for it.

I mean, I'm quite well aware that in compatibility terms alone it's not that impressive; covering only CPUs with a TDP of 70W or lower, but a cheap, effective cooler is nothing to be sneezed at.

Particularly as a host of AMD's processors come in below the specified 70W. Unfortunately all was not as rosy as I'd hoped.

The big problem I have with this cooler is the price. With the incredible Freezer 7 Pro still only going for £15 from Arctic Cooling (the people tasked with making sure AMD's overclocked Radeon HD 5970s don't burn a hole through your case), asking for more than £20 for this ultra-basic cooler seems a bit much.

True, the 70W limit is a bit conservative as we were happily cooling a dual-core Phenom II, rated at 80W, without any problems at all, maxing out at 39°C. But with the small fan attached to the heatsink it does make a bit of a racket in CPU cooling terms.

If it was more of a low-profile cooler I could almost forgive it, but it stretches to the same height as a standard graphics card rendering it ineffective even for small-form factor cases.

The whine, price and limited compatibility on offer unfortunately makes the Hyper 101 a rather irrelevant little cooler.

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