Coolermaster's Hyper Z600: the Silent Behemoth

Coolermaster's Hyper Z600 heatsink is a passive cooling solution aimed at dual-core CPU users. The star-shaped behemoth is capable of cooling down processors with thermal envelopes of up to 90 watts with no performance loss or any other side effects caused by overheating.

Measuring 127.28 x 127.28 x 160 millimeters, the aluminum-nickel monster weighs in at a little more than one kilogram. The Hyper Z600 works with Intel's Socket LGA775 and AMD's Socket 940/AM2/AM2+ processors. If paired with a quad-core chip with thermal envelopes exceeding the recommended 90 watts, users can attach an additional fan on one of the heatsink's fans. The unit ships with two fan brackets, that can accommodate two 120mm generic fans.

However, according to tech website Frostytech, the heatsink alone can support heat loads of up to 150 watts without damaging the undelying processor, but this practice is not recommended to be performed on a production PC, as it might render the CPU useless.

The distinctive X-shaped design increases the cooler's contact surface with the air to ensure a rapid and effective heat transfer from the processor to the exterior. Although the cooler is pretty massive, it would not impair the activity of the adjacent hardware, given the fact that it is built more like a tower. However, users with slim computer cases will not be able to properly mount it, so you'd better take a second check before purchasing it.

The aluminum fins are optimized for maximum contact surface. The cooler comes with a mirror-finished copper base that perfectly matches the CPU for enhanced thermal conductivity. The residual heat is then carried away from the CPU core through 6 nickel-plated copper heat pipes to the fin area.

Despite the fact that it is a passive cooler, the Z600 can successfully be used by overclockers, but it has to be equipped with two additional 120-millimeter fans on both sides.