Cooler Master TPC 812 Vapor Chamber CPU Cooler Review

Final Thoughts

I like what Cooler Master delivered in its idea and concept with the TPC 812 - I really do like the idea of vapor chambers being used in a CPU cooler. That's why it pains me to see results in the overclocked results that were, well, average at best. Processing the results I saw live with the cooler running at CES, I guess I had hoped that this cooler could really keep taking the heat, no matter the circumstances.

In reality I am seeing pretty linear results to the voltage and clock increases in relation to the temperatures. I had hopes that a cooler like this could potentially be what we needed to crush the temperature issues I am reading about with Ivy Bridge CPUs and as the TPC 812 ships, I don't think it has it in it to be "that cooler".

Now I am not saying that the vertical vapor chamber technology or the fan include is bad in any way shape or form, what I don't understand is why Cooler Master didn't come out "guns-a-blazing" with the TPC 812. I really think what this cooler needed to be a huge success is the second fan to be include, along with a Y-adapter and raise the price ten or fifteen dollars and call it a champion. The TPC 812 is much like the Hyper 212+ in that is a "sleeper" to where the cooler is potentially a monster, but without adding a fan, the performance just leaves me wanting a bit more. I mean seriously, high-end users are getting very used to ninety dollar and up pricing to get the best of the best in air cooling. While I appreciate the price of the TPC 812, I just see that it could have been so much more.

The results speak for themselves though, no matter my personal feelings as to how I think Cooler Master should have done it, anyone can do that, in fact I just did. Going by the numbers, the TPC 812 is no slouch. It bested the C-style coolers as I expected and fell just short of a twin tower cooler and the water cooling results. Also there is the fact that every cooer on that list is at least ten dollars more than the $69.99 asking price of the TPC 812, some listed are even $100 more, but for this price I really can't ask much more from this CPU cooler at the end of the day.

In the end I was left with an easy to install, aesthetically nice, if not an industrial look to it and it handled everything my 2600K could deliver. For those looking for the latest in CPU cooling tech, with a ton of, in my opinion, unused potential, I suggest you consider the Cooler Master TPC 812, even if you do have to buy a new pair of fans to get even better results than the ones obtained here to make this cooler a definite choice for overclockers.

As it sits out of the box, it does really well and will offer users of more tame machines the option to cool with less noise. The cooler does work for a broad market, they just left extremists with some tinkering to do or possibly a monster we have yet to hear about.