Cooler Master TPC 812 CPU Cooler Review

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Published on Sunday, 29 April 2012 00:00

Written by George Cella -Cella-

Have you been watching television lately? Is it me, or is the number of advertisements for prescription drugs rising at an incredible rate? And why are they advertising them at all in the first place? Shouldn’t it be the doctor’s call to prescribe the correct medication to begin with, and not your place to go in saying “Doc, I need that new med that they are showing on TV….I’ve got those symptoms, I swear”? The power of suggestion…and the drug companies try to turn the nation into hypochondriacs. At least there is some amusement to be had at the end of the commercials; the possible side effects. One actually states “Though rare, possible side effects may include seizures, hallucinations, rigid or stiff muscles and memory problems”. Hallucinations? Really? In the words of the immortal Foamy the Squirrel, “I'd rather have the runny nose. Fine, I may have some snot on my upper lip, but at least I'm not seeing Elvis in my refrigerator!”.

I’m actually starting to see a lot of “side effects” with some of the new cooling solutions coming to market that don’t use a standard tower type of configuration. For example, you could list out “may include liquid leakage on components, increased noise levels and deteriorated performance per dollar” in some cases. In others, “may include disruption in case airflow resulting in increased non-CPU component temperatures”. Of course, there is also the dreaded “may include friend's compliments on aesthetics but excessively increased CPU temperatures”. The reason is simple – cases have been designed to accommodate what is now standard, which is the tower, and changing directions and paths disrupts the airflow the case is designed for. So, maybe it’s time for some innovation based on the tried and true design.

Cooler Master has a history of “firsts” in the market, and the TPC 812 does it again. The Cooler Master TPC 812 is the first retail CPU cooler available using a combination of the more common heatpipes along with vertical vapor chambers for enhanced heat dissipation. At first glance, the TPC 812 may look like a standard full sized tower cooler using six 6mm heat pipes. A closer look, however, reveals two large vertical vapor chambers rising out of the nickel plated copper base and through the aluminum fins, each of which offers over three times the fin contact of a standard heat pipe. More contact results in better transfer, which all adds up to far better heat dissipation. The fins of the TPC 812 have been redesigned using heavier weight aluminum to take advantage of the vapor chambers while simultaneously reducing noise levels of passing air. Included with the TPC 812 is a newly designed 120mm 800-2400rpm PWM fan capable of 86.15 CFM, as well as a second set of fan brackets for an optional push/pull configuration. It should be kept in mind that the Cooler Master TPC 812 is a full sized tower aimed at enthusiasts and gamers, and the size fits the bill. The TPC 812 stands at 163mm tall and weighs in at 1044g. This is easily accommodated by almost all of today’s mid and full towers, but is obviously not going to be an option for a mini HTPC style case.

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