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If you’re building on a budget, two names come up again and again: the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE and the Cooler Master Hyper 212. So, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs Cooler Master Hyper 212, which should you actually put on your CPU? The Hyper 212 has been the default cheap cooler for donkey’s years. The Peerless Assassin is the upstart with twice the metal. Here’s how they compare on paper and in independent tests.
Quick answer
- For most builds, get the Peerless Assassin 120 SE. It’s a dual-tower cooler with six heat pipes and two fans, and independent tests show it running much cooler than the Hyper 212.
- Pick the Hyper 212 Black if you need a slimmer single tower to clear tall RAM, or you’re cooling a modest, low-power chip.
- Check clearances first: both are over 150mm tall, so measure your case.
Prices change often. Tap Check price on Amazon for today’s price.
| Product | Key spec | UK price at time of writing | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE | Dual tower, 6 heat pipes, 2 x 120mm fans, 155mm tall | Check price | Most gaming builds, hotter CPUs | View in our shop |
| Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black | Single tower, 4 heat pipes, 1 x 120mm fan, 152mm tall | Check price | Tight RAM clearance, lower-power CPUs | View in our shop |
| ARCTIC MX-6 Thermal Paste (4g) | Non-conductive thermal paste | Check price | Re-mounting either cooler | View in our shop |
Specs side by side
Here’s what the makers say. Thermalright’s Peerless Assassin 120 SE page lists a dual-tower heatsink measuring 125 x 110 x 155mm, six 6mm heat pipes and two TL-C12C 120mm PWM fans rated up to 1,550rpm and 25.6dBA. Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 Black page lists a single tower at 125 x 74 x 152mm with four direct-contact heat pipes and one SickleFlow 120 Edge fan rated at 690 to 2,500rpm and 32.8dBA, plus a two-year warranty and CryoFuze paste in the box.
Both support AMD’s AM4 and AM5 and Intel’s current LGA 1700 and LGA 1851 sockets, so either will fit a modern Ryzen or Core build.
Cooling performance: what the tests show
We haven’t run these coolers on our own bench, so we’ve leaned on published testing. Sweden’s SweClockers tested the Peerless Assassin 120 SE against the Hyper 212 Black Edition and much pricier coolers from Noctua and Cooler Master, on a Core i7-13700K open test bench. At around 180W, the Thermalright ran only a couple of degrees warmer than the expensive coolers and “a good way below” the Hyper 212 (our translation). With the CPU limited to 150W there was still a big gap between the two, and in a gaming scenario the bigger cooler kept noticeably lower temperatures throughout.
That matches the wider view. Tom’s Hardware’s review headlined the Peerless Assassin 120 SE as “incredible, affordable air cooling performance”. It’s no great mystery: the Thermalright has nearly twice the heatsink and two fans pushing air through it.
One honest caveat from SweClockers: the Thermalright fans are fine at normal speeds but get fairly loud flat out, so a sensible fan curve is worth a minute in the BIOS.
Fit: height, RAM and case checks
- Height: 155mm for the Peerless Assassin and 152mm for the Hyper 212. Many mid-tower cases take that, but small and slim cases might not. Check your case’s maximum CPU cooler height.
- RAM clearance: the Peerless Assassin is a dual tower at 110mm deep, so the front fan can sit over your memory slots. With tall RGB RAM you may need to raise that fan, which adds height. The slimmer Hyper 212 is easier here.
- Paste: if you remove a cooler, clean off the old paste and apply fresh. Our guide to applying thermal paste shows how.
Pros and cons
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Pro: much stronger cooling in independent tests
- Pro: two fans and six heat pipes for the money
- Con: bulkier, can clash with tall RAM
- Con: fans get noisy at full speed
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black
- Pro: slimmer single tower, easy RAM clearance
- Pro: tidy all-black look, paste included
- Con: falls well behind under heavier loads
- Con: higher rated fan noise at top speed
Air or liquid?
If you’re tempted to jump to an AIO, read our air cooler vs AIO guide first. For most gaming builds, a good dual-tower air cooler like the Peerless Assassin is plenty. Both coolers here are in the CPUs and cooling section of our shop.
Verdict
The Hyper 212 earned its reputation, but in 2026 the Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the better budget cooler for most people. It runs cooler in every published test we found, with more headroom for gaming and heavier work. Choose the Hyper 212 Black only if you need the slimmer single tower for RAM or case clearance, or your CPU runs cool anyway. See how we test and choose products.
FAQ
Is the Peerless Assassin 120 SE better than the Hyper 212?
In independent testing by SweClockers, yes. The Peerless Assassin 120 SE ran considerably cooler than the Hyper 212 Black Edition at the same loads, thanks to its larger dual-tower heatsink and second fan.
Will the Peerless Assassin 120 SE fit over tall RAM?
It can be tight. The dual tower is 110mm deep and the front fan can overhang the memory slots, so with tall RAM you may need to raise the fan. Check the RAM height and your case’s cooler clearance.
Do both coolers support AM5?
Yes. Both makers list support for AMD AM5 and AM4, as well as Intel LGA 1700 and LGA 1851.
How tall are these coolers?
Thermalright lists the Peerless Assassin 120 SE at 155mm and Cooler Master lists the Hyper 212 Black at 152mm.
Featured image: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, an earlier Hyper 212 model, photo by FASTILY via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.