Amazon's first CPU cooler is a rebranded Cooler Master model, for half the price

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: Amazon is diving head-first into the PC cooling game with an Amazon Basics-branded CPU cooler for select AMD and Intel processors. Amazon's offering doesn't look much different than your run-of-the-mill tower-style cooler. It features four copper heatpipes that facilitate the transfer of heat from the base of the sink upwards and into an array of aluminum cooling fins that the fan blows air across.

Copper is better than aluminum at wicking heat away from a source but aluminum is able to dissipate absorbed heat more quickly than copper. Aluminum is also lighter and less expensive than copper, hence the combination of the two in this design.

The attached 92mm rifle bearing cooling fan is PWM adjustable from 600 RPM to 2,000 RPM and can flow up to 34.73 CFM of air at 29.38 dBA. It is also equipped with RGB LED lighting and is compatible with LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA1151, LGA1150, LGA1155, LGA1156, AM5, and AM4 CPU sockets.

According to Amazon's listing, the unit measures 102mm (5.4 in.) x 83.4mm (3.3 in.) x 126mm (4 in.) and weighs 0.9 pounds.

As best we can tell, this is simply a rebranded version of Cooler Master's Hyper H410R RGB. Aside from branding, it is unclear what – if any – changes have been made to Amazon's version aside from the price.

Cooler Master's Hyper H410 R RGB retails for $68 on Amazon or $55 on Newegg if you can make do with a red LED fan. For comparison, the Amazon Basics version commands just $27.

Those looking for additional options are encouraged to check out our top CPU cooler selections. The guide is split into multiple categories including best low-profile coolers, top budget solutions and our favorite all-in-one coolers.

For only $10 more than Amazon's cooler, the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 is hard to pass up given its six copper heatpipes and dual 120mm fans. If water is your jam, the Enermax Liqmax III for $60 is a compact and affordable alternative as well.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/97808-amazon-first-cpu-cooler-rebranded-cooler-master-model.html

 

[psycros]

I have a hard time understanding how Amazon makes money off of this unless maybe the original had bearings and the Amazon version doesn't. Either that or coolers from major brands are just massively inflated to begin with.

 

[SG736F6]

I have a hard time understanding how Amazon makes money off of this unless maybe the original had bearings and the Amazon version doesn't. Either that or coolers from major brands are just massively inflated to begin with.

Isn't pretty much everything massively inflated to begin with?

 

[Lounds]

I paid £40 for an AIO 240mm Cooler on Amazon's Prime day last year. Honestly I think traditional heatsinks are void nowadays in PC DIY building.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

I have a hard time understanding how Amazon makes money off of this unless maybe the original had bearings and the Amazon version doesn't. Either that or coolers from major brands are just massively inflated to begin with.

Amazon agrees to buy 1 million units over a year at a very low price and simply sells double everyone else to make the same or more profit.

Kid Rock explained this once in an interview he was giving, in very simple terms. He used to sell t-shirts at his concerts for $40.00 a piece. When he/they dropped the price to $20.00 a t-shirt they sold double the amount. Same profit but made more people happy.
If anybody can move massive amounts of product it's Amazon.

 

[Julnor]

I have a hard time understanding how Amazon makes money off of this unless maybe the original had bearings and the Amazon version doesn't. Either that or coolers from major brands are just massively inflated to begin with.

They are massively inflated. It's just a block of finned metal and fans attached, it doesn't cost them more than like $2 total to make the things.

 

[VariableSpike]

I paid £40 for an AIO 240mm Cooler on Amazon's Prime day last year. Honestly I think traditional heatsinks are void nowadays in PC DIY building.

Except its widely known you get better performance with a Air cooler, the benefits for water cooling are more so space with an AIO rather than performance, especially with a smaller one

 

[Experimentongod]

Here in Spain (Amazon.es) the CM version is 28,75€ and Amazon Basics version is 30,26€. Don't ask.

 

[VoidTheWarranty]

I paid £40 for an AIO 240mm Cooler on Amazon's Prime day last year. Honestly I think traditional heatsinks are void nowadays in PC DIY building.

Why? They aren't exactly that much better than a quality heatsink when you look at performance. They restrct airflow so your cpu is cool while other components are warmer, annoying to clean the fans, and not everyone wants something that can leak all over their hardware.

 

[Rockfella]

I paid £40 for an AIO 240mm Cooler on Amazon's Prime day last year. Honestly I think traditional heatsinks are void nowadays in PC DIY building.

No way sir.

 

[Lounds]

Why? They aren't exactly that much better than a quality heatsink when you look at performance. They restrct airflow so your cpu is cool while other components are warmer, annoying to clean the fans, and not everyone wants something that can leak all over their hardware.

It depends on the installation location in the case, the one I recently bought I did a top mount as an exhaust, all my components get cool airflow from my front intake fans.

 

[yannus]

Black Rock companies have virtually infinite money, their purpose is to destroy competition, so that later they get all the profit.

 

[zulu53]

As if anyone needs another example of the PRC complete disregard for IP rights. Clearly a direct copy of the ROC (where CoolerMaster resides) design and manufacturing, most probably by direct theft rather then reverse engineering. PRC state subsidized to sell it so cheaply in the West but a direct poke in the eye for the ROC. Buyers need to make a choice - if they need the savings then buy PRC; otherwise support the Wests fight against communism and the PRC - contribute a bit more than you already do when you pay your taxes to support your military.

 

[KofeViR]

Except its widely known you get better performance with a Air cooler, the benefits for water cooling are more so space with an AIO rather than performance, especially with a smaller one

Not really true. Generally an AIO will give you better temps. Especially if you buy a quality one. With newer pumps (asetek gen 6 and newer) they are also quite low in noise, both idle and load. I have several AIOs that are almost inaudible, however they handle some of the fastest CPUs today with ease, not many air coolers will handle i9-13900K/KS that is for sure.

There's pros and cons with both, however 240mm and up AIOs are generaller better than most air coolers, unless you are talking about the most expensive dual tower solutions which cost the same as a 360mm AIO and fills up the entire case

AIOs with 120-140 fan/res is almost useless unless for very small builds, where they can make sense, you can't fit a good air cooler here.

I like air, but mostly single tower air 120-140mm. Don't like dual tower solutions with 1+ kg base, I have seen motherboards go bad because of a huge and heavy air cooler at least a few times

I use AIOs for many builds because it simply looks better and temps are generally better as well.

On my test bench I use AIO, because replacing CPU is much easier, only takes a few seconds compared to aircoolers which often use brackets and several screws + ram clearence is not a problem

 

[CamaroZ28c]

Amazon agrees to buy 1 million units over a year at a very low price and simply sells double everyone else to make the same or more profit.

Kid Rock explained this once in an interview he was giving, in very simple terms. He used to sell t-shirts at his concerts for $40.00 a piece. When he/they dropped the price to $20.00 a t-shirt they sold double the amount. Same profit but made more people happy.
If anybody can move massive amounts of product it's Amazon.

Assuming they sell exactly double the amount, then they are not recouping the same amount of profit. Close, but not quite. Gets closer the more they would sell beyond double though, which is totally feasible. Standard pricing analysis aims to find the sweet spot to maximize demand/profits.

 

[rsmith222]

Assuming they sell exactly double the amount, then they are not recouping the same amount of profit. Close, but not quite.

Close enough for Kid Rock but things could vary. The labor cost clearly would increase. Possibly more storage and shipping costs. Larger venue for selling the shirts. However, volume discounts from the manufacturer could help, in some situations, to offset some of the additional costs. Also, indirect profits would go up. Every shirt is an advertisement and 'making people happy' with them = more repeat customers. Buzz is increased by witnessing more people buying them. Cheap shirts may also entice more people to attend the shows. Estée Lauder built a business empire via the 'free gift.'

It may very well be more profitable (for Kid Rock, at least) for Kid Rock's business to sell twice as many shirts for half the sticker price.

In terms of this cooler, as many have pointed out, there is more to the price of a product than the sticker price. Who pays for what?

 

[Usernamer]

I paid £40 for an AIO 240mm Cooler on Amazon's Prime day last year. Honestly I think traditional heatsinks are void nowadays in PC DIY building.

Enjoy your final year with subpar cooling bro. Maybe consider investing a little bit more on a decent aircooler next time

 

[captaincranky]

Well kidz, when the Cooler Master 212 was first released they listed for $29.95, and were routinely on sale from $19.95 to $24.85. So, Amazon's price really isn't that surprising.

But today, y'all need to have them in black, with flashing
RGB lighting, and surprise, surprise, surprise, now they're up to about $50.00. (or so).

It's like P.T. Barnum famously said, "there's a gamer born every minute".

 

[rsmith222]

Well kidz, when the Cooler Master 212 was first released they listed for $29.95, and were routinely on sale from $19.95 to $24.85. So, Amazon's price really isn't that surprising.

But today, y'all need to have them in black, with flashing
RGB lighting, and surprise, surprise, surprise, now they're up to about $50.00. (or so).

It's like P.T. Barnum famously said, "there's a gamer born every minute".

They're also hiding inflation behind RGBs.