Tests of coolers - ASUS, Scythe, and Cooler Master
Author:
Date: 06.06.2006
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Scythe Ninja+
Two months ago, we reviewed the cooler Scythe Ninja which left quite pleasant impression. Today, we are testing the modified version Ninja+.
The first thing to note is there are no changes - in the package design,
and in the package bundle which contains a kit of fasteners with a special wrench, a plastic frame for AMD motherboards, an enforcement plate for LGA775 boards, a pack of thermo paste, as well as brief installation guide.
This time, the box has somehow gone up in size because the cooler is now equipped with a 120 mm fan.
Here are its brief specifications: rotational speed - 1200 rpm, the generated air flow = 23.5 CFM. Surprisingly, the fan operates almost noiselessly!
We haven't found any changes to the radiator design, nor in the cumbersome fastening procedure.
The radiator's dimensions have remained unchanged: the length is 110 mm, width - 110 mm, and the height is 150 mm. However, the overall weight of the cooler has gone up due to the fan and amounts to 815 g. The fastener of the fan is universal, which allows the user to replace it with any 120 mm fan. The high efficiency of the Ninja+ radiator allows the buyer to choose either the performance-mode fan (noisy) or confine to a low-speed and quiet fan.
The design of the radiator is rather interesting but in general it is traditional. 12 heat pipes extend out of the copper base - 3 on each side.
Besides, the base has an additional kit of fins which is supposed to improve the cooling efficiency.
On the heat pipes there are 23 fine aluminum plates threaded, which are of quite intricate shape (as can be seen on the following photos).
The processing quality of the base is high enough, but is still to far to the mirror surface:
Anyway, the fan can be installed on any of the 4 sides of the radiator, which allows the user to avoid potential conflicts.
Unfortunately, the major issue of Scythe Ninja+ is about the very inconvenient scheme of fastening on LGA775 motherboards. To do the operation, the following has to be done simultaneously: hold the motherboard, hold the metal enforcement plate (thus aligning the holes with the assembly holes on the board), hold the plate with hangers on the other side of the board (again aligning the holes), run the screw through and tighten it with a screwdriver. The situation is made worse by plastic washers (they prevent the motherboard surface from scratches) which are always slipping and get lost.
By the way, nothing prevents from using the Scythe Ninja+ without a fan at all. However, this mode of operation is applicable only to AMD processors running at reduced frequency and supply voltage. But we wouldn't recommend trying these experiments since in this case the power supply module of the board may overheat (owners of water-based cooling systems must be well aware of this problem).
Pros:
- Excellent efficiency of the cooler;
- Almost noiseless operation;
- Compatibility to all the popular platforms.
Cons:
- Large overall dimensions (especially with the fan fitted in place);
- Complicacy of installation.
Note that the retail price of Scythe Ninja+ is somewhere about 45 $. A bit too much, but the high cooling efficiency allows us to recommend this product for purchase.
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