X-bit labs

Started by: shinobi | Date 02/06/08

Comments: 11 | Last Comment:  04/15/08

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1. The ninja cu manual[1] says it comes with mounting backplate, but it is only used for Socket 775 installation. So is it safe to use on socket 478/754/939/940/am2, where only clip installation method is supported?

[1] ftp://ftp.scythe-eu.com/Manuals/CPU Cooler/Ninja Cu.pdf

2. What a disappointment. It was beaten even by the Ultra-120 (ex) with the same fans, and the MSRP costs just as much! Although thermalright ultra-120 does not come with heatsinks, I expected the all-copper heatsink doesn't come with a slower/less CFM fan than the aluminium Ninja/OCZ vindicator. Although things might change with 4-fan setup, I think it's time for Scythe to use a more efficient heatsink design. Last time I checked, even infinity/mugen beats the old Ninja B with same fans.

The power of the Ninja (god, that sounds so stupid!) is with passive cooling. The widely-spaced fins are awesome exactly for that purpose. Yes, the Ninja was and will be worse than other top-end coolers when fans are involved, but it's better when you don't have a fan on the cooler.

Exactly! I think the fact that the Scythe coolers work great WITHOUT the fan cannot be stressed enough. Unfortunately the reviewer only mentioned on a side note.

I really think that he should have spent more time testing it without the fan and comparing it to how its competitors fare without their fans. Overclocking is one aspect of aftermarket fans, but for average consumers it is definitely not more important than having a silent system.

The test results in fanless mode were described in detail within the results discussion on each platform. Please check out the appropriate sections of the article.

Yes, Anna, we know, but what was the point in testing fanless operation in an open testbed, which is exactly what's never going to happen? Passive means "no fan on the heatsink, cooled by case airflow", not "no airflow whatsoever". :)

I'd like to second that. I was looking for info about the Ninja in passive mode, but I didn't find anything useful about that aspect in this review. Running a heatsink in passive mode in open bed conveys no useful information.

Unfortunately, it isn't just the wimpy fan that makes it a bad buy. The lack of true bolt-through mechanism is also responsible for the lackluster performance, by not applying enough pressure to the CPU. For a tall heavy heatsink like SNC, the cantilever effect can cause thermal compound to slip, which can be damaging to CPU. The greatest irony is, only the older Ninja Rev. B supports secure bolt through mounting, by using Thermalright Bolt-thru Board Mounting kit.[1]

[1] http://www.silentpcreview.com/article805-page6.html

3. Thank you really very much for your warning!
(Inconvenient cooler installation onto LGA775 mainboards )

4. Excellent photo's as with pretty well all your reviews. Very informative great details and I like your comments on how the heatsink could be improved. I notice you tried heatsink grease in between the heat pipes and the copper block. Is it possible to add some solder to this arrangement? I know solding to cu and al or nickel is very diffcult but not imposible.

Thanks for the great review.

5. The reviewer mentioned he wished the improvements done to Scythe Ninja Copper (not the copper bit) to be applied to the normal Scythe Ninja as well... it's funny cause those all come from Scythe Ninja Mini, and was copied to the Scythe Ninja Copper model, and still they haven't made the change to Scythe Ninja rev.B... so I can't more then agree! Why Scythe? Why?

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