Page 4 - Conclusion
It is no surprise by the name alone, the DeepCool ASSASSIN 4S brings a lot of familiar features compared to the full-sized ASSASSIN IV, especially when we look at the physical construction. Despite DeepCool calling this a minimalist cooler, it is still big in both size and mass. Instead, the main reduction comes from the removal of the back fan. DeepCool has slightly increased the output of the single 140mm fan to remain competitive. I might have expected a bit of a height reduction, but it seems like the "S" stands for slim rather than short. Otherwise, we have the same solid material choices and boxy look. We also have an integrated speed switch here and a signature teal DeepCool logo. With seven heatpipes and a nickel-plated copper CPU contact, this air cooler has everything you would expect physically. Installation is straightforward with an easy process that we have seen from many coolers. I appreciate the inclusion of a screwdriver and thermal paste for multiple installations. In terms of performance, the ASSASSIN 4S executes as you might expect for a single fan, dual-tower cooler. It was able to put up strong numbers in our tests, but its results were just a bit behind the top air coolers. Thankfully, it was also pretty quiet, even when operating at full speed. Unfortunately, as it shares the same heatsink as the ASSASSIN IV, the same clearance problems remain here. As such, if you have larger VRM heatsinks on your motherboard, you may run into interference. I would have also liked to see DeepCool still provide the necessary hardware to attach another fan so users can expand the cooling later on. At the time of the review, the ASSASSIN 4S is launching at a MSRP of $80, which is slightly cheaper than its full-sized brother, but this is expected given the inclusion of only one fan. As such, if you are looking to save some money or want to reduce the noise output without affecting performance too much, the DeepCool ASSASSIN 4S is a sensible option.
DeepCool provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.4/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The DeepCool ASSASSIN 4S is a CPU air cooler offering a slightly slimmer size and reduced noise output in combination with capable cooling compared to the non-S model.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
