By: Ben Joubert
December 11, 2015
Winter in Calgary is very much like a roller coaster. The temperatures seem to rise or fall randomly, and it is possible to go from temperatures well below zero to temperatures above zero in one day. For me, this is the most frustrating part of winter, since it feels like it cannot decide if it wants to be warm or cold -- much like choosing which restaurant to go to for dinner. I have to wake up early in the morning, scrape the ice off of my car, and go through the process of heating it up. However, when I leave the university in the afternoon, I have to carry all the extra layers I had on to keep me warm just hours ago back to my vehicle. Then there is getting into the car in a colder state than I would have liked, and a few minutes later, wondering why it was so hot. Other than this, I love winter, and I love to go skiing. Sleeping during the winter cold is also much easier than sleeping in the summer heat. It is probably a good thing I ended up in Calgary with short summers and cold winters. I always remind myself in the cold, you can always add on an extra layer, but in the summer, you can only take off so many. What we can see here is controlling the environmental temperature during warm and cold seasons is of crucial importance; much like controlling the temperature in your computer. Keeping your components cool is very important for their longevity, since if they are constantly too warm, it will greatly reduce their life in the long term. Furthermore, if the temperature rises too much, it can cause thermal throttling during gaming sessions, causing a drop in performance, making it very important to find good cooling to ensure your computer parts are happy at all times. Today, we have the Scythe Ninja 4 CPU cooler in for review. Read on to find out if it is as deadly and silent as a ninja!
Our review unit today arrived via UPS Standard to the APH Networks offices here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The outside of the corrugated brown cardboard box was a little beat up. There were a few dents, and the corners were a little damaged. Luckily, inside the big brown box, the contents were in great condition, snuggled in lots of foam peanuts to ensure the contents are not damaged. I am always happy to see proper care was taken to ensure the product is packed tightly and securely inside, just so it does not move around during transportation, which would cause trouble.
This is how the unit will look in retail stores. The art on the box really ensures that people know that this is for enthusiasts. I really appreciated the simple design with not too much going on. Scythe went full on with the ninja theme of the name; the full moon and what looks like a triumphant ninja on the front makes me think this heatsink will be silent and effective. The bottom right of the box tells you which sockets the Scythe Ninja 4 is compatible with. The left and right side of the box informs more on the features and dimensions of the Ninja 4, while the back of the box has more information regarding the warranty of the product, as well as any support pages.
Here are some specifications of the Scythe Ninja 4, as obtained from the manufacturer's website:
Heatsink Specifications
Model Name: Scythe Ninja 4 CPU Cooler
Model Number: SCNJ-4000
Socket Compatibility: Intel LGA 775/1150/1155/1156/1366/2011/2011-V3; AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/FM1/FM2/FM2+
Dimensions (Including fan): 130 x 155 x 153 mm
Weight (Including fan): 900 g
Material: base plate copper, nickel-plated, aluminum heat fins
Warranty: 2 years
Features: H.P.M.S (Hyper Precision Mounting System), T-M.A.P.S (Three-dimensional Multiple Airflow Pass-through Structure), Flexible fan mounting
Fan Specifications
Modelname: GlideStream 120 PWM
Model-Nr.: SY1225HB1212H-PS (3 operations modes H/M/L)
Fan dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm / 4.72 x 4.72 x 0.98 mm
Noise Level: L: 4,0 ~ 12,5 dBA; M: 4,0 ~ 23,5 dBA; H: 4,0 ~ 29,5 dBA
Air Flow: L: 21,97 ~ 73,90 m³/h | 12.93 ~ 43.50 CFM; M: 21,97 ~ 73,90 m³/h | 12.93 ~ 63.73 CFM; H: 21,97 ~ 73,90 m³/h | 12.93 ~ 84.64 CFM
Fan Speed: L: 300 upm (±300) ~ 800 upm (±10%); M: 300 upm (±300) ~ 1150 upm (±10%); H: 300 upm (±300) ~ 1500 upm (±10%)
Voltage / Amperage: DC 12V / 0,22A
Static Pressure: L: 0,69 ~ 4,90 Pa / 0,07 ~ 0.50 mmH²O; M: 0,69 ~ 10,40 Pa / 0,07 ~ 1.06 mmH²O; H: 0,69 ~ 17,55 Pa / 0,07 ~ 1.79 mmH²O
Bearing Type: Sleeve Bearing
The contents were packaged tightly, which was good to see. But I found there could have been a little more cushioning between the heatsink and the side of the box, much like there was some foam between the heatsink and the fan. The Scythe Ninja 4 and the fan stood on another box, where we find all our needs for the installation process, like the backplate for all Intel sockets, and the rest of the mounting hardware. They included an extra-long screwdriver as well, because of the height of the heatsink, which I will talk more about during the installation of the Scythe Ninja 4 later on in this review. They included four fan mounting clips, two for the included fan and two more for another fan that you could add at your own expense. The heatsink can easily accommodate two fans, so the extra mounting clips are definitely welcomed. A small tube of thermal paste was included, and of course, an installation guide. Ultimately, I think the heatsink and the fan could have been packaged a little bit better to ensure their safety during transportation, but we did not have any damage to our unit.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
