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FINAL THOUGHTS
The Setsugen managed to cool our HD
4890 test card quietly but just barely with temperatures rising beyond
our comfort level. As a result we cannot recommend it for cards with very high
power draws, say 125W and above, unless the fan is kept at higher speeds. This
unfortunately undermines one of its biggest strengths: its thickness. As the
Setsugen only takes up one extra slot, one would immediately believe it would
be ideal for a quiet CrossFire or SLI system. If you want to keep the noise
level down, you'll need to stick to midrange models, the type of cards that
probably aren't worth dualing.
The overall design of the Scythe Setsugen is deficient in several ways. Scythe
fans are known for their good acoustics and low noise level but the tight confines
of the fan increases turbulence effects, making the cooler much louder than
it would have been otherwise. Given its proximity to the GPU core, if the fan
were flipped to blow toward it, we believe it would give better results. Unfortunately
this isn't an easy change to implement as the back of the fan would press up
against the heatsink, preventing it from spinning. While the fan is large, it
is simply not wide enough to deliver direct airflow over the VRMs on most graphics
cards, and on high-end models in particular, VRM cooling is paramount. We also
take issue with the change Scythe implemented in the mounting system, specifically
the way the screws on the mounting plate slide around. Unless you are extremely
lucky, it is almost guaranteed that the contact between the heatsink base and
GPU core will be uneven.
Despite all its problems, it is still probably the best choice we've come
across as far as single-fan, dual slot coolers go. If you need a quiet cooler
that occupies no more than one extra slot for a card with a moderate power draw,
the Setsugen fits the bill rather nicely. If you have more room to spare, a
dual fan model is ideal. Its cousin, the Scythe
Musashi is the same weight, about half a slot thicker and a much better
performer. Best of all, it can be found for as little as $40, which is actually
$5 cheaper than the Setsugen.
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Scythe Setsugen
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PROS
* Good high airflow performance
* Wide compatibility
* Fan controller included
* Only takes up one extra slot |
CONS
* Poor low airflow performance
* Single fan limits VRM cooling
* Undesirable mounting system
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Our thanks to Scythe
for the Setsugen sample used in this review.
* * *
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Scythe Musashi Dual Fan GPU Cooler
[PostScript Added]
HIS Radeon HD 4890 Turbo Edition
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Are Two Orbs Better Than One?
Xigmatek Battle-Axe: First Direct-Touch
Heatpipe VGA Cooler
Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 VGA
Cooler
* * *
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