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POSTSCRIPT: SCYTHE NINJA, version 3
Dec 16, 2006 by Kelly
Stich
The original Scythe SCNJ-1000 Ninja heatsink has proven to be one of the most
popular enthusiast heatsinks available. It is one of the best heatsinks that
we have reviewed at SPCR in terms of cooling and potential for quiet operation.
The recently released Scythe SCNJ-1100P, also known as the Ninja Plus Rev.
B, is the third version of the Ninja. This version is very similar to the previous
version except for the mounting system. Now included are a Scythe branded fan,
a redesigned mounting bracket for the LGA775 socket, and a new bracket for the
AM2 socket.
Scythe's Ninja Plus Rev. B with LGA775 Adapter Attached.
The cooling provided by the Ninja has not changed; it is still one of the best
heatsinks on the market. The basic design of the Ninja remains: Twelve heatpipes
running through a stack of large, thin, widely spaced aluminum fins. The fin
spacing is very similar, but the previous revision had a fairly big notch in
the corners of the bottom fins for the built in native socket 479 clips, as
shown in the photo below.
The weight of the new Ninja is 640g without the attached fan. The weight is
mainly in the base and should not be a major concern if mounted correctly.
While the Ninja now has support for all modern desktop processor sockets, there
have been a number of compatibility reports with the LGA775 and AM2 adapters;
check with the compatibility data provided on Scythe
website to confirm that this version will fit on your motherboard. The LGA775
mounting adapter can interfere with the VRM's of certain motherboards, and the
AM2 adapter has also been shown to block some of the RAM slots.
When mounting, the easiest and safest method is to mount the Ninja on the motherboard
outside of the case. This is especially true for the LGA775 adapter where you
will need to make sure that the push-pins have been fully inserted and locked.
The push-pins are awkwardly placed under the fins and inserting them correctly
takes a considerable amount of force and dexterity. If the notches in the corners
of the earlier version Ninja had been retained, inserting and locking the push-pins
would be much simpler. A visual inspection of the push-pins on the underside
of the board is required to ensure that the Ninja is secured in place.
An LGA775 adapter push-pin when fully inserted.
The Scythe fan included with the SPCR sample was a Scythe DFS122512L. This
fan appears to be of medium quality, but does not fit the noise specification
given on the Scythe website (Ninja
and fan).
The included fan has a slight buzzing sound at 12V, but is relatively quiet
when undervolted. While the specifications are not exactly the same, the noise
produced from this fan is very similar to the Scythe Kama Flow fan that we recently
reviewed.
Overall this is a welcome revision to the Ninja heatsink; now the Ninja has
support for all modern desktop sockets. The Ninja is still one of the best available
heatsinks on the market. Cooling is superb, and with the included fan noise
is acceptable. To ensure the quietest operation though, undervolt the fan to
achieve near silent operation.
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