Scythe Ashura CPU Cooler Review

By Julian Duque

Manufacturer: Scythe Co. LTD
Product Name: Ashura CPU Cooler
Model Number: SCASR-1000
UPC: 4571225051987
Price As Tested: $52.32 (Amazon | Newegg)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Scythe.

If you are the type of person that prefers to buy products from experienced companies then you won’t be hard-pressed by the manufacturer of the product in this review. Scythe has been around since 2002, that is thirteen years that sets them as one of the oldest and most experienced companies in the DIY PC market. This week, they have allowed Benchmark Reviews to take a look at some of their latest high performance coolers and today the spotlight falls on the Scythe Ashura, a compact 120 mm cooler which Scythe claims will pass our tests with flying colors.

If there is one reason for Scythe’s success is their operating philosophy. Instead of spending money in expensive ad campaigns, Scythe builds upon quality and design by investing in their research and development department unlike many modern manufacturers on the market. In turn, Scythe continues to amaze their small fan base globally by bringing forth advancements in the field and sustaining the outstanding quality they are most frequently known for.

There are several misconceptions when it comes to the ordeal of choosing a cooler for your processor. It is true that Water-Cooling may yield better cooling results, mostly due to water’s higher thermal conductivity when compared to the ethanol and ammonia mixture found in most heat-pipes based coolers. But that does not mean that air coolers should not be considered as an option for enthusiasts. Unlike water-coolers, air-coolers do not need a pump, and can be “Passively Cooled” for quieter operation. Although pumps have become more silent and reliable, they should still be considered as another moving part inside your system that may be subject to failure, as well as being a source of noise. Another important factor to take into consideration when choosing the right CPU cooler is compatibility, Most heatsinks require certain parameters to be met including the CPU cooler height limit of your case, and motherboard clearance compatibility. In contrast, water-coolers only require a place to mount the radiator inside your case, as most CPU blocks are small enough to not interfere with important components near the CPU socket.
Courtesy of Scytheus.com

Model Name:
Ashura CPU Cooler

Model Number:
SCASR-1000

Compatibility:
Intel®:

Socket LGA2011 / 2011-v3 (Square ILM)
Socket T / LGA775
Socket LGA1150
Socket LGA1155
Socket LGA1156
Socket LGA1366

AMD®:

Socket AM2
Socket AM2+
Socket AM3
Socket AM3+
Socket FM1
Socket FM2
Socket FM2+

Dimensions:
145 x 65 x 161 mm / 5.71 x 2.56 x 6.34 inch

Weight:
750 g / 26.46 oz (excl. fan)

Accessories:
Mounting plate x2 (Intel), mounting plate x2 (AMD), mounting bar x1, screws for clips x4, mainboard screws x8, mounting screws x2, back plate spacer (Socket 775) x1, washers x4, wrench x1, fan clips x4, thermal grease, backplate, installation manual

Base Plate Material:
Nickel plated copper

Fan Model Name:
GlideStream 140 PWM (adapted Model)

Ashura presently sells online for $52.32 (Amazon | Newegg). As usual, the packaging in which most coolers come in is far from exciting, mostly made from cardboard which not only protects the heatsink, but keeps the accessories organized. I always stay away from non exciting stuff so lets get moving. In this section, we will go over the external characteristics of the Scythe Ashura.

Included with the Scythe Ashura is a multi-lingual installation guide with very detailed instructions that will come readily handy when installing the cooler. There is also one back plate for Intel systems, as well as all the necessary hardware to mount the heatsink into any modern AMD or Intel motherboard. Scythe has also included a small plastic bag filled with thermal interface material and two fan brackets to install two 120 mm fans on the heatsink although only one is included. For easier installation of the heatsink, Scythe has also included a small wrench to get to the hard to reach screws that sustain the Scythe Ashura in place.

Unlike other heatsinks, the Scythe Ashura tries to bring the most cooling in a somewhat compact package, of course don’t expect this to fit in your slim-ITX system as it is still 145 mm tall. But at just 65 mm, it is still slimmer than any other performance heatsinks used in our 2015 tests so far. To accommodate for the sacrificed surface area lost to make the Ashura slimmer, Scythe has given the Ashura a higher fin density, which hopefully means great results in our performance tests.

I usually rant a lot about not perfectly machined base plates on high-end CPU coolers, after all this is not a cheap product. Our sample of the Scythe Ashura has no notorious mistakes on it’s overall finish of the base plate and was absolutely flawless as we expect from any Scythe cooler. Having a perfectly machined base plate with no errors should yield better performance as there will be no place for air pockets to form between the TIM and the base of the cooler.

Compatibility has been a major issue ever since big heatsinks appeared, but manufacturers keep trying to fight their way around it. Like other heavyweight heatsinks, the Scythe Ashura is shifted slightly backwards in order for the fan to not even come close to the ram. This can cause issues with things like really large heat-spreaders for the power delivery system located to the left of most motherboards when using a second fan such as with our Asus Gryphon Z87 with the thermal armor installed.

Before we inspect each member of our new CPU cooler collection, let’s establish that our tests consist of methods we have determined to be the best for our one singular purpose. Our methodology isn’t written in stone, and could very likely be changed or modified as we receive justification (and feedback from the community). Our scope is limited to stand-alone products only, meaning those products which can be installed and operated without additional critical components needed or kit construction. This is the reason for this first test, in which the mounting system for each cooler is tested. Since this is not an apple to apples comparison, but rather a subjective description of each of the kits available without any form of quantitative data, it does not affect the numerical scores we give for each product. The purpose of this test is to inform our readers on how the mounting system of each processor cooler can affect the buying experience.

As usual, we will mount the cooler in one of our Intel test platforms. This time, we will be using an XFX MB-N780-ISH9 LGA 775 motherboard to test the mounting system included with the Scythe Ashura, which Scythe lists as one of the supported sockets.

Installing the Scythe Ashura starts with locating the four silver nuts, the back-plate, and the LGA 775 spacer to prevent the back-plate to make contact with the contacts located behind the motherboard’s socket. Scythe does not clearly package each component in an individual bag which can confusion. For AMD sockets you will have to remove the top fan bracket, however you will still need the back-plate included with all AMD motherboards.

With the back-plate and thumb nuts in place it is just a matter of seconds to get the two mounting brackets installed. Once the back-plate is held snug it is time to decide which way to install the Scythe Ashura in order to install the two brackets. The scythe manual instructs users to install it vertically, which is a smart choice as you will have less compatibility issues this way due to the heatsinks shape.

So far the Scythe Ashura has been an easy installation, but it is still a bulky heatsink. However, because it is a slim cooler the screws that are located right underneath the heatsink are easily accessible and visible from the top making the installation of this cooler far easier than any other performance heatsink in our 2015 list. Scythe even includes an angled wrench which was really unnecessary as the screws were accessible in any motherboard that the Ashura is mounted on.

Benchmark Reviews is always looking to improve our testing methodology over the past few years. We have always solicited suggestions from the enthusiast community, and received guidance from the experts in this field. This particular time we will be using a fresh testing methodology. Benchmark Reviews continues to test CPU coolers using the stock included fan and thermal interface material (whenever applicable), and then replace it with a high-output fan and aftermarket TIM.

Manufacturers are not expected to enjoy this sort of comparison, since we level the playing field for all coolers by replacing their included fan and TIM with common units which are then used for every CPU cooler tested. Many manufacturers include fans with their heatsink products, but most ‘stock’ fans are high-RPM units that offer great airflow at the expense of obnoxiously loud noise levels. By using the same model of cooling fan and TIM throughout our second test, we can assure our results are comparable across the board. This is one of the more significant changes we have made to our test methodology, since many of the benchmark tests we have conducted in the past have compared the total package. Ultimately we’re more interested in the discovering the best possible cooler, and we believe that you’ll feel the same way.

• Motherboard: Asus Gryphon Z87 Motherboard
• Processor: Intel Core I5 4670k
• Enclosure: Phanteks Enthoo Mini XL
• Operating System: Windows 7 Professional.

Testing was conducted in a loosely scientific manner. Ambient room temperature levels were maintained within one degree of fluctuation, and measured at all times throughout testing. The processor received the same amount of thermal paste in every test, which covered the ICH with a thin nearly-transparent layer. The cooler being tested was then laid down flat onto the CPU, and compressed to the motherboard using the supplied retaining mechanism. If the mounting mechanism used only two point of force, they were tightened in alternation; standard clip-style mounting with four securing points were compressed using the cross-over method. Once installed, the system was tested for a baseline reading prior to testing.

At the start of each test, the ambient room temperature was measured to track any fluctuation throughout the testing period using Asus AI Suite and two of the included temperature sensors located at the front intake of our test system. Aida 64 Engineer was utilized to create 100% CPU-core loads and measure each individual processor core temperatures. It’s important to note that software-based temperature reading reflects the thermal output as reported from the CPU to the BIOS. For this reason, it is critically important (for us) to use the exact same software and BIOS versions throughout the entire test cycle, or the results will be incomparable. All of the units compared in our results were tested on the same motherboard using the same BIOS and software, with only the CPU-cooler product changing in each test. These readings are neither absolute nor calibrated, since every BIOS is programmed differently. Nevertheless, all results are still comparable and relative to each products in our test bed (see The Accuracy Myth section below).

All test results utilize Aida 64 Engineer to report core temperature averages (within the statistics panel), which gives us more precise readings. To further compensate for this, our tests were conducted several times after complete power down thermal cycles. Conversely, the ambient room temperature levels were all recorded and accurate to one-tenth of a degree Celsius at the time of data collection.

All modern processors incorporate an internal thermal diode that can be read by the motherboards’ BIOS. While this diode and the motherboard are not calibrated and therefore may not display the actual true temperature, the degree of accuracy is constant. This means that if the diode reports 40°C when it’s actually 43°C, then it will also report 60°C when it’s truly 63°C. Since the design goal of any thermal solution is to keep the CPU core within allowable temperatures, a processor’s internal diode is the most valid means of comparison between different heatsinks, or thermal compounds. The diode and motherboard may be incorrect by a small margin in relation to an actual calibrated temperature sensor, but they will be consistent in their margin of error every time.

Our first CPU Cooler Performance Test takes use of the included TIM and fans included with each CPU cooler. The Scythe Ashura includes only one fan for a push setup and a small bag of Scythe branded TIM which can be reused for one installation. The purpose of this test is NOT to prove which cooler is better, but rather to give our readers an expectation of what to expect from each cooler using the stock fans and TIM.

Courtesy of ScytheUs.com

Scythe GlideStream 140 PWM Fan Specifications
Dimension	140 x 140 x 25 mm / 5.51 x 5.51 x 0.98 inch
Rated Speed	500 ± 300 rpm to 1300 rpm ± 10%
Noise Level	13 – 30.7 dBA
Air Flow	63 – 165 m³/h or 37.37 – 97.18 CFM
Static Pressure	1.47 – 10.0 Pa / 0.15 – 1.02 mmH²O

The Scythe Glidestream fans have a measured RPM rating from 500 to 1300 making them reasonably quiet when compared to the high RPM fans that companies such as Raijintek and Silverstone include with their CPU coolers. Although the Scythe Ashura falls behind other coolers in this section, it is still one of the quiet ones. Both the Scythe Mugen Max and the Cryorig R1 Ultimate are the obvious winners here, as they manage to be at the bottom left of the table.

Heating things up always turns to be more positive for air coolers as they are more resilient when exposed to higher temperatures. Take a look at both the Cryorig R1 and the Raijintek Triton, which both beat the Scythe Ashura in part 1 of this test. On part 2, the Scythe Ashura manages to close the gap between it and the bottom of the table which holds the likes of the Silverstone TD02-E, a dual 120 mm AIO water cooler which features high RPM fans, and the Scythe Mugen Max, the Ashura’s bigger brother.

It’s time for our second and most important test. In this test we look to compare each cooler side by side by eliminating all the variables that may hamper our results. This means using our choice of fans and TIM throughout the entirety of this test. Buyers may benefit from buying custom fans and TIM by gaining performance, as well as by reducing the noise coming from the high RPM fans included with most cooling units. Our choice of TIM is Prolimatech PRO-PK3-5G which is an aluminum based solution that does not require any burn in time to reach peak performance.

Our choice of fans include the Yate-Loon D12SM-12 120 mm and D14SM-12 140 mm fans. Yate-Loons are mostly known for their quiet operation, and very low price. They are also very common among power supply fans, and are frequently found in the market as there are many re branded versions available from different companies.

Model #:	D12SM-12	D14SM-12
Dimensions:	120 x 120 x 20 mm	140 x 140 x 20 mm
Air Flow Max.:	70.5 CFM	62.0 CFM
Noise Level Max.:	33 dBA	29 dBA
Fan Speed:	1650 RPM ± 10%	1400 RPM ± 10%
Rated Voltage:	12 V DC	12 V DC
Input current Max.:	0.30 Amps	0.70 Amps

In part 1 of this test, the output heat generated by our Intel Core I5 4670k at stock settings gives the Scythe Ashura no struggles in terms of cooling capabilities. It manages to beat a vast majority of the competition including the Scythe Mugen Max. Only the Raijintek Triton manages to beat it, making the Scythe Ashura the best heatsink so far in our 2015 round-up.

Our overclocked temperature measurements close the gap between the Scythe Ashura and other coolers in this section. If Scythe would have included two fans with the cooler we would have probably seen the same impressing numbers for our test 1 like in our test 2. Although test 2 is the most important one, both the Scythe Mugen Max and Scythe Ashura are the winners in our test 2 managing to beat everyone else in the table.

As per request from many members of the enthusiast community, Benchmark Reviews has added noise measurements to our CPU cooler testing methodology. Each test is conducted in a noise isolated room, during the night time to avoid any minor disturbances caused by normal daytime activities near our location. Our base ambient temperature was measured at 15 dB for each of our tests. Noise was measured using a Brüel & Kjær type 2225 sound level meter located at 1 meter from the fan/fans. Fans were placed so that the axis of rotation of the fan is perpendicular to our line of measurement. For our dual fan noise measurements, fans were placed in series (facing each other) with a 10 cm gap between them. All fans were tested at 12 Volts.

The fan included with the Scythe Ashura has the model name Scythe Glide Stream 140. Having 140 mm fans allows the Scythe Ashura to gain the lead in terms of noise, however it is still beaten by even the 120 mm Yate Loon which is surprising. Unfortunately, the included fan has the same hole spacing as a 120 mm fan, meaning that the only 140 mm fan you will be able to install on the Ashura is the included fans, or any 120 mm fan.

Introducing a second fan causes Scythe Glide Stream fans to stay in place place behind both the Yate Loon and Cryorig contenders in this test. Although only fan is included, we had another Scythe Glide Stream 140 in the office from one of our other reviews, but we could not find any information on were these fans are available online from a trusted retailer so that makes our second test not that important as to obtain a second Scythe Glide Stream fan you will probably have to buy two coolers.

By now it should be clear that Scythe’s claims were more than correct. The Scythe Ashura passed all of our tests with flying colors. It is stylish, simple to install, and it out-performs any other cooler in our test 2. If there is something bad that could be said about this cooler is the lack of a second fan for the price, after all this is not a cheap product, otherwise Scythe’s long experience in the heatsink market is clearly shown in every detail from the Scythe Ashura.

The performance of the Scythe Ashura is incredible. Using the included fans and TIM, it did not perform as well but in our second test, the Scythe Ashura was unbeaten along it’s big brother the Scythe Mugen Max. Overall the Scythe Ashura manages to keep our overclocked core i5-4670k under control if the stock fans are replaced.

Beauty is subjective, but making a bold design that gets your point across is not. Scythe is not aiming for one or the other but they do try to make all of their products elegant. Considering this is a compact cooler, the slim profile makes it look underwhelming, but our tests show another story.

Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to test the reliability of most of the products we review. However, the Scythe Ashura shows some very positive signs when it comes to it’s overall construction. The mounting mechanism is sturdy and showed no signs of flex. The fins on the heatsink were not easily bent, and are protected by an aluminum shroud at the top. There were also no flaws on the base plate of our sample, which should result in better performance. .

Scythe was clever enough to give the Ashura a very thoughtful layout. There are no ram clearance issues, which can be attributed to the cooler being offset backwards, although if your motherboard has very tall heat spreaders you might want to consider choosing a water cooler. Installation is not hard and is the easiest in any of our 2015 coolers so far.

Our last score pertains to the value of the product at hand. The Scythe Ashura is priced online for $52.32 (Amazon | Newegg) at the moment of this review which is average for a performance air cooler. Is it worth it? It clearly is, mostly because for the money, it is the best cooler for this price as it manages to beat any other air cooler in our performance test 2.

+ Extreme performance for the money.
+ Elegant design.
+ 2-Year warranty.
+ Easy installation mechanism.
+ Slim and compact design.

– Only one fan is included.

• Performance: 9.75
• Appearance: 9.0
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.00
• Value: 9.5