Final Thoughts
I really was not sure what to think when I received the Mugen MAX in to review. It has been quite a long time since I’ve reviewed a Scythe product and I was a little bit concerned about the heatsinks low weight as most coolers this size are 300 g heavier if not more. To my surprise the Mugen Max turned out to be one of the best performing CPU coolers that we have taken a look at all year!
The heatsink itself is aluminum and has a nickel-plated copper base as well as six nickel-plated copper heatpipes. While the heatsink does the brunt of the cooling work Scythe also includes of their GlideStream 140 mm PWM fans. The fan is actually very quiet and was not noticeable at all. If you wanted to add even more performance to the cooler you can install a second fan, Scythe even includes the fan mounting clips.
Being that this is a larger cooler installation difficulty is always a concern, no one wants to spend all day getting this cooler in their system. Installation is pretty easy with the Mugen MAX, but I am still not a huge fan of using a small wrench in a confined space. Keep in mind that you will most likely only have to do this one though. Being that Scythe designed the heatsink base off center you have more than enough clearance for memory modules, which I really do like. Also just to note I was able to do the entire installation with my motherboard inside of my case.
Currently I am unable to find the Mugen Max for sale at any online retailer. There are a couple on eBay going for around $80, which is at the high-point for air CPU coolers, but given the performance is justified. Overall ThinkComputers gives the Scythe Mugen MAX CPU Cooler a 9 out of 10 score and our Recommended Award!
Pros:
– Great performance
– Quiet fan
– Stylish design
– Lots of room for memory clearance
Cons:
– Installation could be easier
– Availability
