Scythe Mugen 3

[gnuelxela]

Is it worth to install another cooling fan (total of 2 fans) on a Scythe Mugen 3?

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Push-pull will give you a decrease of 3-5C in temps depending on the case and existing airflow, ambient temperatures, and some other factors.

It's not that much, but then again a 120mm fan doesn't cost that much, either.

 

[Vesku]

Any idea how the Mugen 3 compares to the Macho HR-02? Mugen 3 I can get locally HR-02 I'd have to order online (shipping).

 

[lehtv]

I highly doubt you'll see 3-5 degrees of difference... maybe in very optimal circumstances only. 1-2 degrees is more likely. As for whether it's worth it, absolutely not. Why pay for another fan when the heatsink does its job perfectly fine with just one fan? If you just wanted to reach an uber overclock for bragging rights, you would be using something like Thermalright Silver Arrow, or water cooling.

The Mugen 3 is nicely built in that it has an indentation on both sides where fans are installed, which I expect should lower the noise produced by the fan blades moving close to the fins. [late edit: actually the 120mm fan goes into the indentation, so this point is moot]. I've tried a pull fan on my Mugen 2 which doesn't have those indentations, and it's pretty loud because the blades are just so close to the sink.

Any idea how the Mugen 3 compares to the Macho HR-02? Mugen 3 I can get locally HR-02 I'd have to order online (shipping).

Macho HR-02 is better - more fin surface area, bigger fan. But Mugen 3 is very good too. If you can get the HR-02 for about the same price definitely go for that.

 

[gnuelxela]

Both of them I will have to order online (+shipping) due to my location.

But it will be used to cool a 2500K, so I would like to seek for a quiet but yet effective cooler.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

I highly doubt you'll see 3-5 degrees of difference... maybe in very optimal circumstances only. 1-2 degrees is more likely. As for whether it's worth it, absolutely not. Why pay for another fan when the heatsink does its job perfectly fine with just one fan? If you just wanted to reach an uber overclock for bragging rights, you would be using something like Thermalright Silver Arrow, or water cooling.

The Mugen 3 is nicely built in that it has an indentation on both sides where fans are installed, which I expect should lower the noise produced by the fan blades moving close to the fins. I've tried a pull fan on my Mugen 2 which doesn't have those indentations, and it's pretty loud because the blades are just so close to the sink.


Macho HR-02 is better - more fin surface area, bigger fan. But Mugen 3 is very good too. If you can get the HR-02 for about the same price definitely go for that.

If you have good airflow and a decent-sized case you WILL see a difference of 3C or so. If you have a small case with bad or very restricted airflow that difference can be as much as 5C. If you can find a good fan for cheap, it can be worth it.

The Macho HR-02 is better than the Mugen 3, but not by that much. If they're at the same or similar prices (+-$5) then get the Macho HR-02.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Both of them I will have to order online (+shipping) due to my location.

But it will be used to cool a 2500K, so I would like to seek for a quiet but yet effective cooler.

There's the Cooler Master Hyper 212+ and the Corsair A50, too. The Corsair A50 gives around the same performance as the Hyper 212+ with two fans in push/pull, but it also doesn't have a PWM fan, nor the option for installing an additional one. In terms of noise, at comparable RPMs the A50s should be quieter, especially if you use the low noise resistor it comes bundled with.

The A50 can be had for $25 and the 212+ for $26.

You don't really need anything higher-end than that for a Sandy Bridge i5 at 1.35V, but if you want very low noise and heat the Macho HR-02 is a great option for $40.

 

[lehtv]

If you have good airflow and a decent-sized case you WILL see a difference of 3C or so. If you have a small case with bad or very restricted airflow that difference can be as much as 5C. If you can find a good fan for cheap, it can be worth it.

I highly doubt it

 

[nyker96]

as i understand u need a fan that's similar cfm to match ur current or else the push pull is not going to be optimal.

 

[gnuelxela]

You don't really need anything higher-end than that for a Sandy Bridge i5 at 1.35V, but if you want very low noise and heat the Macho HR-02 is a great option for $40.

I thought sandy i5 is at 1.5V

 

[zlejedi]

Any idea how the Mugen 3 compares to the Macho HR-02? Mugen 3 I can get locally HR-02 I'd have to order online (shipping).

Stay away from Mugen 3. Mugen 3 has lower performance than Mugen 2 and comes with noisier fan.

So either get Mugen 2 or HR-2 Macho.
Also good economical coolers are Zalman CNPS-10X Quiet and Performa (Extreme and Flex suck) or Hyper 212.

 

[RussianSensation]

I thought sandy i5 is at 1.5V

No. Unless Intel states otherwise, we are using Gulftown (Intel's 6-core flagship 32nm chip) as a point of reference.

As such, maximum safe voltage spec for SB is currently accepted as 1.375V. 1.5V for SB is too high for 24/7 100% load operation. But if you plan to replace this CPU with Ivy in 6 months, then sure. Personally, I wouldn't run it above 1.40V.

 

[lehtv]

I thought sandy i5 is at 1.5V

The memory for sandy bridge is 1.5V

Stay away from Mugen 3. Mugen 3 has lower performance than Mugen 2 and comes with noisier fan.

Untrue, Mugen 3 performs the same or slightly better than Mugen 2, even with the more compact heatsink. This is probably due to the fact that the Mugen 3 fan has a higher max. RPM, but the min. RPM is still 300 which is as quiet as Mugen 2. The load RPM difference hardly matters, and load CPU noise for gamers is pretty irrelevant because the GPU is noisier anyway.

http://www.rwlabs.com/article.php?cat=&id=454&pagenumber=6

And even if you count the load noise as a big minus, it doesn't mean you should stay away from it. It'd be just slightly less awesome than Mugen 2. And I think it's the best HSF for $50.