Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm Fans
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Published: 8th December 2007 | Source: Scythe-EU | Price: US$12.00 |
So how well did the Scythe Ultra Kaze Cooling Fans perform in todays review?
The Scythe Ultra Kaze Cooling Fans certainly do their job well and this is evident from the testing that we have conducted here today. My choice for water-cooling applications would certainly have to be the Ultra Kaze 3000 and 2000 RM models. The Ultra Kazes consistantly provided better static pressure than the Scythe S-FLEX fans that we compared them with. Furthermore; the radiator testing further reinforced our initial static pressure tests by showing considerably better cooling performance across the board.
However; one area that I didn't address in this review was the noise emitted by the Ultra Kaze Cooling Fans. If you are looking to invest in some Ultra Kaze's, and prefer near silent operation, then the Ultra Kaze's are not for you....unless of course you run them at 7v. The Scythe Ultra Kaze 3000RPM fan is a cooling beast, but the noise it emits at 12v is highly reminiscent of a lower powered vacuum cleaner. Running the Scythe Ultra 3000RPM fan at 7v though makes the experience considerably easier on the ears, without too much of a performance hit in reported temperatures.
My personal favourite of the Ultra Kaze trio is the Ultra 2000RPM, as it has the ideal balance between noise and performance at 12v. Running the Ultra Kaze 2000RPM fan at 7v almost makes it inaudible, but at 12v the noise emitted is perfectly acceptable too.
The Ultra Kaze 1000 provides reasonable static pressure, but I think it is better suited to CPU heat sink cooling with less densely packed fins than that of a radiator/heat exchanger. The Ultra Kaze 1000 simply doesn't have the muscle to move enough air at 1000RPM for water-cooling duties, but in defense of the fan it is incredibly quiet.
The build quality of the Scythe Ultra Kaze range is typical Scythe: well built; no-frills, but considerable performance. However, I was surprised to see Scythe run with a bearing that only allows for 30,000 MTBF. But then again, higher static pressure can cause considerable stress on a simple 12v fan, and subsequently the MTBF rating is somewhat justified.
Pricing for the Scythe Ultra Kaze Cooling Fan range is a very reasonable US$12.00 MRRP according to the manufacturers website. Considering the low MTBF rating, but at the same time the increased performance, I think US$12.00 is more than acceptable. When you compare the Scythe Ultra Kaze and the Scythe S-FLEX on a price/performance basis the Ultra Kaze fans become even more attractive. Tekheads.co.uk have the S-FLEX SFF21D - SSF21E for £11.74 and £12.91 (US$23.82 - US$26.25) respectively, so the Ultra Kaze fans are very attractive by comparison.
Let's have a look at the break-down...
The Good
• Performance
• Build quality
• Price
• Increased static pressure
• Looks
The Mediocre
• Low MTBF rating
• Can be noisy (Ultra Kaze 3000 especially)
The Bad
• Nothing to report
As a result of the Scythe Ultra Kaze's performance today I have decided to award them the following awards:
Overclock3D would like to thank Scythe-EU for supplying the Ultra Kaze's for review
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Most Recent Comments
Awesome detailed review Peevs. Looks like they're a winner
Thanks Kemp I'm glad you liked it.
OOOOOOoooooooo
nice review, well done.
if i get a much bigger case for me next build, i'll consider these fans instead of the thinner S-Flex.
nice review, well done.
if i get a much bigger case for me next build, i'll consider these fans instead of the thinner S-Flex.
Very sweet fans, great review Matt as usual!!! Looks like I know which fans I'll be using for my next build. 
I bet those Ultra 3000's in push/pull around a triple 120mm rad would be amazing.
I bet those Ultra 3000's in push/pull around a triple 120mm rad would be amazing.Thanks weihk and Fraggles.
@ FragTek: Yeah those Ultra 3000 would work perfectly in a push/pull config. Just make sure you run them at 7v though aight
@ FragTek: Yeah those Ultra 3000 would work perfectly in a push/pull config. Just make sure you run them at 7v though aight
Nice review Matt....i fancy 3 of the 2000rpm Kazes for my pa120.3.
Thanks Mullet. Yeah the Ultra 2000's will get you rocking
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='PV5150'
Thanks weihk and Fraggles.
@ FragTek: Yeah those Ultra 3000 would work perfectly in a push/pull config. Just make sure you run them at 7v though aight |
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Scythe Ultra Kaze