Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B (SCMG-5100) CPU Kühler

After 2 years it was finally time to send the stock AMD Wraith Stealth cooler on my Ryzen 5 5600x out to pasture. They are decent entry-level coolers included with some new processors, but I was very dissatisfied with their overall performance, even after proper, quality thermal paste re-application. I don't even overclock my CPU, I just wanted it to run more efficiently and generate less heat. When it came time to look at a replacement, this cooler came highly recommended by the PC gaming community on Reddit and Facebook.The Scythe Mugen 5 is a great, affordable option for air cooling. It was super easy to install and came with all the tools/instructions you need. It even came with a little tube of thermal paste, which saved my behind upon installation, because I realized I'd lost my trusty XTM70 paste. While I'd have preferred to use my own paste, it was nice to know I have some that will tide me over until I upgrade my CPU down the road. There are tons of mounting options for this cooler as well, depending on the CPU socket, so just read the product description and ensure it'll fit your board.As for the numbers, I immediately dropped a whole 20c at idle (from 50-30c) which was pretty wild, but what really amazed me was its performance in intense gaming. In demanding titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Battlefield 2042, and Modern Warfare 2, I regularly saw my CPU hit 95c with the Wraith cooler. After installing the Mugen 5, now it doesn't go above 60c (on average.) That is an insane 35c drop in temperature, in real-world gaming scenarios. I didn't think changing out to a more robust air cooler would entail such a HUGE difference but I'm glad I made that leap! I can game with confidence knowing my rig will handle whatever I throw at it, and when it comes time to upgrade, I know I'll be in great shape.My PC specs:-Windows 11 Pro-Azza Photios 250 ATX mid-tower case-Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming motherboard-AMD Ryzen 5 5600x 6-core CPU-Scythe Mugen 5 Black Edition CPU cooler-Nvidia 4070 FE 12GB GDDR6X GPU-Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4-3600 RAM (64GB)-Corsair CX750M 80+ Bronze modular PSU-Corsair SP120 blue LED 120mm case fans (x4)-Kingston V300 120GB SSD (Boot drive)-Seagate Barracuda 8TB HDD (Gaming drive)-Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD (Backup drive)

I have a AMD 2700x processor using the standard AMD Wraith cooler it came with. While the general consensus is that the Wraith is an excellent cooling solution for AMD processors, it struggled to keep up with my more advanced and CPU-intensive processes. Rendering movies and iRay images. My graphics card is up to that challenge, but the 2700x with the Wraith would peg the 85C TMax rating for the Ryzen 2700x, and stay there for the whole rendering process. That could take up to an hour, depending on how long the video was or the details and materials used in the images.I needed more cooling.So, after reviewing a lot of different fan/heat-sink combos, I found this Scythe Mugen 5. I have NEVER seen this high of a rated computer-related device in 25 years of buying them, let alone a COOLING solution (which typically get very mixed reviews).I had a similar model of cooling in my old computer for the older gen i7, but since that went to my wife, I couldn't transfer it to my new rig. The price was excellent for what you get.It contains all of the mounting hardware, including a very decent magnetized screwdriver (which is necessary for the way it's mounted, since access to one of the screws is through all the cooling fins from the top down).Installation had a hiccup that didn't actually involve this cooler (my CPU was glued to the Wraith, and I spent several hours straightening its puns and cleaning the socket after I manged to carefully pry it off of the Wraith). Once I was back up and running, there was a noticeable 8C drop in the idle temps from mid to upper 30'sC to upper 20'sC with an ambient air temperature of 75F (sorry for the different measurement systems). The air flow was now linear instead of perpendicular to the flow, which helped the cooling issues as well.So at least I knew the Scythe was doing a much better job pulling heat off of the CPU.The acid test came later in the day when I had a complicated image to render. With the Wraith, I usually hit 85C within the first 45 seconds, and it would take about 18-25 minutes to render. When the rendering ended, you could hear the Wraith spinning down, but it never went below 40C for five minutes.With the Scythe, it never went above 80C, rendered for 15 minutes (four of which was at 80C), and it took eleven minutes to hit that mark. Cool-down was back to upper 30's within 60 seconds.80 is high, but not damaging high. 85 is where you don't want to hit, and my CPU did hit 86 with the Wraith once (without shutting down). I suspect it throttles the load to keep from exceeding the temperature limits.So, the cooling was substantially better overall and well worth the money.In a side note for those who might use AMD's Wraith, a few words about it's failure to live up to the reviews that factors into why the Scythe is so much better.The Wraith is a 4 heat pipe cooling system mounted flat to the motherboard. It comes with paste preapplied in a decently flat layer. It's very easy to install. However, after it came off, I noticed "lines" in the paste on the CPU and on the Wraith. It turns out that the heat pipes on the Wraith are not ground to a flat, polished surface. There are distinct height differences between the heat pipes and the copper in which they're embedded.In order to transfer heat efficiently, the surface against the CPU should be perfectly and completely flat and even. Thermal paste only goes so far in ensuring that the heat is transferred, and will not live up to the task if it's too thick in places. An eyeball estimate for the amount of surface with thicker paste on the Wraith is about 7-8%, or about the same difference in the cooling I had through the Scythe, which has a very highly polished and flat surface for placing against the CPU (remember to remove the protective film on it before installing it!).My sense is that the Wraith could be a lot better if the surface was flat and polished even and smooth with no lines. And that's probably why there was a such a major temperature difference. As the paste aged, it became less able to transfer heat, leading me to needing a new cooling solution.I'm quite pleased by the quality and performance of the Scythe. Had I seen the Wraith's CUP surface below the paste on it, I would NOT have used it in the first place. Hence why I'm also reviewing it here. If you're considering a new computer build with an AMD processor, if you plan on doing high-end, CPU-intensive things like throttling, video/graphics rendering, or other such things, DO NOT use the Wraith, and get this instead.You will not be disappointed.

Non esagero nel dire che la temperatura del PC sia a riposo che durante l'uso intensivo è scesa di 15\17 gradi oltre che ad aver azzerato ogni tipo di rumore legato al raffreddamento.

Switched from liquid to air, mainly concerned about my cheap liquid cooler getting old and failing. This outperforms it. It runs cooler and quieter. Easy to install* (see below)Warning: it did not come with a screwdriver like it said it would. It was just missing in mine? I have almost every tool to accomplish any household task, but all of my screwdrivers are the bitholding type, which do not fit through the fins. Had to go to the hardware store and get one, and Amazon gave me a partial refund. So not a huge deal, but be ready.

No worries playing my games or just using the PC in daily operation. 32 the entire time! Watch out Nactua Mugen will be breathing down your neck soon!