Scythe Kabuto 3 CPU Cooler Review

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Introduction

Another Scythe CPU cooler on the bench and this time it’s the Scythe Kabuto 3. We are not going to test this one on our usual X99 test bench, it’s not compatible, instead we will be testing it on an Intel 6700K CPU. The Scythe Kabuto 3 is another “Top-Flow-Design” from Scythe and another with their 120 mm PWM fan from the GlideStream series.

Scythe has designed this CPU cooler with compact dimensions and maximum compatibility in mind, the Kabuto 3 is probably going to appeal to the system builder that can’t or won’t use a tower cooler, even a compact one. The benefits of Top-Flow design of coolers are simple, you are still able to use a 120mm fan, good compatibility with memory and motherboard heatsinks to name a couple.

Specifications
Model NumberSCKBT-3000
Socket compatibilityIntel®: Socket LGA775, LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1366
AMD®: Socket AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, FM1, FM2, FM2+
Dimension ( with fan )130 x 125 x 149 mm (including fan)
Weight ( with fan )720g
Baseplate MaterialNickel-plated copper
Heat pipes2x 6 mm
3x 8 mm
FanGlideStream 120 PWM SY1225HB12M-CIP
Fan Dimension120 x 120 x 25 mm
Fan Rated Speed300 (±200 rpm) ~ 1.400 rpm (±10%) PWM
Fan Noise Level4 ~ 28,0 dBA
Fan Air Flow12.93 ~ 79.0 CFM - 21,96 ~ 113,34 m³/h
Fan Air Pressure0,69 ~ 15,3 Pa / 0,07 ~ 1.56 mmH²O
Bearing TypeSleeve Bearing

Interestingly the Scythe Kabuto 3 has five heatpipes, two 6mm and three 8mm. They’ll have different thermal properties and benefits. It’s good to see Scythe continuing to include their premium fans in CPU cooler bundles too, we like the GlideStream series of fans. The Kabuto 3 is a compact CPU cooler, though not as small as some.

The Kabuto 3 includes quite a chunky heatsink so though it’s for a slightly more compact system, it is not a low profile cooler by any means. We like the look of the Kabuto 3 so far, it’s just a pity it doesn’t come with LGA2011-v3 support, it looks capable of cooling a i7-5820K for example, but there’s no official word on the TDP capability.

Scythe Kabuto 3 CPU Cooler Review

Package - 7.5
Performance - 7.5
Price - 7.5
Consumer Experience - 7.5

7.5

The Kabuto 3 hasn't topped any charts in our review, but it hasn't been at the bottom either. It's an uncomplicated CPU cooler, and has performance to offer for most AMD and Intel CPUs. The biggest downsides from our point of view is the lack of LGA2011v3 support, and the slightly stock cooler mounting system.