Overclocked performance next and we have pushed the i7 6700K to 4.4Ghz, using only the multiplier and no extra volts. The Kabuto 3 drops down a little here, though 78 degrees load is still a good score. Idle performance is right on the line, matching most of the other test candidates.
At 4.4Ghz, the i7 6700K is overclocked by 10%, so the test subjects will be worked hard compared to the stock results.
The overclocked sound performance yields the same chart position as the stock sound performance, fourth. This seems to be the only blot on the report card for the Kabuto 3, and although not bad, it seems to lag behinds very slightly when it comes to sound performance, though only at load. The idle performance is very good, it’s only just in third place.
Conclusion
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. The mounting system isn’t bad, complicated or hard to implement, it’s just a little too reminiscent of the stock cooler you generally receive when you buy a CPU.
Both of these points are not show stoppers however, and if you have a compatible motherboard and want a decent performer, the Scythe Kabuto 3 is going to work for you, especially if you can’t use a tower CPU cooler for whatever reason. If you disregard the tower coolers in this review, the Reeven Steropes RC-1206b is the main rival to the Kabuto 3. The Steropes was a surprisingly good cooler, but it’s just a little more expensive than the Kabuto 3 in our research. Overall, the Scythe Kabuto 3 is a good value and good performing CPU cooler.
Scythe Kabuto 3 CPU Cooler
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.
