David Steele - Posted: 3 Dec 2009 12:32
 (9/10)

The first thing that impressed me about the Scythe Ita Kaze is how well built this cooler is. It feels great in the hand; well built and solid. There are no sharp edges or loose fins.

Fitting the cooler to the drive is easy and the supplied four pin / three pin adapter means you can power the cooler from the hard drive supply if you need to.

However! Of more relevance is how it sounds and how it cools. I don't have a silent computer so me reporting that I don't hear this fan should be taken with a pinch of salt, but held up to my ear it is *very* quiet.

After installing, I noticed a 1°C to 2°C drop just through passive cooling. With the fan engaged, the drive runs at least 5°C cooler still, putting it below SpeedFan's thermostat setting. I don't know the true cooling ability of the unit as it's more than adequate for my cramped Shuttle machine.

As a caveat, you still must ensure adequate flow of air through the case, otherwise the fan winds up blowing warm air at the drive.