Finished Looks

The black and silver design of the Kabuto 3 really doesn't stand out all that much, unlike the samurai silhouette on the box. That is not to say it isn't a nice-looking cooler, it just doesn't really stand out. For example, be quiet! has that dark nickel-plated look while Noctua uses simple aluminum, and their less-than-attractive fan colors leave an immediate impression. All Scythe has here is gray fan blades; granted, yes, the top plate is a near-mirror finish, but you won't see it in most cases.


What Scythe lacks in terms of a wow factor with the Kabuto 3 it makes up for with bonus cooling features. As with all top-flow designs, it aids in cooling not just the CPU but the CPU socket, system memory, and motherboard VRM, which more than makes up for its sterile appearance.


Clearance is solid. While I would not call it perfect due to a close call with the memory and the GPU, it does in fact still clear on the test system's motherboard. I am impressed - cutting it close or not, it manages to clear and that is what's important. Just keep in mind that some extreme memory kits and GPUs may not clear depending on motherboard size and layout.