Scythe launches upgraded Kotetsu CPU cooler

Cooling specialist Scythe has announced the launch of the Kotetsu Mark II tower CPU cooler, which it claims is 'significantly improved' over the original.

Based around four nickel-plated copper heat pipes attached to a solid cooper baseplate, the bulk of the Kotetsu's size is its aluminium finstack - the top of which, those with windowed PCs will be pleased to hear, is covered with an aluminium top plate bearing the company's logo - which offers a new asymmetrical design. The first Scythe heatsink to use what is likely to become a standard feature, the Kotetsu's redesign means that the heatsink is offset 10mm to one side and to the rear - which, the company claims, boosts compatibility with cases that have large graphics cards and heatsink-equipped RAM modules.

The 154mm-tall, tower-style heatsink comes bundled with a Scythe Kaze Flex 120 PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) speed-controlled fan, which includes the company's sealed precision fluid dynamic bearing (FDB) design for reduced friction and wear. Running at 300 revolutions per minute (RPM) up to 1,200 RPM, the fan is mounted on rubber vibration dampers at its corners to reduce noise levels.

Beneath the heatsink Scythe has upgraded the Kotetsu Mark II to include the latest version of the company's Hyper-Precision Mounting System (HPMS), now in its third generation. Based around pre-assembled metal mounting bars with spring-loaded screws, the mounting system is claimed to prevent issues with uneven pressure distribution - something users of AMD's AM4 socket have found troubling when using older mount designs.

The Kotetsu Mark II is compatible with Intel LGA 775, LGA 1150, LGA 1151, LGA 1155, LGA 1156, LGA 1366, LGA 2011(V3), and LGA 2066, plus AMD's AM2(+), AM3(+), AM4, FM1 and FM2(+) sockets. Pricing has been set at €29.50 (around £26 excluding taxes,) including the heatsink, fan, mounting clips, and thermal grease. More information is available on the company's official product page.