Tom's Hardware Verdict
Scythe’s Big Shuriken 4 provides adequate cooling in a Mini-ITX SFF-compatible form factor.
Pros
- +
Low profile, only 67mm tall
- +
Low noise levels
Cons
- -
SFF size means cooling limitations for high-end CPUs
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Blade-themed PC accessory company, Scythe, has been delivering cooling products mainly aimed at low noise and quiet performance for over 20 years. The company’s Fuma series of coolers, including the Scythe Fuma 3 we reviewed in 2023, is a community favorite. Unlike some of its competitors, Scythe is a fabless company that partners with factories in China and Taiwan for the manufacturing of its air coolers, fans, and other PC hardware.
And despite some recent troubles in Europe, the company is still prodicing new products, like the Big Shuriken 4 we’re looking at today. Despite the name, this cooler has a petite profile designed to be compatible with SFF Mini-ITX builds. The diminutive design packs six heatpipes and features the new Kaze Flex II 120AH fan to move heat away from the processor below.
Will this low-profile cooler limbo its way onto our best CPU cooler list? We’ll cover the features and benchmark results, then you can decide for yourself if it is worth purchasing.
Cooler specifications
Cooler |
Scythe Big Shuriken 4 |
Colors |
Silver heatsink, black fan |
MSRP |
$39.99 |
Lighting |
None |
Warranty |
2 years |
Socket Compatibility |
Intel socket LGA 1851/1700/1200/115x AMD AM5 / AM4 |
Dimensions with a fan |
122 (D) x 120 (W) x 67mm (H) |
Maximum TDP (Our Testing) |
>178W with AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X |
Packing and included contents
Both Scythe’s Big Shuriken 4 and the smaller Shuriken 3 arrive in small blue and white packages, just large enough to protect and house the cooler.
The CPU cooler and fan are protected with molded foam, and the accessories are housed in a small brown box.
Included with the product are the following:
- CPU heatsink
- Kaze Flex 120 II Slim AH PWM fan
- Small tube of thermal paste
- Mounting for AMD and Intel platforms
- Installation manual
Features of Scythe Big Shuriken 4
▶️ Slim 67mm height for SFF builds
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This cooler is designed for the smallest Mini-ITX SFF systems on the market, with a height of just 67mm.
▶️ Six copper heatpipes
To transfer heat from the CPU to the heatsink’s fins, the Big Shuriken 4 incorporates six standard-sized copper heatpipes.
▶️ Full RAM compatibility
The cooler does not interfere with or overhang DIMM slots. All sizes of RAM, regardless of height, are compatible with this cooler.
▶️ Kaze Flex 120 II Slim AH PWM
Scythe includes its newest 15mm (height) fan, the Kaze Flex 120 II Slim AH, with the Big Shuriken 4.
Size (L x W x D) |
120mm x 120m x 15mm |
Bearing |
Fluid Dynamic Bearing |
Fan Speed |
Up to 1900 RPM ±10% |
Air Pressure |
Up to 1.71 mmH2O |
Airflow |
Up to 51.98 CFM |
AM5 installation
1. AMD users will first have to remove the default mounting mechanism and then place the grey standoffs around the CPU.
2. Take the mounting brackets and place them on top of the standoffs, using the included screws to secure the brackets.
3. Apply thermal paste to the CPU. If you’re unsure of the best way to do this, you can follow our thermal paste application guide.
4. Press the heatsink against the mounting bars and use a screwdriver to secure it through the holes on top of the heatsink (in red below). You’ll want a thin screwdriver for this purpose, as larger ones may not fit.
5. The last step is to attach the fan’s PWM cord to the corresponding motherboard header.
Real-world testing configuration – AMD AM5 platform
My results may differ from others because I focus on outcomes that are comparable to real-world use. This means I test CPU coolers inside a closed desktop case, which increases cooling difficulty compared to other testing methods. Many test CPU coolers outside of a case on an open test bench. Open benches have lowered ambient temperatures, which in turn makes weak coolers appear stronger than they really are. Some publications have used generic thermal plates to test cooling solutions.
That being said, I am using my standardized testing setup for this review, which features a full-size case and motherboard. As with every review, your mileage may vary, as every case and its airflow are different. However, you may notice larger differences here, as I’m not testing in a Mini-ITX case.
CPU |
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GPU |
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Motherboard |
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Case |
Today’s test bench has yielded more limited results than normal, as our 9950X3D system has suffered an unfortunate failure. As such, we’ve begun testing coolers on a system with AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X.
There are some differences in how thermal events impact the 9950X and 9950X3D CPUs. While the heat output of the CCDs in AMD’s 9950X3D is relatively balanced, the 9950X I’m using has one CCD that runs much hotter than the other, with a difference of over 10 degrees Celsius in some scenarios.
One of the purposes of today’s review is to establish how well, or poorly, a smaller SFF CPU coolers handle AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X processor. While this review will focus on the Big Shuriken 4, we’ve tested and will also go over the results of the smaller Scythe Shuriken 3 CPU cooler.
Albert Thomas is a contributor for Tom’s Hardware, primarily covering CPU cooling reviews.
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bit_user Thanks for testing a top-down cooler, @Albert.Thomas ! I've long been partial to these, given their tendency to provide direct cooling of VRMs. and other board components (e.g. LAN chips, which can run hot). Would be great to see how it compares to Noctua's 120 mm top-down: theReply
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thestryker Both of those coolers seem interesting, but I wonder how they would work with a 25mm thick fan. I'm betting the SI-100 and NH-L12Sx77 are probably going to perform better than the Big Shuriken 4, but I'd be really curious if the Shuriken 3 performance improves much as it would still be under 50mm high. If it did then it could be a great option for a future Strix Halo style APU in a very small form factor.Reply
It would also be really cool to see a Cryorig C5 cu (or even regular) on your test setup. It doesn't seem to do as well for AMD as Intel, but it's a very interesting cooler being low profile and using a vapor chamber. It's unfortunate that they use a proprietary fan mount, but it's another cooler that could potentially slot into that big APU SFF cooler segment since it's 55mm in height. -
bit_user Reply
Curse you for putting this idea in my head! : D $40 isn't too much to satisfy my curiosity, especially for an old friend like Scythe. I think I probably will give it a go, on that Ryzen 9600X, since I'm not done experimenting with that system.thestryker said:Both of those coolers seem interesting, but I wonder how they would work with a 25mm thick fan. I'm betting the SI-100 and NH-L12Sx77 are probably going to perform better than the Big Shuriken 4,
Sadly, I do not have any comparison data for the NH-L12x77 vs SI-100 on AM5 - and I'm not about to remove the Noctua cooler from the machine it's in. However, I seem to recall others have made this comparison, so we could rely on their results for that part.
On a related note, one thing I want to try with that SI-100 is strapping a 140 mm fan to it, using this fan adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003U3RTEO/
I think it'll require drilling some small holes in the adapter, which shouldn't be a big deal. I will try using the Noctua NF-A14 G2 on it (Nocuta's recent revision of their 140 mm PWM flagship). And, if I move ahead with testing the Big Shuriken 4, I'll do the same on it. -
thestryker Reply
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:bit_user said:Curse you for putting this idea in my head! : D
Blame Scythe! They include 25mm fan mounts with the coolers and that's where the idea came from. I was looking up the Shuriken 3 since there wasn't a good picture of it in the review and saw that they advertise the 25mm mounts. -
Mindstab Thrull Running one of these proves that occasionally, Scythes matter...Reply
I'll see myself out. -
bit_user Reply
Yeah. Although, when a cooler lacks something as simple as a wire bracket, for holding the fan in place, I will simply tie the fan on there.thestryker said:Blame Scythe! They include 25mm fan mounts with the coolers and that's where the idea came from. -
bit_user @Albert.Thomas , there's an error in how one of the graphs is labelled. This one says it measures temperature, but the text indicates it's measuring noise at 150 W.Reply
Also, considering your overall quite positive-sounding conclusion:
The article said:Scythe’s Big Shuriken 4 is a worthwhile choice for builders targeting SFF systems. Its slim 67mm profile, combined with low-noise operation, delivers cooling performance superior to that of smaller SFF alternatives. It’s a compelling balance of price, performance, and size for any system where space is at a premium.
I'm surprised it rated only 3.5 stars. For someone with space constraints tight enough to be looking at this cooler, this seems like very good cooling performance - especially considering the noise level and price. It's surely no 5-star product, but I'd have expected at least 4. -
Albert.Thomas Reply
OOPSbit_user said:@Albert.Thomas , there's an error in how one of the graphs is labelled. This one says it measures temperature, but the text indicates it's measuring noise at 150 W.
I think I need to test more coolers of this nature with this system before I'd be confident in giving a higher rating.bit_user said:Also, considering your overall quite positive-sounding conclusion:
I'm surprised it rated only 3.5 stars. For someone with space constraints tight enough to be looking at this cooler, this seems like very good cooling performance - especially considering the noise level and price. It's surely no 5-star product, but I'd have expected at least 4. -
GravtheGeek From what I understand, the BS4 is actually one of the better performing 67mm class cpu coolers. It has a few rivals, the AXP120-67 from thermalright, the AN600 from Deepcool, the IS-67-XT from Id Cooling, and the RC600-67 from PC cooler. Fractal Terra and jonsbo T9 are great examples of cases that use 67mm coolers.Reply
The S3 though, is an interesting one. You see, at 39mm it's a bit too tall for some A4 cases, which typically max out at 37-38mm. A popular usage for it is in the Asrock Deskmini X600, where it performs quite well and is easier to mount then it's rivals, while being quieter. That case does support 47mm coolers though, which have better performance. Those would be right up against the metal though.
There is also the issue that due to fin orientation, it performs better for intel then for AMD chips. Since SFF cases often have fans at the top, It's best to have fins that run parallel to the ram to direct air upwards as well.
As for like the Cryorig C5, that's in that 50-55 mm range. The Cooj SF3 is a great example of a case in that range. Also a beautiful case to boot. -
beyondlogic Replybit_user said:Thanks for testing a top-down cooler, @Albert.Thomas ! I've long been partial to these, given their tendency to provide direct cooling of VRMs. and other board components (e.g. LAN chips, which can run hot). Would be great to see how it compares to Noctua's 120 mm top-down: the NH-L12Sx77 or Thermalright's SI-100 .
Right now, I have builds with both of these coolers and another one with Noctua's 140 mm-based NH-C14S! I always upgrade the fans, though. Even on the NH-C14S, I tried upgrading the included first gen NF-A14 fan with the G2 version. FWIW, I found the NF-L12Sx77 struggled to cool a Ryzen 5800X its peak (142W) PPT, even with an upgraded fan. I need to revisit the Thermalright SI-100, but my Ryzen 9600X seems limited by it in 105 W (142W PPT) mode, although using a weaker fan (currently "just" a first gen NF-A12x25). I should note that both of these results were in extreme stress tests that ran at max PPT and not in regular usage.
In the past, I used a Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev. B in two of my Intel builds (LGA 2011 and LGA 1150). It seemed like a solid design, even today. Maybe the fin stack was a bit thin, but I sort of wish they'd go back to that design and update it, instead of giving us yet another cantilevered top-down cooler.
i currently used scythe for many years there good for chips around the 65w-110w range but they arent great with high core counts over 8 cpu cores. at least on amd side. due to more power density might draw same wattage but more cpus leads to more heat. at least on scythe coolers i find it cant handle a 12 core cpu even when crippled to 120w is was the reason i shifted to water cooling.