Scythe Mugen 5 Black (SCMG-5100BK) RGB Edition – Review

Installation

One of the biggest key factors in installing cooler usually boils down to two basic factors. How easy/simple the mounting system is and, perhaps more so, how clear the manual presents the information.

Well, starting with the manual, it is a mildly mixed bag. With it covering 3 languages, the written details are rather light. The good news is, however, that the diagrams to go with it are excellent and, as such, I found no problems in understanding which parts I needed and where they went.

Mounting

The Scythe Mugen 5 has a fairly standard mounting system that the vast majority of people with experience in coolers will likely recognize and be able to proceed without much help required from the manual.

As this is a rather large cooler, the only main factor of interest is the fact that you have to mount one side of the cooler through a fixing located directly through the radiator itself. While this isn’t entirely uncommon, Scythe has (if you remember from earlier in the review) provided us with a screwdriver that makes that massively more straight forward.

It’s a minor point as well, but I should note that the screwdriver is mildly magnetic and fits perfectly into the screws provided. More factors that help move the installation along nice and quickly!

The only mildly unusual aspect of the design is the 2nd hole at the top of the radiator. This leads to the main central mounting clip fixture and there is no logical reason why you, as a user, would ever want to undo this. I can only presume that this was either a manufacturing requirement or a styling choice, but I can’t help but feel that someone out there is going to accidentally unscrew this. Not a major problem in itself, but it could affect how the clamp holds the contact plate down if reattached incorrectly.

Overall Thoughts

From out of the box and onto our system, this cooler took roughly 10-15 minutes to install. Not bad considering that this is quite a large cooler with a reasonably complex mounting system

In terms of the RGB lighting, it looks absolutely fantastic. The only mild downside is that this cooler does not come with a manual RGB controller. A factor that practically requires you to have either an RGB capable motherboard or an RGB control hub.

So, is it easy to install? Well, put simply, users shouldn’t let the size of the Scythe Mugen 5 intimidate them. Yes, it’s a relatively large cooler, but in terms of the mid-high performance market, it’s very straight forward to install.

I would say that this cooler shouldn’t provide any problems with anyone new to their installation and, for experienced hands, it’s an absolute doddle!