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Product Survey: CPU Heatsinks >
Xigmatek HDT Red Scorpion S1283
Type dissipateur + ventilateur
Compatibility 775 / AM2 / 939 / 754
Material aluminium
Fan size 120 mm
PWM yes
See all specifications
Dimensions 120 x 50 x 159 mm
Weight 620
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Régis Jehl
Test date: January 07, 2009
Compatibility, Installation and Accessories
You shouldn't have any problems with compatibility issues, as Intel's 775 and AMD's AM2, 939 and 754 sockets are all supported. The only thing that's missing is support for the GA 1366.

Installing the Red Scorpion on a 775 socket is fairly easy as all you need to do is screw two plates which each have the same push pins as Intel's own heatsinks. It's a neat solution, but a delicate one and the pins are easy to break.

As for AMD processors, a similar system is used, with a long thing strip that fits into the supports on AMD's processors. It's just as easy, but the long strip is a little flimsy and it's easy to get it twisted.

Finally, when it comes to accessories, you don't get loads, with just a small tube of thermal paste and a replacement set of rubber fittings for the fan.
Xigmatek's Red Scorpion cold easily be the twin brother of the Dark Knight S1283 heatsink from the same manufacturer. 

It's identical in every way, and has the same tower shape with aluminium fins, solid construction, and, above all, a series of heatsinks making direct contact, rather than a copper plate to move heat from the processor.

Compare this heatsink's performance
charts in our Product Face-Off: Heatsinks

The difference between the models, though, is the fan that's used.  On the Dark Knight, the idea was to provide as much cooling power as possible, but here, the aim is to keep the CPU cool as quietly as possible. 

That's why the Red Scorpion's fan turns more slowly, with speeds ranging from 800 to 1500 rpm in place of the 1000 to 2200 rpm on the Dark Knight. 

In design terms, the fan blades are now made from a translucent orange material, illuminated by four whiteLEDs that gives the whole thing a rather enthusiast look.

Quiet Fan

Despite the fact that the fan makes less noise, the red Scorpion still manages to cool better than the most other heatsinks we've seen.  It's more than capable of keeping every type of CPU cool without making too much noise. Indeed, this is a remarkably quiet heatsink. 

With the fan at half-speed and below, it's hard to hear anything at all, although even the Red Scorpion can't remain entirely silent when the fan is turning at full speed, at which point it does become noisy. 

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Reasonably good cooling performance

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Easy to install

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Solidly built

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Quiet fan

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Supports feel fragile

This is a heatsink that successfully combines efficient cooling with quiet performance. It's a great alternative to some of the more recent high-flyers, which are often a lot more expensive.
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