Hardware - Intel Core 2 Duo Q66600 @ 3.60GHz (LGA775) - x2 OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 CL4 FlexXLC Edition Module(s) - Seagate 750GB 7200RPM (Serial ATAII) - ASUS GeForce 9800 GTX (512MB) - ASUS Rampage Extreme (Intel X48) - OCZ GameXStream (700 watt) Software - Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (64-bit) - Intel System Driver 8.4.0.1016 - Nvidia Forceware 174.74

The idle results when testing with the Scythe Musashi are impressive. When setting the fan speed to its maximum setting the Musashi was able to match our record best idle temperature of 34 degrees. Backing the fan speed right off did have a negative impact on performance as you would expect, with the Musashi warming up by 4 degrees allowing the GeForce 8800 GT to reach an idle temp of 38 degrees. Still this is an exceptional temperature for a near silent operating volume, as the Thermaltake DuOrb operating at full speed was just a degree cooler.

Turning up the heat did not seem to worry the Scythe Musashi all that much, and it was still able to keep the GeForce 8800 GT at a cool 44 degrees with the dual 100mm fans operating at full speed. This meant that the Musashi came second only to the Arctic-Cooling Accelero Twin Turbo and Thermalright T-Radē by a degree. With the fan speed backed right off the load temp increased to 51 degrees, matching the Zalman VF900-Cu which was running its fan at full speed.