DeepCool Assassin 4S White Cooler Review: Big Improvements

See full bio

Hayyan Serwer

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

See full bio

DeepCool has recently released Assassin 4S, which on paper sounds like a cut-down version of the regular Assassin 4 flagship cooler, but there is more to 4S than meets the eye. The heatsink design is similar except that 4S comes with a single tweaked fan compared to dual fan design on regular Assassin 4.

This new cooler is available in white and black colors. It is compatible with Intel LGA115x/1200/1700/20xx sockets and AMD AM4 and AM5 sockets. The Assassin 4S White retails at USD 79.

Key Takeaways

• The DeepCool Assassin 4S White is a top-notch air cooler with a single high-performance 140mm fan. It comes with a 6-year warranty.
• The three primary reasons to buy the DeepCool Assassin 4S are: great thermal performance, no clearance issues, very impressive noise profile.
• The only reason to skip the DeepCool Assassin 4S is if you already have a good enough cooler or AIO that does the job.

Here are the specifications:

How Is The Assassin 4S White Different?

The DeepCool Assassin 4S is a competitive cooling solution that may be slightly behind the regular Assassin 4 cooler, but it has more than meets the eye. It comes with the same heatsink but with a single 140mm fan that is tweaked to make up for the dual fan configuration in Assassin 4. It has a better sound output.

Unboxing

The cooler comes in a standard DeepCool design signature box. DeepCool has provided the following:

• 1x Cooler
• 1x Intel backplate
• 2x Intel Brackets
• 2x AMD Brackets
• 4x Intel LGA 20XX standoffs
• 4x Screw Bolts for Intel
• 4x Screw Bolts for AMD
• 4x Metal Nuts
• 1x Thermal Paste
• 1x Screwdriver
• User Manual

Design

The overall dimension of the Assassin 4S is 116x147x164mm (LxWxH). The length is less than Assassin 4. The heatsink of Assassin 4S stands at 140x110x160 (LxWxH), which is identical to that of the regular Assassin 4. This cooler has a weight of 1380g, whereas the regular Assassin 4 has a weight of 1575g.

The Cooler Shroud

When I took the cooler out, it was a replica of regular Assassin 4 with differences like no dual fan configuration and no possibility of adding a second fan. There is a plastic shroud that is covering the heatsink and the fan.

The cooler is easy to handle, thanks to the perfected design of the shroud. I observed the same in the regular Assassin 4 cooler.

The front view of this cooler is clean. There is no fan on the fan, and you can’t install any fan on the front either. You can see the same famous fin-array design providing more surface area and airflow through the fins that we saw on the regular Assassin 4. There are 56 fins on this tower.

This approach has given this cooler universal DIMM clearance. This cooler does not obstruct the DIMM slot on modern Intel and AMD platforms. However, on the Intel 20xx socket, there is still a 63mm clearance for the RAMs.

There is no fan on the rear of this cooler. There is no fan bracket provided with this cooler. This shows that DeepCool is aiming at maximum clearance, unlike the regular Assassin 4 cooler. There is a triangle-style fins design over here. This design helps in reducing air resistance and increases the airflow.

The left and right sides of this cooler are identical. There are vented or perforated mesh covers running in the center on both sides. It provides air inflow for the middle 140mm fan. There is no arrow direction on the front unlike the regular Assassin 4.

Top View Of The Cooler

Like the regular Assassin 4 cooler, there is a magnetic middle mesh cover for convenient access to the fan. The DeepCool log is backlit. There is a sider button that puts the fan in performance (right) or quiet (left) mode. DeepCool has provided an integrated fan controller for this function.

I have removed the middle mesh cover. The fan is visible in the middle with an arrow direction pointing to the fan’s airflow. This is a snap-in design. Pull the exterior tabs and lift the fan off the main housing.

Heatsink Design

There are two towers connected with each other using 7x copper heat pipes. These pipes have 6mm thickness.

The crossbar is factory-installed. You can remove this plate as well. There are two spring-loaded screws to install the cooler on the CPU. This is the same design as in regular Assassin 4.

There are 7x 6mm heatpipes that are also white-coated. The stack is wider, and the 7x heatpipes contact the fins at regular distances, enabling the assembly to have more surface area and providing better heat dissipation.

There is a 50x44mm sized (approximately) copper base. It is nickel-plated and has a mirror finish. This base is convex in design to make proper contact with the CPU.

What About The Fan?

The regular Assassin 4 uses two fans whereas Assassin 4S comes with a single fan. To make up for the possible loss of performance, DeepCool has tweaked this fan, providing more airflow and air pressure while keeping the noise level at a sustainable level.

There are 7x wider blades in gray. The frame design is identical to that of regular fans of Assassin 4. Surprisingly, there is a 4-pin socket that provides an option to connect another fan to the provided fan. This cooler does not support a second fan. I am wondering why this socket!

The fan is powered by a 4-pin PWM connector cable that also has a fan controller. This fan uses a 3-phase, 6-slot, 4-pole motor coupled with fluid dynamic bearings.

Installation And Clearance

The cooler is tested on an Intel core i7 13700k using a GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX motherboard. The steps:

• Place the Intel backplate on the motherboard.
• Secure the bracket using Intel screws.
• Install the Intel mounting brackets using thumb nuts.
• Apply the thermal paste over the CPU.
• Remove the middle fan from the heatsink.
• Peel off the protective cover from the base.
• Place the heatsink over the CPU and use a screwdriver to complete the installation.
• Install the fan and connect the power cable to the CPU Fan header.

Unlike regular Assassin 4 that was not compatible with certain motherboards, DeepCool has addressed the issue in Assassin 4S. There is no clearance issue with respect to the DIMM, PCIe, or M.2 ports/slots.

Testing

I have used the mentioned configuration to test the performance of this cooler: –

• Intel i7 13700k
• GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
• Sabrent Rocket 32GB DDR5 Kit
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD
• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC
• be quiet! Straight Power 850W Platinum PSU
• Open-air Test Bench

Here is the settings table for testing:

Take a look at our results:

The DeepCool Assassin 4S has performed excellently in my testing and even managed to beat the Noctua NH-D15.

I tested the Assassin 4 on the AMD test bench; hence, it is not included in this result. The Assassin 4S has a better sound profile than the regular Assassin 4. This is due to a single fan vs. dual fan configuration.

Should You Buy It?

Buy It If

✅You are looking for a high-performance cooler: The DeepCool Assassin 4S has a competitive performance, and it can compete with any adversary.

✅You prefer easy handling: The fan is snapped in, and there is a magnetic mesh cover. This makes it easier to handle this cooler.

✅You want a better noise output cooler: The Assassin 4S has a better sound output compared to the regular Assassin 4, which is a bit louder.

✅You need good clearance: DeepCool has addressed the compatibility and clearance issues of regular Assassin 4 in Assassin 4S.

Don’t Buy It If

❌You already own a beefy cooler: Skip this cooler if you already have a beefy cooler serving your requirements well.

My Thoughts

DeepCool is back with yet another cooler. Say hello to Assassin 4S. You heard that right. We already have regular Assassin 4 then why another variant? Putting it simply, DeepCool is addressing the compatibility and clearance issues present in regular Assassin 4.

The Assassin 4S is available in white and black. It has an identical heatsink and shroud design. The key difference is the fan. The Assassin 4S comes with a single fan, whereas the Assassin 4 has two fans, which is why the latter has more length. DeepCool has compensated for the possible loss of performance using a tweaked fan with high airflow and air pressure.

The complete assembly of our sample, including the heat pipes, is white. It has the same 7x heat pipes with 6mm thickness. The nickel-plated, slightly convex base is the same in both coolers. The Assassin 4S also comes with a fan controller. There is no fan bracket for installing a second fan on this cooler.

The fan has a snap-in design and there is a perforated mesh running on the entire middle section. This cooler retails at USD 79 and DeepCool offers an impressive 6-year warranty. Speaking of thermal performance, this little beast has managed to beat the Noctua NH-D15 by 1ᵒC, and it is not loud, unlike the regular Assassin 4.

Hayyan Serwer

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com