be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 CPU Cooler Review
Peter Donnell / 1 year ago
How Much Does it Cost?
Unfortunately, the pricing information was not available at the time of writing, but we will update this information as soon as it becomes available.
Overview
be quiet! is top of their game with their latest coolers, and I think it’s fair to say this is one of the best-looking and best-made air coolers ever to have been released. The dual tower heat sink looks amazing, but it’s the little details that really set it apart from both their previous models and their many rivals. I really like the paint finish, which be quiet! described as a “special black coating with ceramic particles” as it looks good, and helps with cooling too.
I’m not the biggest fan of the 120mm fan hanging off the side, but obviously, I can appreciate it’s an air cooler and that’s pretty much how they work. However, if you did have a lower TDP cooler, there’s no reason why you couldn’t remove it and rely on just the central 135mm fan. Plus, with the built-in fan control system, being able to switch from a quiet mode to performance mode without the need of an additional control hub, or any software, is most certainly welcome.
The top cover is a great addition too, as it cleans up the aesthetics, and even has a mash design that matches the design of their PC cases, but also just prevents it from hampering the performance simply for a bit of a style. Plus, it’s magnetic and can be inverted should you ever need to do so.
As for performance, it’s obviously phenomenal, and well within the region of the other flagship air coolers, but generally it runs a bit cooler, a bit faster, and most certainly quieter than any other air cooler I’ve ever tested. Honestly, I think air coolers are pretty much at their limits right now, and those wanting to push temperatures lower will want to look into liquid cooling. However, for great cooling performance, low noise, low maintenance and ease of use, it’s really hard to beat a quality air cooler such as the Dark Rock Pro 5, it’s truly a phenomenal cooler.
