The be quiet! Dark Rock Elite uses the same heatsink as the Dark Rock Pro 5, but with different fans, achieving better performance, which allows to meet eye-to-eye the tough competition in the mega air-cooling category.
be quiet! recently introduced two new coolers, the Dark Rock Pro 5 and the Dark Rock Elite. I have already evaluated the former, and in this review, I will look at the high-end model with an official rating of 280W TDP. Like the Dark Rock Pro 5, the Elite has enormous dimensions, which help it keep noise output low. It uses a pair of 135mm Silent Wings fans. You can read the review of the Silent Wings 4 140mm here. The Elite model uses stronger Silent Wings fans, with a top speed of 2000 RPM, compared to the 1500 RPM of the 135mm Silent Wing fan that the Dark Rock Pro 5 uses.
| Dark Rock Elite | Dark Rock Pro 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front Fan | 135mm Silent Wing Fans (2000 RPM) | 120mm Silent Wings 4 Fan (2000 RPM) |
| Middle Fan | 135mm Silent Wing Fans (2000 RPM) | 135mm Silent Wing Fans (1500 RPM) |
Since both coolers use the same heatsink exactly, the fans had to be different to provide an advantage to the Elite model. Moreover, the latter has a special bracket for the front fan, making its height adjustment easier. The top cover also features ARGB LEDs, while the Dark Rock 5 cooler’s top cover doesn’t have any lighting. These features justify the 15 euros difference in price between the Dark Rock Pro 5 and the Elite model.
The cooler has a large footprint, so you must ensure it will fit in your chassis before buying it.
Cybenetics Coolers Database
- Model Name: Dark Rock Elite
- TDP: 280W
- Overall dimensions without mounting material (L x W x H): 145×136×168mm
- Heatsink dimensions (L x W x H): 120×136×168mm
- Fian material: Aluminum
- Base material: Copper
- Heatpipe number / Diameter: 7 / 6mm
- Color option: Black
- Number of Fans: 2x
- Fan Model: Silent Wings
- Fan Dimensions: 135 x 135 x 25mm
- Fan Speed (RPM): 1500 / 2000
- Bearing Type: Fluid Dynamic Bearing
- Fan Connector: 4-pin PWM
- Fan Power Consumption (W): 4.8
- Cable length (mm): 120 / 80
- Lifespan (h / 25°C): 300,000
- Y-Cable: ✓
- Socket Support: Intel 1700 / 1200 / 1150 / 1151 / 1155
- Socket Support: AMD AM5 / AM4
- Weight: 1340g
- MSRP: 115€ / $115
- Warranty: 3 years
Nevermind. I assume it is the Noctua NH-D15, as it is the one that cools the most Watts per dB(A). All this for a cooler released almost a decade ago!
“I switched the AIO on my main work PC with an air-cooler, and the only thing I have to do from time to time is to clean the heatsink from dust”
What’s your air cooler these days? What CPU is it cooling, in what PC case?