Introduction
be quiet! is a PC component brand owned by German company Listan GmbH & Co. KG, who manufactures power supply units, CPU coolers, PC chassis and chassis fans. be quiet! started out in life rebranding and manufacturing power supply units until more recent years when coolers and chassis started to appear on the market. We think most enthusiasts will know of them, and more than likely have previously owned, own or will own a Be quiet! product. CPU coolers are probably one of the most catered for components out there and this can make it hard to be different, stand out or even successful. Today we are reviewing the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 CPU Cooler, one of their more popular creations. So let’s get started with some info on it!
No Compromise Silence and Performance
Dark Rock™ CPU coolers have long been category leaders, and now the significantly upgraded Dark Rock Pro 3 is even more powerful. This virtually inaudible double-tower CPU cooler puts famous be quiet! SilentWings® technology in your PC where it really counts. They are excellent for overclocked systems and demanding multi-graphics platforms.
Dark Rock Pro 3 offers top performance-to-noise ratio and the highest reliability available. Improved cooling efficiency (250W TDP) and really silent operation (only 26.1dB(A) at maximum speed) mean this cooler strikes the perfect balance between cooling and serenity —truly silence and performance without compromises.
More info on the product page here.
Technology
Immensely high cooling efficiency
- Improved dynamic wave-contour cooling fins with small dots on the surface increase air circulation and contribute to high convection efficiency without raising overall noise
- Enhanced double-tower layout offers reduced weight and enables high cooling power
- Support of additional 120mm fan for extreme cooling performance (free fan clips are included in the scope of delivery)
- Seven high-performance heat pipes with copper lining and aluminum caps carry heat to the optimal location on the cooling fins, maximizing heat conductance
- The immensely high cooling capacity of 250W TDP offers low temperature even at peak performance
- New arrangement of heat pipes enhances the cooling capability
Virtually inaudible operation
- Two SilentWings® PWM fans (front: 120mm, inner: 135mm) with advanced copper core fluid dynamic bearing and dynamically-balanced impeller provide optimal cooling with deep serenity
- Inner 135mm SilentWings® PWM fan features nine airflow-optimized fan blades and an innovative 6-pole motor for smoother operation and less vibration
- Decoupled fan mount with vibration-isolating elements on the heat sink
- Noise is at scant 26.1dB(A) even at 100% PWM function
Socket compatibility
Intel: 775 / 1150 / 1155 / 1156 / 1366 / 2011
AMD: AM2(+)/ AM3(+)/ FM1 / FM2 / 754 / 939 / 940
With a 120mm fan and an unusually sized 135mm internal fan mounted, this cooler out of the box should be a decent performer. be quiet! also include SilentWings, a type of fan blade which as the name suggests, bring a silent passage through the air for the blade, while maintaining air pressure performance. be quiet! are claiming offer virtually inaudible cooling for your system from them. Both fans are PWM, and if your motherboard has the headers, this can only be a good thing. The Dark Rock Pro 3 is also offering a 250W TDP or thermal design power rating cap which should allow cooling for any CPU currently on the market, and with everything going green, anything in the future too. TDP isn’t the holy grail of cooling, but a good rating indicator to get you started and pointed in the right direction.
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3 CPU Cooler Review
Package - 8.5
Performance - 9
Price - 8.5
Consumer Experience - 6.5
8.1
Back in the day you needed to research your new rig so all the parts would fit together with no physical clash issues. These days there is so much out there you will pretty much get what you need and it will fit, well not anymore! Anything higher in height than low profile memory and you will have a clearance issue with the external fan, at least in out test X99 motherboard.