Dark Rock Pro 5 and Dark Rock Elite
As far as the packaging is concerned, we’re back to the be quiet! style: sober. Indeed, the box appears entirely black, with an illustration of the heatsink on the front. On the rear, the main features are presented, while detailed specifications are found on the sides.
Internally, the heatsinks are seriously protected, with white foam surrounding the fans. So there’s nothing to worry about, the fans will arrive in excellent condition… Provided the carrier doesn’t play soccer with your package.
The radiator:
Weight and dimensions:
When we take our radiators of the day out of their packaging, we’re dealing with imposing models. Surprisingly, they are larger than DeepCool’s Assassin IV. They are deeper and taller, measuring 136 (W) x 146 (D) x 168 (H) mm. Note that the Pro 5 is only 1 mm deeper.
In all cases, you’ll need to keep their weight in mind when moving around. It may not look like it, but they weigh over 1 kg on the scales – 1.29 kg for the Pro 5 versus 1.34 kg for the Elite!
The base :
Overall, both fans have the same base, and the radiator is virtually identical. In fact, the copper base measures 44 x 40 mm. As you can see, the base is nickel-plated, allowing liquid metal to be applied without fear of corrosion, as stipulated by be quiet!
Once again, we’re treated to a meticulous finish in the sense that the traces of machining are very fine. They’re barely noticeable to the touch. What’s more, we’re light years ahead of heatsinks whose heat pipes are mounted in direct contact with the CPU, for example.
Talking of heat pipes, there are seven copper heat pipes extending from the base. These are quite standard in size, with a diameter of 6 mm each. They are distributed across the two towers of aluminum fins to carry the CPU’s heat.
The radiator:
As for the radiator, the finish is once again meticulous, as the brand applies a black treatment to all the aluminum fins. However, compared with the previous generation, the shape is much simpler, being straight. However, the first 9 fins have been shortened to maximize RAM compatibility. At least, on the front of the first stack. At the rear, they are staggered every three fins.
As for their number, we count a total of 45 per turn. This puts us somewhere between the Assassin IV and MA824 Stealth. As a reminder, Cooler Master’s heatsink featured 40, while DeepCool’s was 53.
Finish:
With these heatsinks, be quiet! offers us models with an exemplary finish. The upper parts of the Dark Rock Pro 5 and Dark Rock Elite feature aluminum, but in different forms. The Elite features brushed aluminum surrounded by an aRGB border. On the Dark Rock Pro 5, the aluminum is sandblasted, more basic. In any case, this part features the brand’s logo at its center with mesh metal parts.
Beneath this cover, which is held in place by magnets, we find the famous switch labelled “P” or “Q” for “Performance” or “Quiet”.
Finally, a word about the Dark Rock Elite’s front fan, which is mounted on a rail. Be careful when handling it, as the notches are so pronounced that it’s not impossible to have to force the fan to adjust its height. However, the system remains practical since, depending on the height of the RAM, the height of the fan can easily be adjusted.
Compatibility:
In terms of compatibility, be quiet! indicates that its fan can be mounted on the following motherboards:
- Intel: LGA-115x – LGA-1200 – LGA-1700
- AMD: AM4 – AM5
Unfortunately, if you have an Intel or AMD HEDT platform, you won’t be able to mount these Dark Rock Elite and Dark Rock Pro 5 on it. On the AMD side, the requirements are not met by these models, since they would have needed a much larger base. As for Intel, let’s face it, LGA-2000 motherboards are now completely obsolete, and we can’t maintain their support indefinitely either.
Fans:
When it comes to ventilation, be quiet! doesn’t supply fans whether you have a Dark Rock Pro 5 or a Dark Rock Elite. On the Elite model, we find a Duo of Silent Wings in 135 mm, with seven fine but strongly curved blades. The format also means that replacing them in the event of a problem will be tricky. The front-mounted fan has a flattened frame at the corners, while the center-mounted fan is attached to a structure that includes the upper part of the heatsink… In addition to having a completely non-standard shape.
While the Dark Rock Pro 5 has a central fan identical to that of the Elite, the front fan is a standard 120 mm. In fact, it’s a Silent Wings 4 that doesn’t give its name. You can recognize it by the shape of its particularly curved and pointed blades.
Of course, all this little world will benefit from a PWM power supply. However, connectivity is rather unusual, since the front fan connects to the middle one via a non-standard four-pin plug.
Unfortunately, we can’t tell you much more about their specifications. Indeed, the be quiet! product sheet only mentions the maximum speeds, which are :
- Dark Rock Elite :
- Quiet : 1500 rpm
- Performance: 2000 rpm
- Dark Rock Pro 5 :
- Quiet : 1300 rpm (135 mm) – 1500 rpm (120 mm)
- Performance: 1700 rpm (135 mm) – 2000 rpm (120 mm)
The bundle:
The accessory section is housed in a small cardboard box and features :
- Assembly instructions
- A warranty guide
- Intel multi-socket backplate with arms and accompanying hardware
- Mounting arms for AMD sockets
- A syringe of thermal paste
- Long screwdriver
Whether you’re dealing with a Dark Rock Pro 5 or a Dark Rock Elite, the accessory section remains identical. In this case, we greatly appreciate the tools provided, which will enable you to assemble your ventirad, and your entire configuration, without the need for a tool kit.
Roughly speaking:
Roughly speaking, these are top-of-the-range ventirads with attractive finishes. However, ventilation is provided by non-standard fans, which means that in the event of failure, it will be difficult to replace them yourself, and you’ll have to turn to the company’s after-sales service. In addition, both models feature a switch to regulate the maximum speed of the grinders, for greater silence or performance, depending on the scenario.
