Methodology
An AMD Ryzen 9 7900X now has to be cooled at various power consumption levels. This is joined by 16GB Kingston Fury Beast (2x8GB) DDR5 -6000 CL36-38-38 memory on a ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO. The Sapphire Radeon RX 7600 Pulse 8GB runs for the CPU stress tests only for the image output in zero-fan mode and a be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1600W serves as the power source. The whole thing is in the Open Benchtable.
The test system runs on Windows 11 Pro (Build 26100.4061). All data sets are recorded with HWInfo64 v8.04-5470 – 5000ms logging. The specified temperature results from the CPU Die (Average) sensor. Since I don’t have air conditioning, the values in the graphs are the delta between room temperature and CPU temperature. This means that all cooling systems can be compared fairly, even if the ambient temperature is different. For better comparability, the same thermal compound is applied to each cooler using the X-Apply applicator.
I determine the sound level with a Voltcraft SL-10 measuring device at a distance of 40 cm, which works in 125 ms cycles in Lo mode. The room was measured at 30.4 dB(A). An external example table helps with the breakdown.
Benchmarks
As the cooler does not reach 40dB(A), only the measurements with 100% PWM were carried out. A maximum of 37.2 dB(A) was achieved at 100% PWM and a distance of 40 cm.
The Dark Rock 5 does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it surprisingly well. At 100 W and 150 W load, the temperature difference remains pleasantly low, the curves are clean and without outliers, and the whole thing works so quietly that the fan is at most perceptible as a gentle background noise. Only above the 180 W mark do you notice that this is “only” a single tower with a 120 Silent Wings 4. At 200 W, the delta reaches 70 degrees, but without thermal drama or sudden drops in performance – cleanly controlled, just as you would expect from be quiet!
Conclusion
The be quiet! Dark Rock 5 impresses with very quiet operation, high-quality workmanship, well thought-out design and good compatibility. Especially for users who value a quiet and clean system. However, despite the stated 210 W TDP, it does not quite reach the performance of the large dual-tower coolers, is not a bargain in terms of price and can reach its limits with heavily overclocked or particularly hot CPUs.
The bottom line is that this is a cooler for people who appreciate quiet and reliability, not for benchmark hunters. So if you don’t have a 300-watt roasting station on the table, the Dark Rock 5 is a very well-balanced, technically sophisticated cooler that fits exactly in the gap between mid-range and premium. Not a showpiece, not a dazzler, simply an honest piece of engineering work.
The test sample was provided by bequiet! without obligation. There was and is no influence on the tests and results. There was also no compensation for expenses and no obligation to publish.
be quiet! Dark Rock 5 (BK035)
 | Lagernd, Lieferung 1-2 WerktageStand: 23.12.25 07:49 | 68,88 €*Stand: 23.12.25 07:54 |
 | Abhol-/Versandbereit in 1-3 Werktagen | 68,88 €*Stand: 23.12.25 07:46 |
 | Auf Lager, sofort versandfertig Lieferzeit 1-2 Werktage | 68,89 €*Stand: 23.12.25 07:56 |
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