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ARCTIC Freezer 36 vs be quiet! Pure Rock 2: Comparison
ARCTIC Freezer 36 vs be quiet! Pure Rock 2 height compared
There is no decisive spec gap here. Height splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, ARCTIC Freezer 36 159 mm against be quiet! Pure Rock 2 155 mm. Add fan count to that, 2 on the ARCTIC Freezer 36 versus 1 on the be quiet! Pure Rock 2, and the pattern holds. Add warranty to that, 6 years on the ARCTIC Freezer 36 versus 3 years on the be quiet! Pure Rock 2, and the pattern holds. ARCTIC Freezer 36 also leads on max speed, 1800 RPM on the ARCTIC Freezer 36 versus 1500 RPM on the be quiet! Pure Rock 2.
ARCTIC Freezer 36 vs be quiet! Pure Rock 2: which one fits your build
The ARCTIC Freezer 36 suits budget-conscious buyers upgrading directly from a stock cooler and mainstream non-overclocked builds needing roughly 200W of headroom, though it is not the pick for buyers wanting RGB lighting, since ARCTIC keeps this unlit. Avoid it for overclocked or high-TDP builds, where direct-touch heatpipe designs generally lag brazed-base competitors. The be quiet! Pure Rock 2 is the one to take for budget locked Ryzen 5 / Core i5 builds and noise-sensitive entry-level PCs, though it is not built for unlocked or high-TDP CPUs and enthusiasts wanting RGB.
What ARCTIC Freezer 36 and be quiet! Pure Rock 2 have in common
Everything else lines up. Cooler type, tower type, tower layout, rgb lighting and heatpipe count read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Freezer 36 and be quiet! Pure Rock 2 differ on socket compatibility?
Yes. Socket Compatibility reads AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700 on the ARCTIC Freezer 36 versus AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3 on the be quiet! Pure Rock 2.
Is the Fan Size the same on the ARCTIC Freezer 36 and be quiet! Pure Rock 2?
It is. Both are listed at 120 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- ARCTIC
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- be quiet!
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- Air Tower
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- Air Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
Tower Type
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- Single-Tower
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- Single-Tower
Height
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 159 mm-3%
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 155 mmBest
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- Single-Tower
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- Single-Tower
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 2Best
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 1-50%
RGB Lighting
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- No
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- No
Cooler Width
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 126 mm
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 121 mm
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 890 g
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 580 gBest
Heatpipe Count
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 4
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 4
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 120 mm
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 1800 RPMBest
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 1500 RPM-17%
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- Fluid Dynamic
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- Rifle
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- Yes
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- Yes
Lighting
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- None
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- None
Warranty
- ARCTIC Freezer 36
- 6 yearsBest
- be quiet! Pure Rock 2
- 3 years-50%
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Freezer 36 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1), the higher max speed (1800 RPM vs 1500 RPM) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 3 years).
Choose be quiet! Pure Rock 2 if you want the lower height (155 mm vs 159 mm).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Freezer 36 | be quiet! Pure Rock 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ARCTIC Freezer 36
7.2 / 10 Expert Rating
A perfectly serviceable entry-level upgrade over a stock cooler, without pretending to be more than that.
be quiet! Pure Rock 2
7.4 / 10 Expert Rating
A sensible quiet budget cooler for locked mainstream CPUs, not for chasing overclocks.