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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6: Comparison
What is the difference between ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6?
The gap that matters here is warranty: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 6 years against be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 3 years, which puts ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 50% ahead. Max speed runs the same way, 1700 RPM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 2000 RPM on the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6, another win for be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6.
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6: which one fits your build
Buy the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 for value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is the wrong buy for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. Take the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 for buyers who want near-silent idle operation with flagship-tier cooling capacity when needed. The semi-passive mode is a genuinely distinctive feature for this exact use case. It is equally the pick for heavily overclocked or workstation builds needing up to 300W of cooling headroom. This sits at the top of be quiet!'s lineup for exactly this scenario. It is the wrong buy for buyers on a moderate budget. The DeepCool AK620 or Cooler Master Hyper 612 Apex, both covered elsewhere on this site, cover most mainstream cooling needs at a fraction of this cooler's price. Our rating of the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 (8.5/10): outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 differ on cooler type?
Yes. Cooler Type reads AIO Liquid on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus Air Tower on the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6.
Is the Fan Count the same on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- be quiet!
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- Air Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- BK048
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- 2
RGB Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- No
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- No
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1572 g
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- 1340 gBest
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPM-15%
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- 2000 RPMBest
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- Yes
Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- None
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- None
Warranty
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 6 yearsBest
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
- 3 years-50%
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 2) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 3 years).
Choose be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 if you want the higher max speed (2000 RPM vs 1700 RPM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
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 Liquid Freezer II 280
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack.