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be quiet! Dark Rock 4 vs Noctua NH-C14S: Comparison
be quiet! Dark Rock 4 and Noctua NH-C14S differ on height: be quiet! Dark Rock 4 at 160 mm, Noctua NH-C14S at 115mm (low-profile) / 130mm (tower mode), which puts Noctua NH-C14S ahead on that measure. They match on fan count and rgb lighting.
Specs
| Specification |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | be quiet! | Noctua |
| Cooler Type | Air Tower | Air, Convertible Top-Down/Tower |
| Series | be quiet! Dark Rock 4 | Noctua NH-C14S |
| Tower Type | Single-Tower | C-Type Single Tower |
| Model Number | BK021 | NH-C14S |
| Height | 160 mm | 115mm (low-profile) / 130mm (tower mode) |
| Socket Compatibility | AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3 | AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X |
| Fan Count | 1 | 1 |
| TDP Rating | 200 W | 180-10% |
| Noise Level | 21.4 dBA+2.2 dBA | 19.2 |
| RGB Lighting | No | No |
Verdict
be quiet! Dark Rock 4
7.9 / 10 Expert Rating
A dependable, genuinely quiet single-tower cooler that's been slightly outclassed by be quiet!'s own newer Dark Rock 5, but still a solid mid-tier pick on sale.
Noctua NH-C14S
8.1 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely clever convertible design that earns its price premium in the specific builds it's meant for, not a general-purpose upgrade over a standard tower cooler.