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be quiet! Dark Rock 5 vs Zalman CNPS20X: Comparison
be quiet! Dark Rock 5 vs Zalman CNPS20X: the tdp rating difference
The gap that matters here is tdp rating: be quiet! Dark Rock 5 210 W against Zalman CNPS20X 300 W, which puts Zalman CNPS20X 30% ahead. Add fan count to that, 1 on the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 versus 2 on the Zalman CNPS20X, and the pattern holds. be quiet! Dark Rock 5 also leads on max speed, 2100 RPM on the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 versus 1500 RPM on the Zalman CNPS20X.
Which should you buy, be quiet! Dark Rock 5 or Zalman CNPS20X?
Take the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 for buyers who want be quiet!'s quiet-focused engineering without paying flagship Pro 6 pricing. It is equally the pick for mainstream and lightly overclocked builds needing up to 250W of TDP headroom. It is not the one for heavily overclocked or workstation builds needing the Dark Rock Pro 6's 300W ceiling, covered elsewhere on this site. The Zalman CNPS20X is the one to take for RGB dual-tower builds on a mid-range budget and High-TDP CPUs needing dual-tower cooling, though it is not the pick for buyers prioritizing premium-brand warranty support and silence-first builds. Our rating of the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 (8.3/10): A well-judged mid-tier dual-tower cooler that keeps be quiet!'s acoustic focus at a friendlier price than the Pro 6. Our rating of the Zalman CNPS20X (7.9/10): an aggressively priced RGB flagship-class dual-tower for builders who want the look without premium-brand cost.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 and Zalman CNPS20X differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 29.8 dBA on the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 versus 29 dBA on the Zalman CNPS20X.
Is the Cooler Type the same on the be quiet! Dark Rock 5 and Zalman CNPS20X?
It is. Both are listed at Air Tower, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- be quiet!
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Zalman
Cooler Type
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Air Tower
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Air Tower
Series
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Zalman CNPS20X
Tower Type
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Single-Tower
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Dual-Tower
Model Number
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- BK035
- Zalman CNPS20X
- CNPS20X
Height
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 161 mmBest
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 165 mm-2%
Socket Compatibility
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
- Zalman CNPS20X
- AMD AM5/AM4/AM3+/AM3, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/2066/2011
Tower Layout
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Single-Tower
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 1-50%
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 2Best
TDP Rating
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 210 W-30%
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 300 WBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 29.8 dBA
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 29 dBABest
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- No
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Yes
Cooler Weight
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 1030 gBest
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 1300 g
Heatpipe Count
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 6
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 6
Fan Size
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 120 mm
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 140 mm
Max Speed
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- 2100 RPMBest
- Zalman CNPS20X
- 1500 RPM-29%
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Fluid Dynamic
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- Yes
- Zalman CNPS20X
- Yes
Lighting
- be quiet! Dark Rock 5
- None
- Zalman CNPS20X
- ARGB
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Dark Rock 5 if you want the lower height (161 mm vs 165 mm) and the higher max speed (2100 RPM vs 1500 RPM).
Choose Zalman CNPS20X if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1), the higher TDP rating (300 W vs 210 W) and the lower noise level (29 dBA vs 29.8 dBA).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Dark Rock 5 | Zalman CNPS20X |
|---|---|---|
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Best Buy | View on Best Buy | |
| 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
be quiet! Dark Rock 5
8.3 / 10 Expert Rating
A well-judged mid-tier dual-tower cooler that keeps be quiet!'s acoustic focus at a friendlier price than the Pro 6.
Zalman CNPS20X
7.9 / 10 Expert Rating
An aggressively priced RGB flagship-class dual-tower for builders who want the look without premium-brand cost.