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be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 vs NZXT Kraken 240: Comparison

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 vs NZXT Kraken 240: the height difference

Start with height, because it is the widest measured gap between them: be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 169 mm against NZXT Kraken 240 27 mm, 526% in favour of NZXT Kraken 240. Warranty runs the same way, 3 years on the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 versus 6 years on the NZXT Kraken 240, another win for NZXT Kraken 240.

Which should you buy, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 or NZXT Kraken 240?

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 not the one 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. Take the NZXT Kraken 240 for NZXT ecosystem buyers who want CAM software integration without flagship Kraken pricing. The same goes for mid-tier builds needing roughly 230W of headroom in a compact 240mm radiator. Avoid it for buyers chasing the best value-per-degree, where the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240, covered elsewhere on this site, cools more for less. Our rating of the NZXT Kraken 240 (7.8/10): A sensible, well-built mid-tier AIO for NZXT ecosystem buyers who don't need RGB or a display.

Frequently asked questions

Do the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 and NZXT Kraken 240 differ on noise level?

Yes. Noise Level reads 32.4 dBA on the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 versus 30 dBA on the NZXT Kraken 240.

Is the Fan Count the same on the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 and NZXT Kraken 240?

It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    be quiet!
    NZXT Kraken 240
    NZXT
  • Cooler Type

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    Air Tower
    NZXT Kraken 240
    AIO Liquid
  • Series

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    NZXT Kraken 240
    NZXT Kraken 240
  • Model Number

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    BK048
    NZXT Kraken 240
    RL-KN240-B1
  • Height

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    169 mm-526%
    NZXT Kraken 240
    27 mmBest
  • Socket Compatibility

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
    NZXT Kraken 240
    AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
  • Fan Count

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    2
    NZXT Kraken 240
    2
  • Noise Level

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    32.4 dBA
    NZXT Kraken 240
    30 dBABest
  • RGB Lighting

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    No
    NZXT Kraken 240
    No
  • Max Speed

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    2000 RPM
    NZXT Kraken 240
    2000 RPM
  • Lighting

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    None
    NZXT Kraken 240
    None
  • Warranty

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    3 years-50%
    NZXT Kraken 240
    6 yearsBest
  • Fans

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    1x 135mm + 1x 120mm Silent Wings PWM
    NZXT Kraken 240
    2x NZXT F120P, 120mm
  • Special Features

    be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6
    Semi-Passive Quiet Mode (Full Fan Stop), Performance/Quiet Toggle Switch, Height-Adjustable Front Fan
    NZXT Kraken 240
    NZXT CAM Software Integration

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 2) and the higher max speed (2000 RPM vs 2000 RPM).

    Choose NZXT Kraken 240 if you want the lower height (27 mm vs 169 mm), the lower noise level (30 dBA vs 32.4 dBA) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 3 years).

    Price comparison

    Retailerbe quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6NZXT Kraken 240
    AmazonView on Amazon
    NeweggView on NeweggView 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

    NZXT Kraken 240

    7.8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A sensible, well-built mid-tier AIO for NZXT ecosystem buyers who don't need RGB or a display.

    More comparisons in CPU Coolers