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be quiet! Pure Rock 2 vs Noctua NH-L9x65: Comparison

be quiet! Pure Rock 2 and Noctua NH-L9x65 separate most on height: be quiet! Pure Rock 2 at 155 mm, Noctua NH-L9x65 at 65 mm, 138% in favor of Noctua NH-L9x65. Warranty splits them by another 50%, again favoring Noctua NH-L9x65. They match on fan count, heatpipe count and pwm control.

Which is better, be quiet! Pure Rock 2 or Noctua NH-L9x65?

On paper, Noctua NH-L9x65 has the edge on height, at 65 mm vs be quiet! Pure Rock 2 at 155 mm.

What is the main difference between be quiet! Pure Rock 2 and Noctua NH-L9x65?

The Noctua NH-L9x65 is the stronger choice on paper: it has 2.4x the height (65 mm vs 155 mm), so it fits more cases. It also has 12% lower noise level (23.6 dBA vs 26.8 dBA), so it runs quieter.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    be quiet!
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    Noctua
  • Cooler Type

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    Air Tower
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    Air Low-Profile
  • Series

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    Noctua NH-L9x65
  • Height

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    155 mm-138%
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    65 mmBest
  • Socket Compatibility

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
  • Fan Count

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    1
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    1
  • Noise Level

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    26.8 dBA
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    23.6 dBABest
  • Cooler Width

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    121 mm
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    95 mm
  • Cooler Weight

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    580 g
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    413 gBest
  • Heatpipe Count

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    4
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    4
  • Base Material

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    Direct-Touch Copper
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    Nickel-Plated Copper
  • Fan Size

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    120 mm
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    92 mm
  • Max Speed

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    1500 RPM-40%
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    2500 RPMBest
  • Airflow

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    51.4 CFMBest
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    29.72 CFM-42%
  • PWM Control

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    Yes
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    Yes
  • Warranty

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2
    3 years-50%
    Noctua NH-L9x65
    6 yearsBest

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose be quiet! Pure Rock 2 if you want the higher fan count (1 vs 1) and the higher airflow (51.4 CFM vs 29.72 CFM).

    Choose Noctua NH-L9x65 if you want the lower height (65 mm vs 155 mm), the lower noise level (23.6 dBA vs 26.8 dBA) and the higher max speed (2500 RPM vs 1500 RPM).

    Price comparison

    Retailerbe quiet! Pure Rock 2Noctua NH-L9x65
    AmazonView on Amazon
    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

    be quiet! Pure Rock 2

    7.4 / 10 Expert Rating

    A sensible quiet budget cooler for locked mainstream CPUs, not for chasing overclocks.

    More comparisons in CPU Coolers