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be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 vs Noctua NH-U12S Redux: Comparison
be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 vs Noctua NH-U12S Redux: the noise level difference
There is no decisive spec gap here. Noise level splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 34.8 dBA against Noctua NH-U12S Redux 25.1 dBA. Add fan count to that, 2 on the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 versus 1 on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux, and the pattern holds. Add warranty to that, 3 years on the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 versus 6 years on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux, and the pattern holds. Airflow runs the same way, 59.6 CFM on the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 versus 70.75 CFM on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux, another win for Noctua NH-U12S Redux.
Which should you buy, be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 or Noctua NH-U12S Redux?
Take the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 for buyers who prioritize a quiet PC above squeezing out maximum thermal headroom. be quiet!'s entire brand identity and engineering focus centers on this exact priority. The same goes for anyone gaming or working without headphones where fan noise is genuinely noticeable. The measured noise advantage here is real, not just marketing. It is not the one for buyers chasing the lowest possible temperatures on a demanding CPU. The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE, covered elsewhere on this site, delivers measurably cooler results at a similar price, at the cost of more noise under load. The Noctua NH-U12S Redux suits budget mainstream builds on AM5/LGA1700 and buyers who want Noctua reliability without flagship pricing, though it is not built for High-TDP overclocked flagship CPUs and RGB-themed builds.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 and Noctua NH-U12S Redux differ on height?
Yes. Height reads 155 mm on the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 versus 158 mm on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux.
Is the Cooler Type the same on the be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 and Noctua NH-U12S Redux?
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! Pure Rock Pro 3
- be quiet!
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- Air Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Air Tower
Series
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
Tower Type
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- Dual-Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Single-Tower
Model Number
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- BK041
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- NH-U12S redux
Height
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 155 mmBest
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 158 mm-2%
Socket Compatibility
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- Dual-Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Single-Tower
Fan Count
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 2Best
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1-50%
Noise Level
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 34.8 dBA
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 25.1 dBABest
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- No
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- No
Cooler Width
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 124 mm
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 125 mm
Cooler Weight
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 1070 g
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 710 gBest
Heatpipe Count
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 6
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 4
Fan Size
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 120 mm
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 2000 RPMBest
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1700 RPM-15%
Airflow
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 59.6 CFM-16%
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 70.75 CFMBest
PWM Control
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- Yes
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Yes
Warranty
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 3 years-50%
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 6 yearsBest
Fans
- be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3
- 2x Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1x NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM 120mm
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 if you want the lower height (155 mm vs 158 mm), the higher fan count (2 vs 1) and the higher max speed (2000 RPM vs 1700 RPM).
Choose Noctua NH-U12S Redux if you want the lower noise level (25.1 dBA vs 34.8 dBA), the higher airflow (70.75 CFM vs 59.6 CFM) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 3 years).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 | Noctua NH-U12S Redux |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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
Noctua NH-U12S Redux
7.8 / 10 Expert Rating
Noctua's mounting and acoustics at Hyper 212 money, an easy budget recommendation.