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be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 vs Noctua NH-P1: Comparison
be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 vs Noctua NH-P1 height compared
There is no decisive spec gap here. Height splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 163 mm against Noctua NH-P1 158 mm. Socket compatibility is not the same on both, Intel LGA1700/1200/2066/1151/1150/1155/2011 , AMD AM5/AM4 on the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 versus AMD AM5/AM4/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2/FM2+/FM2/FM1, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011 on the Noctua NH-P1. Heatpipe count is not the same on both, 5 on the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 versus 6 on the Noctua NH-P1.
be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 vs Noctua NH-P1: which one fits your build
Buy the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 for buyers who prioritize a silent-running PC over maximizing thermal ceiling and mainstream, non-overclocked builds where 190W of headroom is sufficient. It also earns its place with builders who prefer a single large 120mm fan over dual smaller fans for acoustics. It is the wrong buy for overclocked or high-TDP builds, where the ceiling runs out before flagship dual-tower options. The Noctua NH-P1 is the one to take for silent workstation and HTPC builds and locked, moderate-TDP CPUs (65-95W), though it is not built for overclocked or unlocked high-TDP CPUs and small enclosures without ambient airflow. Our rating of the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 (8.1/10): the strongest cooler in be quiet!'s Shadow Rock series, and a genuinely quiet single-tower option for buyers who put acoustics ahead of maximum thermal headroom. Our rating of the Noctua NH-P1 (8/10): the gold standard for genuinely silent builds, provided the CPU and case airflow stay within its passive limits.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 and Noctua NH-P1 differ on cooler type?
Yes. Cooler Type reads Air, Single-Tower on the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 versus Air Tower on the Noctua NH-P1.
Is the Tower Type the same on the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 and Noctua NH-P1?
It is. Both are listed at Single-Tower, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- be quiet!
- Noctua NH-P1
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- Air, Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-P1
- Air Tower
Series
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- Noctua NH-P1
- Noctua NH-P1
Tower Type
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-P1
- Single-Tower
Model Number
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- BK004
- Noctua NH-P1
- NH-P1
Height
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- 163 mm-3%
- Noctua NH-P1
- 158 mmBest
Socket Compatibility
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- Intel LGA1700/1200/2066/1151/1150/1155/2011(-3), AMD AM5/AM4
- Noctua NH-P1
- AMD AM5/AM4/AM3+/AM3/AM2+/AM2/FM2+/FM2/FM1, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011
Fan Count
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- 1Best
- Noctua NH-P1
- 0
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- No
- Noctua NH-P1
- No
Heatpipe Count
- be quiet! Shadow Rock 3
- 5
- Noctua NH-P1
- 6
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 if you want the higher fan count (1 vs 0).
Choose Noctua NH-P1 if you want the lower height (158 mm vs 163 mm).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 | Noctua NH-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| 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! Shadow Rock 3
8.1 / 10 Expert Rating
The strongest cooler in be quiet!'s Shadow Rock series, and a genuinely quiet single-tower option for buyers who put acoustics ahead of maximum thermal headroom.
Noctua NH-P1
8 / 10 Expert Rating
The gold standard for genuinely silent builds, provided the CPU and case airflow stay within its passive limits.