Noctua NH-D15 · Black
Air tower
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB
Air tower
Noctua NH-D15 · Black takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Noctua NH-D15 · Black lands at 93 and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB at 91. That puts Noctua NH-D15 · Black ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Noctua NH-D15 · Black if…
- ✓Multi-socket bracket support
- ✓Quiet fans at idle
- ✓Strong TDP rating
Pick be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB if…
- ✓Multi-socket bracket support
- ✓Quiet fans at idle
- ✓Strong TDP rating
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testThermals
Noctua NH-D15 · BlackCompared on the thermals sub-score
Noctua NH-D15 · Black leads on thermals (93 vs 91).
Noise
Noctua NH-D15 · BlackCompared on the noise sub-score
Noctua NH-D15 · Black leads on noise (89 vs 87).
Install
TieCompared on the install sub-score
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Value for money
TieSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Noctua NH-D15 · Black | be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Air tower | Air tower |
Noctua NH-D15 · Black
- +Multi-socket bracket support
- +Quiet fans at idle
- +Strong TDP rating
- −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
- −AIO pump noise varies
- −Installation requires motherboard-off
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB
- +Multi-socket bracket support
- +Quiet fans at idle
- +Strong TDP rating
- −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
- −AIO pump noise varies
- −Installation requires motherboard-off
FAQ: Noctua NH-D15 · Black vs be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB
Which is better, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB? +
Noctua NH-D15 · Black scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Noctua NH-D15 · Black worth the price? +
At $109, Noctua NH-D15 · Black delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in thermals.
Is be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB worth the price? +
At $109, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in thermals.
Does Noctua NH-D15 · Black or be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for thermals, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB? +
Noctua NH-D15 · Black — leads on thermals (93 vs 91). Compared on the thermals sub-score.
Which is better for noise, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 · RGB? +
Noctua NH-D15 · Black — leads on noise (89 vs 87). Compared on the noise sub-score.