The Noctua NH-D15 and the Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 are the top 2 air CPU coolers on the market in 2019, and offer the absolute best cooling performance from an air cooled setup – with performance on par with most AIO systems. These two extremely popular CPU coolers for enthusiast level builds are often compared with one another, and many PC builders have the same question come up some time in their build – which cooler to go for?
In this guide we will weight up the benefits of choosing the Noctua NH-D15 over the Dark Rock Pro 4, and vice versa, to help you make an informed decision on which CPU cooler is better for your next PC build. Enjoy!
Noctua NH-D15 vs Dark Rock Pro 4: Specifications
| Noctua NH-D15 | Dark Rock Pro 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design |  |  |
| Height | 155mm | 180mm |
| Width | 140mm | 135mm |
| Depth | 80mm | 90mm |
| Min Airflow | 33 CFM | 34 CFM |
| Max Airflow | 80 CFM | 90 CFM |
| RPM | 0-1000 | 500-2000 |
| TDP | 300W | 350W |
| 1151 Socket | Yes | Yes |
| 2066 Socket | Yes | No |
| TR4 Socket | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 Years | 3 Years |
 | |
Reasons to pick NH-D15 over Dark Rock Pro 4
1. Marginally better cooling performance (in general)
Overall, the performance between these two coolers is very very similar, with both the NH-D15 and Dark Rock Pro 4 offering cooling performance on level with 240mm AIO liquid cooled systems, and even some 360mm AIO systems! From an air cooler, it’s seriously impressive what Noctua and Be Quiet! have been able to do with these air CPU coolers.
Should users opt for the NH-D15, they should expect to see an approximate 1-3 degrees cooler performance under load when compared to the Dark Rock Pro 4. Obviously this depends on many other variables such as case internals, airflow and other factors that impact thermal performance. If you’re looking for absolute best performance and want to squeeze every possible drop of speed out of your CPU, then the Noctua NH-D15 will help you do this.
2. Longer warranty (6 vs 3 years)
The standard warranty offered on the Noctua NH-D15 is 6 years, which is 3 years more than the 3 year warranty offered with the Dark Rock Pro 4 – which means that if something were to go wrong (touch wood) with the NH-D15, Noctua will cover you and sort any problems should they arise with the NH-D15. A little bit more peace of mind with this impressive 6 year warranty length.
3. Better mounting hardware
This is more of a minor point, but the fan mounting system in the Noctua NH-D15 is far easier to use and install when compared to the Dark Rock Pro 4s fan mounting system. Cooling mounting is similar between these two coolers since the Dark Rock Pro 4 has an updated mounting system that is far simpler and easier to use than its predecessor, the Dark Rock Pro 3.
Reasons to pick Dark Rock Pro 4 over NH-D15
1. Marginally Quieter
With very similar performance levels between these two coolers, the DRP4 actually performs marginally quieter at idle and load operation compared to the NH-D15. On general, you should expect to see a 1-3 decibel decrease when using the DRP4 instead of the NH-D15. A small amount, sure – but if quiet operation is one of your biggest considerations for your next build, then we recommend picking the Dark Rock Pro 4 over the Noctua NH-D15.
2. (Arguably) Better looking
Unlike the NH-D15’s marmite looks that may not suit all, the Dark Rock Pro 4 is finished in a sleek, matte black finish that will look fantastic in any PC build. Black goes with everything, compared to the flagship Noctua brown that certainly does not – it comes down to personal taste with this point. If we were to pick a better looking CPU cooler, the Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 wins, hands down.
Summary
All-in-all, whether the DRP4 or NH-D15 is better for your next PC build really will come down to personal preference, they are both fantastic CPU coolers that offer on level (if not better) cooling that most 240mm AIO systems. You won’t get better air cooling performance for the price than these two coolers, it can really come down to personal preference of looks when deciding between the two. The Dark Rock Pro 4 offers slightly better noise performance than the NH-D15 at the same level, so if going for a quiet build is your main priority, then spend a few more bucks and go for the Dark Rock Pro 4.
- Pick which one you think looks best in your next build.
- Pick which one you can get cheapest
- Both are great choices for air cooled, high-end setups.
- Dark Rock Pro 4 is quieter but worse performance
- Noctua NH-D15 has better performance but louder.
| Noctua NH-D15 | Dark Rock Pro 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | | |
| Height | 155mm | 180mm |
| Width | 140mm | 135mm |
| Depth | 80mm | 90mm |
| Min Airflow | 33 CFM | 34 CFM |
| Max Airflow | 80 CFM | 90 CFM |
| RPM | 0-1000 | 500-2000 |
| TDP | 300W | 350W |
| 1151 Socket | Yes | Yes |
| 2066 Socket | Yes | No |
| TR4 Socket | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 Years | 3 Years |
| |
Resources:
https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/917696-nh-d15-or-dark-rock-pro-4/