Be Quiet! Shadow Rock LP CPU Cooler Review: When Less is More
Be Quiet! has been one of Europe’s best kept secrets for almost a decade now despite winning PC Games Hardware’s “Manufacturer of the Year” award repeatedly. A company known for reliable and silent operating power supplies, Be Quiet! also boasts a respectable product portfolio when it comes to PC cooling solutions and even have recently begun venturing into offering silent-oriented cases as well as setting their sights toward the crowded North American market. Getting noticed is difficult enough as it is for any manufacturer, but when everyone else is shouting at the top of their lungs, sometimes the best way to stand out is to be quiet.
Prioritizing silent operation, Be Quiet!’s Shadow Rock LP is a low-profile cooler meant to be used on systems with limited space such as an HTPC or compact enclosures. With four 6mm-thick copper heatpipes and a 120mm Be Quiet! Pure Wings PWM fan, the Shadow Rock LP is rated to dissipate up to 130W of heat from any Intel LGA775 through LGA2011 CPUs or AMD FM2 APUs.
[sc:sponsor sponsor=”Be Quiet!” product_link=”http://www.bequiet.com/en/cpucooler/570″ product_name=”Shadow Rock LP CPU Cooler” product_price_link=”http://amzn.to/1knWWfn” product_price=”$44.90 (MSRP)” ]The packaging is very compact with a simple yet effective labeling. There is not much in the way of padding inside which is understandably considering the cost. However, the heatsink unit is held in place by cardboard holders at the bottom to minimize movement during transport. Dimensions and measurements are given on the box as well so potential buyers get an estimate of compatibility with their system.
Be Quiet’s products have a uniform black and white packaging cover across all their product line with the left trim indicating the market segment the particular product is aimed towards. For the Shadow Rock LP, this label has “premium” printed on the side. The contents inside are padded with folded and reinforced cardboard.
Curiously, the Shadow Rock LP has a slightly different mounting mechanism compared to other Be Quiet coolers such as the Dark Rock series or even other Shadow Rock series coolers. The universal backplate is noticeably more compact for higher compatibility when it comes to mini-ITX mainboards which the Shadow Rock LP would most likely be used.
Accessories bundled with the Shadow Rock LP include illustrated user manuals, backplate and mounting support for AMD and Intel motherboards, one set of fan clips as well as a hex spanner.
Specifications:
| Socket Compatibility | Intel LGA2011 (-3) Square ILM Intel LGA775, LGA115x. LGA1366 AMD AM2(+), AM3(+), FM1, FM2(+) |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) |
134 x 122 x 75.4
|
| Dimensions with fan installed |
134 x 122 x 50.4
|
| Weight | 390g |
| Material | Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), machined nickel contact surface |
| Fan Bundle |
1 x PureWings PWM 120mm fan |
| Fan Dimensions |
120 x 120 x 25mm |
| Air flow @ 12V (cfm / m3/h) |
87 / 51.4
|
| Air pressure @ 12V (mm H2O) | 1.25 |
