Noise Levels & Fan Speeds

Testing Procedure

Fan noise testing is done at 25%, 50%, and 100% fan speed, with a Pyle PSPL25 sound pressure level meter recording the dBA level at a distance of 30 cm. The fan(s) RPM results are taken at the same 25%, 50%, and 100% settings. The selected speeds are handled by MSI's Command Center software, and a Lamptron FC6 fan controller is also used as a secondary method of confirming RPM and dBA readings. This ensures that proper results can still be obtained if MSI's Command Center cannot control the fan(s). To give users the noise profile of the tested CPU cooler, testing is done using fan speed percentages instead of various load levels.

Noise Levels

Cooling performance, while not the best out of all dual-tower coolers, is still damn good. Even more so when you consider the noise produced. While the Dark Rock Pro 2 might outperform its replacement by a miniscule amount, it is 2 dBA louder and bigger. be quiet! managed to not only keep performance similar as the Dark Rock Pro 3 is the lighter, more efficient, and quieter cooler under load.

Fan Speeds

The RPM readings will leave you scratching your head, and not in a bad way. At 100%, the 120 mm fan spins at 1759 RPM and the 140 mm fan spins at 1421. Both fans are, given their high RPM, amazingly quiet, which makes both good examples of getting the most out of a fan. The SilentWings family of fans has always been good, but they really seem to shine once used in combination with the right heatsink design.