Testing
The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: GOODRAM IRDM PRO 16GB DDR4-3600MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
– SSD: Crucial MX500
– HDD: WD 1 TB Blue
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2
Software used for testing the cooler:
– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.32.5600
– Intel Burn Test v2.54
– Prime95 29.1
The cooler was tested with the CPU at the default turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz and overclocked to 5 GHz with a core voltage of 1.261 V.
Also, the included fans have been used at their maximum speed.
The room temperature was approximately 26°C (78°F), with 2°C margin of error.
The idle test consists of the CPU sitting idle at the desktop for 30 minutes, the temperature was measured at the end of the test.
The settings of the software used are the following:
Intel Burn Test v2.54 – Stress level: Maximum
Prime95 29.1- small FFT
AIDA64 Extreme Version – FPU Benchmark & Temperature monitoring.
Each test was conducted for 40 minutes.
Idle
Full Load – IntelBurnTestV2
Full Load – AIDA64 CPU, FPU & Cache
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 2 db.
The Pure Rock Slim has a great clearance around the motherboard, thanks to its reduced dimension. The front fan does not even reach the RAM slots of the motherboard. The expansion slot clearance is very good. There is more than enough space in between the heatsink and the graphics card to access the top M.2 socket.
Final thoughts
The be quiet! Pure Rock Slim is a small CPU cooler that is a good alternative to the factory supplied Intel & AMD CPUs. This CPU cooler is available for purchase for around 25 USD or EUR. Quite a good price, which places this cooler below models such as the Cooler Master Hyper 12.
The performance of this CPU cooler is good for such a small heatsink which also uses just three heatpipes. This cooler is not recommended for high TDP CPUs or any type of overclocking. The Pure Rock Slim should only be used with mid-range CPUs and only in gaming and daily usage.
The installation is very simple, thanks to the usage of factory mounting systems. However, this brings out the issue that has been around with both systems, but with the Intel system especially. The push pin system is simple and easy to use however, it is fragile and can break if forced.
The build quality of the Pure Rock Slim is good, with no sharp edges on the cooling fins or uneven surfaces on the baseplate. However, to save cost, the cooling fins are thing and can be bent if the heatsink is not handled carefully.
In conclusion, the be quiet! Pure Rock Slim is a good small CPU cooler that is ideal for a small form factor gaming system. This cooler can handle an Intel i9 9900K at factory settings although, it is not recommended. The clearance offered is very good, with ample space for the RAM modules and the graphics card.
