Testing

The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Neo Forza Faye DDR4 64GB 3600MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Suprim X
– SSD: Crucial p5 500GB
– Mass Storage: Neo Forza NFP075 2 TB
– PSU: Seasonic Prime TX-1000 Platinum
– Case: be quiet! Silent Base 802 White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2

 

Software used for testing the cooler:

– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.90.6500
– 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 – IntelBurnTest V2

 

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 ± 1 db.

 

In the video below you have a noise sample of the CPU cooler with its fan at maximum RPM.

 

The Shadow Rock Slim 2 has a great RAM clearance, thanks to its reduced dimensions. On a standard ATX motherboard, this CPU cooler does not interfere with the RAM slots.
The graphics card clearance is average at best, with only 20mm between the fan clips of the CPU cooler and the graphics card.

Final thoughts

The be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 is a good and affordable CPU cooler. The main advantage of this CPU cooler is its clearance for the RAM modules. In addition, it is quiet, thanks to the included 135mm fan that only spins at a maximum of 1400RPM.
The mounting system is good and not a hassle to install but it requires a redesign as it has way too many parts, especially when comparing it to the Noctua mounting system that is simple and does just as good of a job.
The performance of this CPU cooler is good, especially when we look at the price and the size of the heatsink and the fan used. While not a top performer, it offers a good cooling overall. The fact that this CPU cooler was able to handle an overclocked i9 9900K CPU is impressive to say the least.
The noise output is good, the cooler had a peak noise output of 35 decibels, which is great for a 135mm fan spinning at 1400RPM.
In conclusion, the be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 is a good and affordable CPU cooler that will be ideal for a mid-range gaming system. However, this CPU cooler is not recommended for high TDP CPUs and overclocking them, as the cooling surface is not big enough. The biggest advantage of this CPU cooler is the low noise output when the fan is spinning at maximum RPM.
For under 50 USD, the Shadow Rock Slim 2 is a solid choice for a gaming system. As it offers a good balance between low noise output and cooling performance. If there is something to complain about with this CPU cooler is the average at best PCIe clearance.

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