Finished Looks

The be quiet! Dark Rock 3 is simply a fantastic-looking cooler as its dark nickel-plated aluminum fins make it go with nearly any theme a user may have, and its build quality is just impeccable.


The brushed aluminum top-plate and heatpipe caps really help make this cooler stand out in a big way. The simple be quiet! logo on its top plate even adds that tiny bit of extra contrast that allows it to pop. I myself can find no fault with this cooler's appearance.


Clearance around the socket is decent. Users won't have any issues plugging the EPS 8-pin connector in, that is for certain.


Clearance for tall memory sticks is a no-go once the fan is attached. With all four DIMM slots populated, the Dark Rock 3 has no room for the likes of Corsair's Dominator Platinums or anything larger than standard-height memory, although the fan can be raised a bit to accommodate the likes of GSKill's Ripjaw Z if the case allows it. Users should have no problems with memory clearance if two DIMM slots are populated. That said, the cooler may, depending on the user's configuration, get in way of your top expansion slot. It should not pose a problem if you use a soundcard in your top expansion slot; however, a large graphics card may touch the fan clips. Keep that in mind when considering the Dark Rock 3.