be quiet!'s Shadow Rock 2 is an air cooler with a lot to like. Its noise level of only 42 dBA at full load puts it into a position only matched by Noctua's products, which is excellent. The price of $49.90 also keeps it affordable without sacrificing on quality. This cooler is extremely well-made and it shows, with strong fins, a mirror-finished base, heatpipe end caps, and the brushed aluminum top, and it is aesthetically pleasing, which is a nice bonus. The installation hardware is easy to work with on mainstream sockets—a bit unorthodox maybe, but still simple and easy, which everyone can appreciate. Then there are its freely selectable fan-mount points, its unique feature. Users can mount the fan on any side to optimize the airflow inside their system.

A few issues really hit the Shadow Rock 2 hard. The first is the fact that memory clearance with a traditional fan orientation is extremely lackluster. Memory modules using anything larger than standard-height heatsinks will not fit with the fan in front. This includes G.Skill Ripjaws, Snipers, Tridents, etc., just to name a few. Users will have to use such memory as Corsair's low-profile Vengeance sticks or plain memory with no heatsinks if they keep the fan in the default position. One can change the fan's orientation, but each new position brings with it possible complications, like blocked expansion slots. The biggest problem, however, is the lackluster cooling performance on my LGA1150 test platform. The be quiet! Shadow Rock 2, while solid at stock speeds, falls behind much cheaper products, like the Raijintek Ereboss and Themis coolers. The closest competitor to the Shadow Rock 2 is Silverstone's Argon AR03 which, while similarly priced, is smaller in size and comes with better memory compatibility. So, while the Shadow Rock 2 does offer superbly quiet cooling, its overall performance suffers because of it.

Overall, I am slightly disappointed with be quiet!'s Shadow Rock 2. It has exceptional build quality and low noise output, yet leaves something to be desired in terms of cooling performance. I also have to say that performance per dollar, while not terrible when combined with relative performance, shows it losing out to cheaper competitors. To put it another way: The be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 isn't a terrible cooler, but it just fails to stand out performance-wise. It is still a solid option for those wanting better than stock cooling with best-in-class noise levels for the price. Its unique fan-mounting options may also prove useful to some. With everything it has going for it, it's too bad the cooling performance isn't a tad bit better. That said, be quiet!'s Shadow Rock 2 might offer better performance, making it more interesting, if it came with a second set of fan clips for a dual-fan setup.

The be quiet! Shadow Rock 2 is ultimately a CPU cooler for those who want something better than stock, with appealing looks and very low noise levels. The Dark Rock Pro 2 is a much better option if you are looking for pure performance.