Tom's Hardware Verdict
The be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 provides great cooling in a compact package for those needing something much quieter than some of the alternatives. The 135mm fan moves a massive volume of air over the optimized fin stack, delivering excellent performance at extremely low noise levels.
Pros
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+ Premium build quality
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+ Silent operation
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+ Solid performance for a budget price
Cons
- -
No RGB option (be quiet! standard)
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German case, PSU and Cooling mainstay be quiet! have introduced a new budget-friendly quad-heatpipe cooler for system builders with intermediate TDP requirements. The Shadow Rock Slim 2 features a single 135mm Silent Wings fan and large heatsink, offering up an attractive option for those seeking a premium CPU heatpipe cooler for modest to moderate PC builds. About the only thing lacking is RGB. But that’s par for the course for be quiet!, and a pro for many potential buyers more interested in performance and price than a fancy light show.
be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 Specs
| Height | 6.125" / 155.6mm |
| Width | 5.25" / 133.4mm |
| Depth | 2.125" / 54.0 mm |
| (3.0" / 76.2mm w/ van) | |
| Base Height | 1.625" / 41.3mm |
| Assy. Offset | 0.0" (centered) |
| Cooling Fans | (1) 135 x 22mm |
| Connectors | (1) 4-pin PWM |
| Weight | 24.4 oz / 692g |
| Intel Sockets | 115x, 1200, 2011*, 2066* |
| (* square ILM mounts only) | |
| AMD Sockets | AM4, AM3(+) |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Web Price | $46 |
The Shadow Rock Slim 2 comes bundled with mounting hardware for most common AMD and Intel desktop CPU sockets popular here in 2021. While it does offer support for Intel 2011x and 2066x sockets (square ILM mounts only), it really is meant for CPUs below the high-end desktop (HEDT) space. Even our overclocked i9-10850k is a bit outside the upper threshold of what this cooler should really be utilized for. But of course the vast majority of systems, particularly those whose owners are after a budget-priced air cooler, will be using a CPU that’s less thermally demanding than a recent 10-core Intel Core i9.
be quiet! Covers the Shadow Rock Slim 2 with a three-year warranty.
Rather than printing documentation on paper, be quiet! has opted to provide product information and installation instructions via scannable QR code. This helps prevent paper waste as well as always ensuring the Shadow Rock Slim 2 has the most up-to-date version of content for builders and upgraders.
The Shadow Rock Slim 2 features four copper heatpipes which are situated side-by-side and then offset as they move up into the aluminum fins of the cooling stack.
The cooling stack is built of 54 individual pieces, including a top bezel with a brushed finish, polished heatpipe cover caps and machine screws.
The base of the cooler features direct contact from the milled heatpipes and a milled aluminum block which doubles as a mounting point for the cooler. The fixed mounting block also helps to handle thermal load as a small, solid heatsink with its aggressively milled teeth.
The base of the Shadow Rock Slim 2 is milled smooth and flat, without any visible light being seen between the base of the mounting block and a steel ruler. A universal mounting face allows for smooth thermal compound distribution.
Our paste spread shows a slightly irregular patch during thermal compound spread, but it does cover nearly all of the i9-10850K’s integrated heat spreader (IHS). We also see a very consistent patch, making for a good mount of the cooler to our test CPU. As a bit of foreshadowing, we’ll soon see that the slightly incomplete-looking spread did not impact cooling performance.
The Shadow Rock Slim 2 utilizes a single 135mm Silent Wings fan that’s rated up to 1400 RPM and up to 80,000 hours of operation. The nine-blade PWM fan is designed for quiet operation and optimized airflow.
The be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 utilizes a relatively simple mounting process and once it’s secured, the 135mm fan is secured with a pair of spring clips for adjustment over memory DIMMs as needed. The cooler can technically be mounted for vertical or horizontal airflow, but horizontal (as pictured) will provide the most clearance for builds utilizing system memory with taller heatsinks.
