Fractal Design Flex B-20 PCIe 3.0 x16 Vertical GPU Riser with Bracket, FD-A-FLX1-001. Types: PCI Express Riser Cable. Colors: Matte Black. Specifications: Accessory Type: PCI Express Riser Cable GPU support: Any PCIe compatible card with single or dual-slot bracket (no maximum cooler height) Case requirements: 7 available bridgeless expansion slots (no bars between slots when covers are removed) Captive thumbscrews: Two, for installation of the riser into the case PCIe. When you are browsing the internet you stumble over many PC building myths. One of them is that you should always use the top PCI-E slot for your GPU to get.

(*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site!)

If you have a high-end graphics card with beautiful design and lots of fancy RGB LED lighting on it, then the best way to showcase your graphics card is by mounting it vertically. For this, you either have to get a computer case that natively supports vertical GPU mount or an aftermarket vertical GPU mount kit that can be fitted in a supported case. It is better to get a case that natively supports vertical GPU mounting because you won’t have to go through all the headaches and troubles regarding the compatibility and clearance that can occur when installing an aftermarket GPU mounting kit in any case.

Vertically mounted GPU does look very cool and appealing, but it has a couple of drawbacks too. One of the major drawbacks of vertically mounting the graphics card is that it blocks all the PCIe slots on the motherboard underneath it, and you won’t be able to add any expansion cards. Another drawback is that it may result in less airflow for the graphics card, and the GPU may run relatively hotter compared to when it is mounted horizontally inside the PC case. The main purpose of mounting the GPU vertically is for Aesthetics only, and if you have a beautiful case and high-end graphics card with an attractive design and RGB LEDs on it, then mounting it vertically does make sense. However, one unseen advantage of vertical GPU mount is that if you have a high-end bulky graphics card, then it prevents the graphic card from sagging, and helps reduce the weight on the motherboard PCI-E slots.

Tips for Vertical GPU Mounting

Here are some tips or suggestions that you should follow when mounting your graphics vertically inside your PC case.

1. Make sure that you have good airflow in the case. For this, you have to install two intake fans at the front and one exhaust fan at the rear.
2. The graphics card that you are going to mount vertically should be around 2.5-slot width (not more than 2.7-slot) so that it does have sufficient room left between the fans and the side panel to achieve good airflow. It is because if the space is less, then fans have to work harder because of congestion, and they won’t perform well, and thus your graphics card will reach higher temperatures compared to when it is mounted horizontally.

Below is the list of the best computer cases that natively supports vertical GPU mount and come with vertical expansion slots. These PC cases also have good airflow and also offer a great number of features.

Mid-Tower PC Cases with Vertical GPU Bracket

Here are the top mid-tower computer cases that support vertical mounting of graphics cards and come with vertical GPU mounting slot/bracket.

NZXT H510i Mid-Tower Case

[Great Looks, ARGB LED Strips Included, Good Cable Management]

NZXT H510i is one of the most beautiful cases that supports vertical GPU mounting of graphics cards natively. Even though the case has a clean and simple design, it looks stylish and modern. It is a mid-tower case that supports up to ATX motherboards. The case has got two vertical slots for vertical mounting of the GPU, but it does not come with PCI-E Riser Card or Cable, which you have to buy separately. The case has got good airflow and comes with one Aer F120 fan pre-installed at the front and one at the rear. You can optionally install more fans at the front and top if you want to increase airflow. The front I/O ports include one USB Type-C, one USB Type-A, and HD audio ports. The case also comes with two ARGB LED strips already integrated, which can be controlled using the in-built RGB controller using the NZXT CAM Software.

This is quite a spacious case and can support high-end graphics cards up to 381mm in length, up to 165mm tall CPU coolers, and up to 280mm Radiators. It has got a large tempered glass side panel that lets you view all of the inside components. In terms of storage, it supports up to three 2.5-inch and up to three 3.5-inch drives. The case has good cable management and has dust filters on all air intakes. The build quality of the case is good too, and it is not expensive either. So, if you are looking for a premium and good looking vertical GPU case that packs a great number of features too, then you cannot ignore this one. The case is available in black, black/white and black/red color schemes.

Fractal Design Meshify S2 Dark Tempered Glass Case

[High Airflow Design, Great for Water Cooling, Spacious]

Fractal Design Meshify S2 is undoubtedly one of the best mid-tower cases that you can get for building a gaming or work PC. Also, it is one of the best airflow cases around and comes with a great number of features and supports up to E-ATX motherboards. Here we have the Dark TG version of this case that comes with smoked/dark tinted tempered glass side panel. For airflow, the case has a front and top mesh panel and offers up to 9 fan mount points. It comes with three Dynamic X2 GP-14 (140mm) fan pre-installed, two at the front, and one at the rear. The front I/O ports include two USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C port (with fast charge support), and HD audio ports. Both the side panels of the case have a push-to-lock latching mechanism for easy access.

It is a very spacious case and can support high-end graphics cards up to 440mm long, 185mm tall CPU Coolers and up to 420mm radiators for water cooling. The storage options include support for three 3.5”/2.5” drives and up to four 2.5” drives. The case does support vertical mounting of the graphics card (2.5-slot) using the Flex VRC-25 vertical PCIe riser cable (sold separately). The case has dust filters at all air intakes and has good cable routing or management. A fan controller hub is included with the case that can support up to 3 PWM fans (4-pin) and up to 6 Case fans (3-pin). A SATA extension cable is also included for powering the SATA drives. So, if you are looking for a high-quality mid-tower case (with vertical GPU support) with high airflow, then this is one of the best in this list. It is available in black or white color.

Cooler Master MasterCase H500P Mesh (White)

[Beautiful Design, High Airflow, 200mm RGB Fans, Spacious]

Here we have another high airflow case, which is Cooler Master MasterCase H500P Mesh. It is a great looking mid-tower case and supports up to E-ATX motherboards. For airflow, the case comes with a mesh front panel, and two 200mm RGB fans at the front and one 140mm fan come included with the case. You can optionally install two 200mm fans at the top or three 120/140mm fans to increase the airflow inside the case. The front I/O ports include two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and HD Audio ports. An RGB controller is also included, which is used to change the RGB lighting. The 200mm fans speed cannot be controlled, but they spin at a lower speed (800 RPM) and are pretty quiet in operation. A large Light Grey Tinted Tempered Glass Side Panel lets you have a peek at all your components inside the case.

Cooler Master MasterCase H500P Mesh supports vertical GPU mount, but you have to buy the PCI-E Riser cable additionally. This is a very spacious case and can support the top of the line graphics cards that are 412mm in length, up to 190mm tall CPU coolers and dual 360mm Radiators at front and top. For storage, it comes with three 3.5”/2.5” bays and two 2.5” bays for HDDs and SSDs. Other features include dust filters, cable routing with cable covers, PSU shroud. The case is available in two colors: white or black, but to me, the white one looks classier and more appealing. Overall, a beautiful case that has good airflow and comes with a great set of features.

Thermaltake Commander C35 TG ARGB Edition

[Relatively Compact, 200mm ARGB Fans included, Water cooling Ready]

A relatively compact mid-tower case from Thermaltake that supports up to ATX sized motherboards. The case is attractive looking and is optimized for airflow. It has got a mesh front panel and comes preinstalled with two 200mm 5V ARGB fans at the front and one standard 120mm fan at the rear. The case has got a large 4mm tempered glass side panel, from where you can have a look at all the internal components. The case comes with a vertical GPU bracket, but you have to PCI-E Riser cable separately for it. The front I/O ports include two USB 3.0 ports, HD Audio ports, and an RGB switch/button.

The RGB lighting can be controlled using the built-in RGB switch or by the motherboard’s RGB software that includes MSI Mystic Light Sync, Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion 2.0 or ASRock Polychrome. The main disadvantage with this case is that there is no way to control the speed of the front 200mm ARGB fans because of the proprietary connector used by Thermaltake.

Thermaltake Commander C35 TG ARGB Edition case can support graphics cards up to 410mm in length, CPU Coolers that are 180mm tall, and up to 360mm radiators for water cooling or AIOs. For storage, it supports three 3.5/2.5-inch drives and two 2.5-inch drives. The case comes with dust filters for intakes, and the build quality is also pretty good. Overall, a nice case that is on the budget side and is water-cooling ready too.

ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 Mid-Tower Case

[Two Woven Cotton Carry Handles, Great Build Quality]

ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 is a TUF series gaming case from Asus. The TUF gaming series from Asus is associated with high and robust quality components & devices that include graphics cards, laptops, motherboards, etc. This ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 Mid-Tower Case can support up to E-ATX motherboards and has a smoked tempered glass side panel. The case offers seven fan mount points and comes preinstalled with three 120mm RGB fans and one standard 140mm PWM fan. These RGB fans support Asus Aura Sync and can be synced with an Asus motherboard with RGB support. The front has a metal panel with mesh at the sides for airflow, and the I/O ports include three USB 3.0 ports and audio ports. The case comes with two Woven Cotton Handles (up to 65lbs) that help in carrying the case from place to another, particularly during LAN parties.

The case supports graphics cards up to 420mm in length, CPU coolers that are 180mm tall, and 360mm Radiators for AIO or water cooling setup. When it comes to storage, then the case can support four 3.5”/2.5” drives and three 2.5” drives. Other features of the case include removable dust filters, anti-scratch coating, cable management, and tool-free drive installation. The case does support vertical GPU mount, but you have to buy the PCI-E riser cable extra. Overall, a nice gaming case that is spacious comes with all the essential features and has got solid build quality.

Must Read:Best Cases with Carry Handles for LAN Parties

Other Mid-Tower Case with Vertical GPU Support

Here are some other good mid-tower cases that support vertical GPU mount.

Full-Tower PC Cases with Vertical GPU Bracket

Here are the top full-tower computer cases that support vertical mounting of graphics cards and come with vertical GPU mounting brackets and slots. These cases support up to E-ATX sized motherboards.

Thermaltake View 71 Tempered Glass RGB Edition

One of the best full-tower cases to showcase your GPU and other internal components in full glory. This case can support up to E-ATX motherboards and comes with four 5mm thick tempered glass panels at the front, top, and on the left/right sides. The side panels feature a swing door design that allows for easy access to the components. For airflow, the case offers a number of fan mount points at the front, top, and bottom and comes pre-installed with two 140mm Riing RGB fans at the front and one at the rear. You can optionally install more fans if you want to increase the airflow.

The case comes with a vertical GPU bracket, but you have to buy the PCI-E Riser cable separately. The front I/O ports include two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and HD Audio ports. The RGB lighting and the fan speeds are hardware controlled using the RGB controller that comes included with the case. It is a Tt LCS Certified case, which means it can support extreme Liquid Cooling setups with big reservoirs and radiators. The case can support graphics cards up to 410mm in length, 190mm tall CPU Coolers and up to 420mm Radiators for Water-Cooling or AIOs. In terms of storage, it can support up to seven 3.5-inch drives and up to 10 2.5-inch drives. Overall, a beautiful case with modular design and is great for building a fancy high-end gaming PC.

Note: An ARGB variant of this case is available as Thermaltake View 71 Tempered Glass ARGB Edition. It comes with ARGB fans that look more beautiful and fancier than RGB fans.

Thermaltake A700 Aluminum Tempered Glass Full Tower Case

[Rotational PCI-E slots, Great Build, Spacious, Stylish, Great for Liquid Cooling]

If you do not wish to compromise on anything and are looking for the best case that supports vertical mounting of the graphics card, then it is the Thermaltake A700 TG. This is the only case that allows you to mount multiple graphics cards (generally two) in vertical position because of its Patented Rotational PCI-E slots. The eight expansion slots can be mounted vertically or horizontally, depending on your requirements. Thermaltake A700 TG is a stylish case that has great build quality. It comes with aluminum front and top panels and two 5mm tempered glass side panels (left & right). The side panels have a swing-door design for easy access and come with key locks for added security.

The case has several fan mount points, and you can even install two 200mm fans at the front and top. It does come with two 140mm fans preinstalled, one at the front and other at the rear. The front I/O ports include two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, USB Type-C port, and HD audio ports. This is a massive case that can support up to 410mm long graphics cards, 200mm tall CPU coolers, and up to 420mm Radiators. The case is Tt LCS Certified and can support extreme water-cooling setups. For storage, it supports up to four 3.5”/2.5” drives and six 2.5” or 3.5” drives. It comes with dust filters on air intakes, has good cable management, and has a tool-free drive installation. Overall, a great case for enthusiasts who want to build a high-end gaming setup and also want to showcase their fancy internal components to others.

Other Full-Tower Cases with Vertical GPU Mount

Open Frame Design Cases

Here are some of the great-looking open-air design cases that support vertical GPU mounting. These cases are not everyone’s cup of tea because they are not fully covered, and it leads to dust build up on the components. They are also hard to maintain and are not tough enough for everyday use.

PCI-E Riser Cable / Card

Almost all the cases that support vertical GPU bracket/slots do not come with PCI-E Riser Cable, which means if you want to install the graphics card vertically, then you need to buy the PCIe Riser cable additionally. There are two types of PCIe Riser Cards or Cables available, first is the straight or normal 180-degree, and another one is 90-degree angled one. So, you have to be very sure which one fits your case and buy the cable accordingly. Here are some of the good PCIe Riser Cables / Cards that you can buy for your vertical GPU case. All of the below mentioned PCI-Express Riser Cables / Cards support PCI-E 3.0 x16 speed.

180-degree PCIe Riser Cables / Cards (Straight)

90-degree PCIe Riser Cables / Cards (Angled)

• Phanteks PCIe x16 Riser Cable 90 Degree (EMI Shielded, Slim Design, 220mm)

Vertical GPU Mount Bracket

If your case does not come with vertical GPU bracket/slots, then you can use Vertical GPU Bracket Kits to vertical mount the graphics card, given that the case is compatible or meets the requirements of the vertical GPU kit. Here are some of these kits that you can buy for vertical graphics card mounting.

Phanteks Vertical GPU Bracket

A universal Vertical GPU Bracket from Phanteks. The kit is made of metal and includes the Vertical GPU Bracket and a 220mm slim-line PCI-E x16 Riser Cable. It requires a case with Open PCI slot Design with up to 7 slots available. Modding or modification might be required in some cases.

Cooler Master Vertical Graphics Card Holder Kit

A vertical graphics card holder kit from Cooler Master. It requires seven PCI slots and comes with PCI-E Riser Cable. The kit is made up of steel and is pretty easy to install in the case. Officially it supports MasterCase 5 Series, MasterCase 6 Series, MasterCase Maker Series, and H500P Series cases from Cooler Master.

See also:

Final Words

Vertical GPU mounting may not be the norm but is gaining popularity because it does look great and enhances the visual appearance of your system. It does have some negatives too, but they are not so pronounced and do not affect the overall performance of the system. It is always better to get a computer case that comes with vertical GPU bracket/slots because of convenience, and it avoids the possibility of modding your PC case, which many of the users don’t want to get involved into. If you have any queries, then ask them in the comment section below.

(*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site!)

Air CPU Coolers come in different shapes and sizes. Some of them are bulkier while some are compact and slimmer in design compared to others. The choice of CPU Cooler plays an important in building a new PC or if you are upgrading your cooler to a better one, especially from a stock CPU cooler. If you are building a PC with smaller motherboard or case, but using a RAM that has taller heatsink or heat spreader then you have to make a careful selection for the CPU Cooler, because if you choose a cooler with relatively larger dimensions with a bulkier design, then it might block your RAM slot (especially the first one), and your first PCIe x16 slot too, which is mainly for the graphics card.

Most of the modern-day CPU coolers do provide sufficient clearance for low profile RAM, but if the RAM has taller heat spreader/heatsink then you must get a Slim CPU Cooler that provides good clearance for your RAM and PCIe slot. This is very important for users building a PC with Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards because they have limited space, and most of them have RAM slots closer to the CPU Socket. Also, because of limited DIMM slots on these small form factor motherboards, you cannot afford to sacrifice your DIMM slot and the PCIe slot to the CPU Cooler. Well, the good news is that you don’t have worry about this issue anymore, because there are some very good CPU coolers available in the market having slim or offset heatsink design that offers a very good amount of RAM clearance (even for the tall RAM), and that too without compromising on cooling performance. So, here I am going to list down the best CPU Coolers for both Intel and AMD Sockets that offer full RAM clearance & compatibility and do not block your PCIe x16 slot too.

Related:Best 92mm Compact CPU Coolers for Smaller Cases

Best Slim CPU Coolers with High RAM Clearance

Here are the best slim CPU coolers that offer great clearance for your RAM and first PCIe x16 slot. Almost, all of them are 120mm CPU Coolers because 140mm CPU Coolers are relatively bigger and they do not offer much clearance for RAM with taller heatsinks/heat spreaders.

Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler

[Quiet, Great Performance, Dual Fan Ready]

A quiet and slim CPU cooler from Noctua that is compatible with all the popular Intel and AMD sockets, including the AM4. Due to its slim design and 45mm fin depth, it offers 100% compatibility with tall RAM modules, and it does not obstruct the first PCIe x16 slot too. Also, the heatsink and the fan does not overhang on the RAM, and you can easily install and remove the RAM without any interference. The heatsink of this cooler comes with five copper heatpipes that help in faster heat dissipation. A 120mm NF-F12 PWM premium fan helps in cooling down the heatsink. The fan comes with Noctua’s proprietary SSO2 bearing and spins at speed of 300 – 1500 RPM. This fan is very quiet in operation with a maximum noise rating of 22.4 dBA, and you can make it even quieter (@18.6 dBA) using the Low Noise Adapter (L.N.A.) that comes along with the CPU Cooler. Also, the anti-vibrations pads on the four corners help to eliminate vibrational noise too. As this is a dual fan ready CPU Cooler, you can add one extra fan too in push/pull setup if you want more cooling performance, given that you have clearance for it.

The installation of this cooler is pretty easy, which is done through Noctua’s SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system. The CPU stands at 158mm tall, which is decent height and it can fit in most of the tower cases pretty comfortably. The performance of this CPU Cooler is far better than the stock CPU cooler, and it can easily run your Core i7 and Ryzen 7 processors at full load or gaming without having to worry about overheating. You may perform slight a bit of overclocking on this CPU cooler, but nothing major. So, if you are looking for a high-quality slim CPU Cooler that is quiet in operation, and does not compromise on performance then just go for it. Highly Recommended by me.

Note: A dedicated AM4 Socket variant of this CPU Cooler is also available as Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4. Also, some AMD mainboards violate the 96x114mm keep-out zone specified by AMD, so NH-U12S and Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4 can only be used with RAM modules of up to 40mm height on these boards.

Scythe Kotetsu Mark II TUF Gaming Alliance

[RGB, Cheaper, Silent Operation, Great Looks]

Scythe Kotetsu Mark II TUF Gaming Alliance is a budget, but strongly built CPU cooler from Scythe. This is the TUF Gaming Alliance version of the Scythe Kotetsu Mark II CPU Cooler. It is developed in collaboration with Asus and bears the TUF name to it, which depicts its high reliability and tough components. The CPU Cooler comes with an asymmetric and offset designed heatsink for maximum clearance for RAM and its compatibility. Also, it does not interfere with the first PCIe slot either. The heatsink comes with four copper heatpipes and a Kaze Flex 120 RGB PWM fan with Sealed Precision FDB bearing. The fan is relatively quiet and spins at speed of 300 – 120 RPM. The maximum noise level for the fan is 24.9 dBA and the rubber paddings on the four corners eliminates the noise due to vibrations. The RGB lighting on this CPU Cooler makes it look great with other RGB components that include RGB RAM and RGB Case Fans.

The CPU Cooler is compatible with all the major Intel and AMD Sockets that also include AM4 socket. H.P.M.S. III (Hyper Precision Mounting System III) makes the installation very easy and is pretty solid too. It is 154mm in height and has no trouble fitting in almost all the mid-tower and mini-tower computer cases. The CPU Cooler works quiet but its performance is on the mediocre side, and it is best suited for mid-range and budget CPUs like Core i5, Core i3, Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, and should be avoided with top of the line CPUs. So, if you are in search of a budget CPU Cooler that comes with RGB lighting, looks great and offers decent performance then it is worth checking out.

Check out:Best RGB CPU Coolers for Fancy Gaming PC

CRYORIG H7 CPU Cooler

[Compact Size, Great Stock Performance, Hyper 212 Evo Killer]

CRYORIG H7 is a relatively compact CPU Cooler but is high on performance. It is known as Hyper 212 Evo Killer, which is a very popular budget CPU Cooler from Cooler Master. The heatsink of this CPU Cooler comes with three copper heatpipes, and has Hive Fin design structure that allows for a combination of Jet Fin Acceleration and Turbulence Reduction. The Jet Fin Acceleration system carries out hot air faster because of the larger intakes and narrower exhaust present in the fin design. Also, because of the beehive-shaped structure at the front air intake of the heatsink, air turbulence gets reduced and straightens out the airflow. It assists airflow to move directly through the full length of the heatsink and carrying out hot air. The CPU Cooler comes with 120mm PWM fan that spins at 300 – 1600 RPM, and is pretty quiet in operation (25dBA max).

Because of its asymmetric heatpipe layout, the heatsink is at an offset position relative to the baseplate, which allows for its Zero RAM interference design and is compatible with RAM with tall heat spreaders too. Also, it does not obstruct the PCIe slot on the motherboard. The installation of this CPU cooler is not that hard and it supports popular Intel and AMD sockets that also include AM4. It is only 145mm in height and can fit in most of the mini-tower and mid-tower cases easily. The performance of this CPU Cooler is far better than the Stock CPU Cooler, and it can be used with high-end processors too, but without any overclocking as it is not made for it. The CPU Cooler is solidly built and it is very much affordable.

be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim CPU Cooler

[Silent, Better than Hyper 212 Evo]

be quiet! is a very respectable brand that is known for silent and high-quality computer cases, case fans and CPU Air coolers. Here from be quiet!, we have Shadow Rock Slim CPU Cooler which is solidly built a 160W TDP CPU Cooler. The slim heatsink of this CPU Cooler comes with four copper heatpipes and a 135mm PWM fan to cool it. The fan comes with Rifle bearing and spins at speed of 1400 RPM and is pretty quiet in operation, having maximum noise level rating of 23.7 dBA only. You can also install an additional 120mm if you want to increase its cooling performance further.

The CPU Cooler offers good RAM clearance and does not interfere with the nearby PCIe slot. However, it is a bit taller at 161mm, which can be an area of concern for some users with smaller computer cases. It is compatible with most of the Intel and AMD CPU Sockets including the AM4 Socket from AMD. The performance of this CPU Cooler is good for processors at stock speeds, but overclocking is not a forte of this CPU cooler. However, you can run your Core i7 processor on it at full load during gaming or working with heavy CPU intensive programs. This CPU cooler is better than the Hyper 212 Evo, both in terms of cooling performance and noise levels. The installation is not that easy and falls in the mediocre range. Overall, a very good slim CPU Cooler that is quiet, offers good cooling performance and is not that expensive either.

Arctic Freezer 34 CPU Cooler

Pci Case Fan

[Great Performance for the Price]

A budget CPU Cooler from Arctic that can support CPUs up to 150W TDP. It comes with a relatively slim heatsink with four copper heatpipes that makes direct contact with the CPU for better heat transfer and dissipation. A 120mm PWM fan with fluid dynamic bearing cools down the heatsink and spins at 200 – 1800 RPM. The fan is not on the noisier side and has a noise level rating of 22.5 dBA only. The CPU Cooler offers great RAM compatibility and does not interfere with the nearby PCIe x16 slot too. On most of the motherboards, you will have no trouble in fitting RAM with tall heatspreaders because of its unlimited clearance.

The CPU Cooler beats Hyper 212 Evo and offers a great price to performance ratio. It can be used with mid to high-end processors, but overclocking should be avoided with it. The installation is on the easier side, but it does not support a wide range of sockets. However, it is compatible with the AM4 socket, which is a good thing. The height of the CPU cooler is 157mm, which is not that of an issue for most of the tower cases, especially the mid-tower ones. Overall, a very good budget CPU Cooler that is on the cheaper side and performs well.

Pcie Cooler

be quiet! Dark Rock Slim

[Silent, Very Good Performance, Stylish Looks]

Here we have another be quiet! CPU Cooler, but it is significantly better in terms of performance and is quite easily the best slim CPU cooler in my opinion. be quiet! Dark Rock Slim is a relatively new compact cooler designed for smaller systems and PC cases with limited clearance for RAM and other components. The CPU cooler offers excellent RAM compatibility, and you can easily install taller RAM modules (with taller heat spreaders) without any issues. The cooling performance of this cooler is rated at 180 Watt, which is quite enough for a mid-range to high-end Intel and AMD Processor, e.g., Core i5, Core i7, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7. However, high overclocking should be avoided on this cooler when running a high-end processor.

be quiet! Dark Rock Slim CPU Cooler is a beautiful looking cooler, and it comes in all black color with black heatsink (ceramic coated) and black fan. The heatsink comes with four copper heatpipes and features airflow-optimized, wave-contoured cooling fins with small dots on their surfaces for increased air circulation. On the top of the heatsink, there is a brushed aluminum cover with diamond-cut finish that gives the cooler a premium look. The cooler uses a Silent Wings 120mm PWM Fan that has a maximum speed of 1500 RPM. The fan is very quiet in operation, even at full load, and has a maximum noise level rating of 23.6 dBA only. When it comes to cooling performance, then it easily beats the be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim CPU Cooler, Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition and offers cooling performance comparable to the be quiet! Dark Rock 4, which is a bigger cooler from be quiet!.

The CPU Cooler supports all the currently popular Intel and AMD Sockets, including the AM4 Socket. It is quite easy to install and comes with all the necessary brackets and screws. The CPU Cooler is a little costlier than other slim CPU Coolers, but it is totally worth it. So, if you are looking for a high-performance compact CPU Cooler that looks great and is super quiet in operation, then you won’t find anything better than this. Highly Recommend by me.

Tip for better RAM Clearance & Compatibility

If you are facing RAM compatibility or RAM clearance issues for your existing CPU Cooler, then you can install a Slim 120mm fan to it. replacing the stock fan that came with it. These slim fans are only 15mm thick (compared to standard 25mm fan thickness) and allow additional clearance for your RAM, especially for the first DIMM slot. Below, you can check out the best slim 120mm and 140mm fans that you can use with CPU heatsinks and radiators.

Pci Gpu Cooler

Check out:

See also:

Pci Exhaust Fan

Final Words

Best Pci Slot Fan

So, if you are worried about the CPU Cooler compatibility with your RAM and PCIe slots, because of smaller motherboard then you choose from any of the above-mentioned offset heatsink design or slim CPU coolers that ensures almost 100% RAM compatibility. These CPU coolers offer good performance and are far better than the stock CPU coolers. However, overclocking is very limited on these and should with used with stock speeds only for best cooling performance and quieter operation. If have any doubts or queries regarding them, then ask me in the comment section below