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Arctic P12 PWM PST vs be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM: Comparison

What is the difference between Arctic P12 PWM PST and be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM?

Start with static pressure, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Arctic P12 PWM PST 2.2 mmH2O against be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM 5.31 mmH2O, 59% in favour of be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM. Airflow runs the same way, 56.3 CFM on the Arctic P12 PWM PST versus 83.9 CFM on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM, another win for be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM. Max speed runs the same way, 1800 RPM on the Arctic P12 PWM PST versus 3000 RPM on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM, another win for be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM. Add warranty to that, 6 years on the Arctic P12 PWM PST versus 5 years on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM, and the pattern holds.

Who each one is for

Take the Arctic P12 PWM PST for buyers filling an entire case with fans on a budget, the smartest cheapest meaningful upgrade available. The same goes for budget 240/360mm AIO radiator mounts, where the PST daisy-chain simplifies wiring. Avoid it for buyers specifically wanting absolute best performance regardless of price, the Noctua NF-A12x25 or G2 is better for that. The be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM is the one to take for 360mm and 280mm AIO radiators and restrictive front filters and dense meshes, though it is the wrong buy for open-air mesh cases where pressure is wasted and RGB lighting requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Arctic P12 PWM PST and be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM differ on cable length?

Yes. Cable Length reads 400 mm on the Arctic P12 PWM PST versus 500 mm on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM.

Is the Fan Size the same on the Arctic P12 PWM PST and be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM?

It is. Both are listed at 120 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Fan Size

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    120 mm
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    120 mm
  • Brand

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    Arctic
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    be quiet!
  • Model

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    P12 PWM PST
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
  • Bearing Type

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    Fluid Dynamic
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    Fluid Dynamic
  • Lighting

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    None
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    No RGB
  • Fan Thickness

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    25 mm
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    25 mm
  • Static Pressure

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    2.2 mmH2O-59%
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    5.31 mmH2OBest
  • Max Speed

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    1800 RPM-40%
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    3000 RPMBest
  • Airflow

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    56.3 CFM-33%
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    83.9 CFMBest
  • PWM Control

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    Yes
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    Yes
  • Connector Type

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    4-Pin PWM
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    4-Pin PWM
  • RGB Lighting

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    No
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    No
  • Lighting Type

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    None
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    None
  • Cable Length

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    400 mm
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    500 mm
  • Weight

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    145 gBest
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    227 g
  • Warranty

    Arctic P12 PWM PST
    6 yearsBest
    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    5 years-17%

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose Arctic P12 PWM PST if you want the higher warranty (6 years vs 5 years).

    Choose be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM if you want the higher static pressure (5.31 mmH2O vs 2.2 mmH2O), the higher max speed (3000 RPM vs 1800 RPM) and the higher airflow (83.9 CFM vs 56.3 CFM).

    Price comparison

    RetailerArctic P12 PWM PSTbe quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
    AmazonView on AmazonView on Amazon
    NeweggView on Newegg

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

    Verdict

    Arctic P12 PWM PST

    9 / 10 Expert Rating

    The smartest cheapest meaningful upgrade available, roughly 80% of premium performance at under one-third of the price, with matching warranty.

    be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM

    9 / 10 Expert Rating

    be quiet!'s best radiator fan, closing most of the gap to Noctua's A12x25 at a friendlier price.

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