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be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM vs be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed: Comparison
What is the difference between Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM and Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed?
The gap that matters here is static pressure: Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM 1.45 mmH2O against Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed 3.96 mmH2O, which puts Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed 63% ahead. Add airflow to that, 49.9 CFM on the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 76.7 CFM on the Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed, and the pattern holds. Warranty runs the same way, 3 years on the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 5 years on the Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed, another win for Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed. Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed also leads on max speed, 1600 RPM on the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 2500 RPM on the Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed.
Which should you buy, Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM or Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed?
The Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM is the one to take for budget builds wanting a quiet reputation without premium pricing and case intake/exhaust duty, though it is not built for radiator or high-restriction mounting and multi-year unusual-orientation mounting (rifle bearing limits). Take the Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed for builds needing more airflow than a standard Noctua fan provides and willing to trade a bit of acoustic headroom for it. Avoid it for Silent-first builds where the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM's lower noise ceiling matters more than peak airflow. Our rating of the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM (7/10): A genuinely improved budget fan that punches above its price on quietness.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM and Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 25.5 dBA on the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 31.2 dBA on the Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed.
Is the Fan Size the same on the Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM and Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed?
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
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 120 mm
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- be quiet!
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- be quiet!
Model
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Rifle
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Fluid Dynamic
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 1.45 mmH2O-63%
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 3.96 mmH2OBest
Max Speed
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 1600 RPM-36%
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 2500 RPMBest
Airflow
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 49.9 CFM-35%
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 76.7 CFMBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 25.5 dBABest
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 31.2 dBA
PWM Control
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Yes
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Yes
Rated Life
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 80000 hours
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 300000 hours
Max Power Draw
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 2.4 W
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 2.4 W
Connector Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 4-Pin PWM
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 4-Pin PWM
Cable Length
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 460 mm
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 500 mm
Warranty
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 3 years-40%
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 5 yearsBest
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM if you want the lower noise level (25.5 dBA vs 31.2 dBA).
Choose be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed if you want the higher static pressure (3.96 mmH2O vs 1.45 mmH2O), the higher max speed (2500 RPM vs 1600 RPM) and the higher airflow (76.7 CFM vs 49.9 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM | be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
| Best Buy | View on Best Buy |
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
be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely improved budget fan that punches above its price on quietness.
be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
8 / 10 Expert Rating
More airflow than the quiet-first competition, with a bearing rating built for a decade of running.