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be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM vs Corsair AF120 Elite: Comparison
be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM vs Corsair AF120 Elite static pressure compared
The gap that matters here is static pressure: be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM 1.45 mmH2O against Corsair AF120 Elite 1.93 mmH2O, which puts Corsair AF120 Elite 25% ahead. Add airflow to that, 49.9 CFM on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 59.1 CFM on the Corsair AF120 Elite, and the pattern holds. Add warranty to that, 3 years on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 5 years on the Corsair AF120 Elite, and the pattern holds. Max speed runs the same way, 1600 RPM on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 1850 RPM on the Corsair AF120 Elite, another win for Corsair AF120 Elite.
Who each one is for
The be quiet! 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). The Corsair AF120 Elite suits mesh-front intake positions and builds that don't want RGB clutter, though it is not the pick for radiator or filtered-intake duty and budget-per-fan shoppers. Our rating of the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM (7/10): A genuinely improved budget fan that punches above its price on quietness.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: fan size, connector type, lighting, pwm control and rgb lighting are identical here. They match on 2 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM and Corsair AF120 Elite differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 25.5 dBA on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM versus 28.9 dBA on the Corsair AF120 Elite.
Is the Lighting Type the same on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM and Corsair AF120 Elite?
It is. Both are listed at None, 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
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- be quiet!
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Corsair
Model
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- AF120 Elite
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Rifle
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Fluid Dynamic
Lighting
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- No RGB
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- No RGB
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 1.45 mmH2O-25%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 1.93 mmH2OBest
Max Speed
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 1600 RPM-14%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 1850 RPMBest
Airflow
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 49.9 CFM-16%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 59.1 CFMBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 25.5 dBABest
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 28.9 dBA
PWM Control
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Yes
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Yes
Connector Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 4-Pin PWM
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 4-Pin PWM
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- No
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- No
Lighting Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- None
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- None
Colorway
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Black
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Black
Warranty
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- 3 years-40%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 5 yearsBest
Positioning
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM
- Budget
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Performance
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM if you want the lower noise level (25.5 dBA vs 28.9 dBA).
Choose Corsair AF120 Elite if you want the higher static pressure (1.93 mmH2O vs 1.45 mmH2O), the higher max speed (1850 RPM vs 1600 RPM) and the higher airflow (59.1 CFM vs 49.9 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM | Corsair AF120 Elite |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| 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.
Corsair AF120 Elite
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A clean, quiet airflow fan for mesh cases, though the Arctic F12 PWM matches it for less money.