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be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM vs Zalman ZM-F3: Comparison
What is the difference between be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM and Zalman ZM-F3?
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is noise level, be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM 21.9 dBA against Zalman ZM-F3 23 dBA. There is a split on fan size as well, 140 mm on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM versus 120 mm on the Zalman ZM-F3. They differ on bearing type too, Rifle on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM versus Fluid Dynamic on the Zalman ZM-F3. Rated life is not the same on both, 80000 hours on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM versus 150000 hours on the Zalman ZM-F3. On weight there is little in it, 180 g on the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM versus 100 g on the Zalman ZM-F3.
Who each one is for
Buy the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM for budget builds needing basic 140mm airflow and front or rear case fan replacement, though it is not the pick for radiator or high-restriction duty and long-term 24/7 workstation use. The Zalman ZM-F3 suits bargain-bin case fan replacements and Quiet, low-cost builds, though it is not built for radiator or heatsink duty and RGB builds. Our rating of the be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM (6/10): A perfectly adequate budget 140mm fan, but the rifle bearing means it's not the one to buy for a decade of runtime. Our rating of the Zalman ZM-F3 (5/10): A budget fan that does the basics quietly, nothing more, nothing less.
What be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM and Zalman ZM-F3 have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, lighting, fan thickness, max speed, positioning and colors included, so the decision does not turn on any of those.
Specs and benchmarks
Fan Size
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 140 mm
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- be quiet!
- Zalman ZM-F3
- Zalman
Model
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- Zalman ZM-F3
- ZM-F3
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- Rifle
- Zalman ZM-F3
- Fluid Dynamic
Lighting
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- No RGB
- Zalman ZM-F3
- No RGB
Fan Thickness
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 25 mm
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 25 mm
Max Speed
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 1200 RPM
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 1200 RPM
Noise Level
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 21.9 dBABest
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 23 dBA
Rated Life
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 80000 hours
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 150000 hours
Weight
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- 180 g
- Zalman ZM-F3
- 100 gBest
Positioning
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- Budget
- Zalman ZM-F3
- Budget
Colors
- be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM
- Black
- Zalman ZM-F3
- Black
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM if you want the higher max speed (1200 RPM vs 1200 RPM) and the lower noise level (21.9 dBA vs 23 dBA).
Choose Zalman ZM-F3 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140mm PWM | Zalman ZM-F3 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Zalman | View on Zalman |
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 140mm PWM
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A perfectly adequate budget 140mm fan, but the rifle bearing means it's not the one to buy for a decade of runtime.
Zalman ZM-F3
5 / 10 Expert Rating
A budget fan that does the basics quietly, nothing more, nothing less.