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be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM vs Corsair AF120 Elite: Comparison
be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM vs Corsair AF120 Elite: the static pressure difference
Start with static pressure, because it is the widest measured gap between them: be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM 0.82 mmH2O against Corsair AF120 Elite 1.93 mmH2O, 58% in favour of Corsair AF120 Elite. Airflow runs the same way, 38.5 CFM on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 59.1 CFM on the Corsair AF120 Elite, another win for Corsair AF120 Elite. Add max speed to that, 1100 RPM on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 1850 RPM on the Corsair AF120 Elite, and the pattern holds. Corsair AF120 Elite also leads on warranty, 3 years on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 5 years on the Corsair AF120 Elite.
Which should you buy, be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM or Corsair AF120 Elite?
Buy the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM for mid-tier builds wanting be quiet!'s acoustic reputation and cases with thinner panels prone to fan buzz/resonance, though it is the wrong buy for absolute-lowest noise floor (step up to Silent Wings 4) and RGB builds. 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.
What be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM and Corsair AF120 Elite have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, fan size, connector type, lighting, fan thickness and pwm control included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM and Corsair AF120 Elite differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 15.9 dBA on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 28.9 dBA on the Corsair AF120 Elite.
Is the RGB Lighting the same on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM and Corsair AF120 Elite?
It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Fan Size
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 120 mm
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- be quiet!
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Corsair
Model
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- AF120 Elite
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Rifle
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Fluid Dynamic
Lighting
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- No RGB
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- No RGB
Fan Thickness
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 25 mm
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 25 mm
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 0.82 mmH2O-58%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 1.93 mmH2OBest
Max Speed
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 1100 RPM-41%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 1850 RPMBest
Airflow
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 38.5 CFM-35%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 59.1 CFMBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 15.9 dBABest
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 28.9 dBA
PWM Control
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Yes
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Yes
Connector Type
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 4-Pin PWM
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 4-Pin PWM
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- No
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- No
Lighting Type
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- None
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- None
Colorway
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Black
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Black
Warranty
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 3 years-40%
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- 5 yearsBest
Positioning
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Mainstream
- Corsair AF120 Elite
- Performance
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM if you want the lower noise level (15.9 dBA vs 28.9 dBA).
Choose Corsair AF120 Elite if you want the higher static pressure (1.93 mmH2O vs 0.82 mmH2O), the higher max speed (1850 RPM vs 1100 RPM) and the higher airflow (59.1 CFM vs 38.5 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM | Corsair AF120 Elite |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View 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
be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A solid mid-tier be quiet!
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.