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be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM vs SilverStone FQ121: Comparison
be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM vs SilverStone FQ121: the static pressure difference
Static pressure is where these two genuinely part company, be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM 0.82 mmH2O against SilverStone FQ121 1.82 mmH2O, a 55% lead for SilverStone FQ121. Add airflow to that, 38.5 CFM on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 67.5 CFM on the SilverStone FQ121, and the pattern holds. Add max speed to that, 1100 RPM on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 1800 RPM on the SilverStone FQ121, and the pattern holds.
be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM vs SilverStone FQ121: which one fits your build
The be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM suits 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 SilverStone FQ121 is the one to take for CPU heatsink fans and filtered intake with dust screens, though it is not the pick for RGB builds and maximum airflow case builds. Our rating of the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM (7/10): A solid mid-tier be quiet! fan for builders who want better tonal quality than budget fans without flagship pricing. Our rating of the SilverStone FQ121 (7/10): A quiet, capable static-pressure fan that undercuts the premium brands without giving up much performance.
What be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM and SilverStone FQ121 have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: fan size, lighting, fan thickness, pwm control and positioning are identical here.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM and SilverStone FQ121 differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 15.9 dBA on the be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM versus 24 dBA on the SilverStone FQ121.
Specs and benchmarks
Fan Size
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 120 mm
- SilverStone FQ121
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- be quiet!
- SilverStone FQ121
- SilverStone
Model
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- SilverStone FQ121
- FQ121
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Rifle
- SilverStone FQ121
- Fluid Dynamic
Lighting
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- No RGB
- SilverStone FQ121
- No RGB
Fan Thickness
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 25 mm
- SilverStone FQ121
- 25 mm
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 0.82 mmH2O-55%
- SilverStone FQ121
- 1.82 mmH2OBest
Max Speed
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 1100 RPM-39%
- SilverStone FQ121
- 1800 RPMBest
Airflow
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 38.5 CFM-43%
- SilverStone FQ121
- 67.5 CFMBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 15.9 dBABest
- SilverStone FQ121
- 24 dBA
PWM Control
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Yes
- SilverStone FQ121
- Yes
Weight
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- 132 gBest
- SilverStone FQ121
- 143 g
Positioning
- be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM
- Mainstream
- SilverStone FQ121
- Mainstream
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM if you want the lower noise level (15.9 dBA vs 24 dBA).
Choose SilverStone FQ121 if you want the higher static pressure (1.82 mmH2O vs 0.82 mmH2O), the higher max speed (1800 RPM vs 1100 RPM) and the higher airflow (67.5 CFM vs 38.5 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM | SilverStone FQ121 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| SilverStone | View on SilverStone |
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!
SilverStone FQ121
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A quiet, capable static-pressure fan that undercuts the premium brands without giving up much performance.