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be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed vs EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER: Comparison
be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM vs EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER static pressure compared
The gap that matters here is static pressure: be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM 3.96 mmH2O against EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER 3.16 mmH2O, which puts be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM 20% ahead. Add warranty to that, 5 years on the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM versus 2 years on the EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER, and the pattern holds. Max speed runs the same way, 2500 RPM on the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM versus 2200 RPM on the EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER, another win for be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM.
Who each one is for
Take the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM for builds needing more airflow than a standard Noctua fan provides and willing to trade a bit of acoustic headroom for it. It is not the one for Silent-first builds where the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM's lower noise ceiling matters more than peak airflow. The EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER is the one to take for dense custom-loop radiators and extreme overclocking rigs, though it is not built for Quiet or daily-use builds and case intake/exhaust duty. Our rating of the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM (8/10): more airflow than the quiet-first competition, with a bearing rating built for a decade of running. Our rating of the EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER (8/10): an extreme, loud, purpose-built radiator fan for the densest custom loops, overkill for anything less.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM and EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 31.2 dBA on the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM versus 33.5 dBA on the EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER.
Is the Fan Size the same on the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM and EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER?
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! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 120 mm
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- be quiet!
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- EKWB
Model
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- Vardar EVO 120ER
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Fluid Dynamic
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- Ball
Fan Thickness
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 25 mm
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 25 mm
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 3.96 mmH2OBest
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 3.16 mmH2O-20%
Max Speed
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 2500 RPMBest
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 2200 RPM-12%
Airflow
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 76.7 CFM0%
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 77 CFMBest
Noise Level
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 31.2 dBABest
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 33.5 dBA
PWM Control
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- Yes
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- Yes
Rated Life
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 300000 hours
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 50000 hours
Max Power Draw
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 2.4 W
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 2.16 WBest
Connector Type
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 4-Pin PWM
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 4-Pin PWM
Cable Length
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 500 mm
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 300 mm
Warranty
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed
- 5 yearsBest
- EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
- 2 years-60%
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed if you want the higher static pressure (3.96 mmH2O vs 3.16 mmH2O), the higher max speed (2500 RPM vs 2200 RPM) and the lower noise level (31.2 dBA vs 33.5 dBA).
Choose EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER if you want the higher airflow (77 CFM vs 76.7 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM High-Speed | EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| EKWB | View on EKWB |
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! 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.
EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120ER
8 / 10 Expert Rating
An extreme, loud, purpose-built radiator fan for the densest custom loops, overkill for anything less.