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be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM vs Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM: Comparison
What is the difference between be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM and Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM?
On static pressure the spread is 56%, be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM 5.31 mmH2O against Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM 2.34 mmH2O, so be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM takes it. Add airflow to that, 83.9 CFM on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM versus 60.09 CFM on the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, and the pattern holds. be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM also leads on max speed, 3000 RPM on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM versus 2000 RPM on the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM. Add warranty to that, 5 years on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM versus 6 years on the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, and the pattern holds.
be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM vs Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM: which one fits your build
The be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM suits 360mm and 280mm AIO radiators and restrictive front filters and dense meshes, though it is the wrong buy for open-air mesh cases where pressure is wasted and RGB lighting requirements. Buy the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM for premium builds where noise and longevity matter most. It is equally the pick for buyers wanting the single best-tested all-around 120mm fan for any position. It is not the one for tight budgets filling an entire case, the Arctic P12 PST 5-pack is better value.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Fan size, bearing type, connector type, lighting connector and fan thickness read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM and Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM differ on noise level?
Yes. Noise Level reads 36.9 dBA on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM versus 22.6 dBA on the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM.
Is the PWM Control the same on the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM and Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Fan Size
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 120 mm
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 120 mm
Brand
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- be quiet!
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- Noctua
Model
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- NF-A12x25 PWM
Bearing Type
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Fluid Dynamic
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- Fluid Dynamic
Lighting
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- No RGB
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- None
Fan Thickness
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 25 mm
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 25 mm
Static Pressure
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 5.31 mmH2OBest
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 2.34 mmH2O-56%
Max Speed
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 3000 RPMBest
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 2000 RPM-33%
Airflow
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 83.9 CFMBest
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 60.09 CFM-28%
Noise Level
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 36.9 dBA
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 22.6 dBABest
PWM Control
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Yes
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- Yes
Rated Life
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 300000 hours
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 150000 hours
Anti Vibration Pads
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Yes
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- Yes
Max Power Draw
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 3.6 W
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 1.68 WBest
Connector Type
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 4-Pin PWM
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 4-Pin PWM
Lighting Connector
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- None
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- None
RGB Lighting
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- No
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- No
Lighting Type
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- None
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- None
Colorway
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- Black
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- Brown And Beige
Cable Length
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 500 mm
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 200 mm
Weight
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 227 g
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 200 gBest
Warranty
- be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM
- 5 years-17%
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
- 6 yearsBest
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM if you want the higher static pressure (5.31 mmH2O vs 2.34 mmH2O), the higher max speed (3000 RPM vs 2000 RPM) and the higher airflow (83.9 CFM vs 60.09 CFM).
Choose Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM if you want the lower noise level (22.6 dBA vs 36.9 dBA) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 5 years).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 120mm PWM | Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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 Pro 4 120mm PWM
9 / 10 Expert Rating
be quiet!'s best radiator fan, closing most of the gap to Noctua's A12x25 at a friendlier price.
Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The reference benchmark for 120mm fans, best-tested all-around performance and quietest in its class, with class-leading bearing longevity.