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Alpenföhn Brocken 4 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: Comparison

Alpenföhn Brocken 4 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: the noise level difference

These two are close on paper, and noise level is the only measure that separates them at all: Alpenföhn Brocken 4 22.8 dBA against Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 25.6 dBA. Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE also leads on fan count, 1 on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 2 on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE. Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE also leads on airflow, 55.3 CFM on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 66.17 CFM on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE. Add static pressure to that, 1.74 mmH2O on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 1.53 mmH2O on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE, and the pattern holds.

Alpenföhn Brocken 4 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: which one fits your build

The Alpenföhn Brocken 4 is the one to take for noise-sensitive mid-to-high TDP builds and buyers wanting a dual-tower alternative to mainstream brands, though it is not the pick for RGB-themed builds and extreme overclocking chasing the absolute lowest temps. Take the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE for budget and mid-range builds up to about 200W sustained. Nothing else at $32 gets close. It also earns its place with first-time builders. The mounting hardware is genuinely simple and the bundled screwdriver reaches everything. It is not the one for mATX or SFF cases. 155mm of height rules out most of them.

Where the two are identical

Where they agree, they agree completely, height, cooler type, heatpipe count, base material and fan size included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 2 further specifications as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE differ on max speed?

Yes. Max Speed reads 1600 RPM on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 1550 RPM on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE.

Is the PWM Control the same on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE?

It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Alpenföhn Brocken 4 (Dual-Tower Air/6 Heatpipes/Dual 120mm-140mm Fans/160mm Height/German-Engineered Quiet Cooling)
Alpenföhn
Alpenföhn Brocken 4
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (Dual-Tower Air/6 Heatpipes/Dual 120mm PWM/1550RPM/AM4-AM5/LGA1700-1851)
Thermalright
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

$32.31

Amazon

@ Amazon ›

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Alpenföhn
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Thermalright

  • Cooler Type

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Air Tower
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Air Tower

  • Series

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Peerless Assassin

  • Model Number

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    84000000205
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    PA120 SE

  • Height

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    155 mm
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    155 mm

  • Socket Compatibility

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/20XX
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X

  • Tower Layout

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Single-Tower
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Dual-Tower

  • Fan Count

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    1-50%
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    2Best

  • Noise Level

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    22.8 dBABest
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    25.6 dBA

  • Heatpipe Count

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    6
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    6

  • Base Material

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Nickel-Plated Copper
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Nickel-Plated Copper

  • Fan Size

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    120 mm
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    120 mm

  • Max Speed

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    1600 RPMBest
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    1550 RPM-3%

  • Airflow

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    55.3 CFM-16%
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    66.17 CFMBest

  • Static Pressure

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    1.74 mmH2O
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    1.53 mmH2O-12%

  • PWM Control

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    Yes
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    Yes

  • Lighting

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4
    None
    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    None

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose Alpenföhn Brocken 4 if you want the lower height (155 mm vs 155 mm), the lower noise level (22.8 dBA vs 25.6 dBA) and the higher max speed (1600 RPM vs 1550 RPM).

    Choose Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1) and the higher airflow (66.17 CFM vs 55.3 CFM).

    Price comparison

    RetailerAlpenföhn Brocken 4Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
    AmazonView on Amazon

    $32.31

    View on Amazon
    NeweggView 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

    Alpenföhn Brocken 4

    7.8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A genuinely quiet dual-tower cooler for buyers who value acoustics as much as raw thermal ceiling.

    Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

    9 / 10 Expert Rating

    The best cooling-per-dollar in air cooling right now.

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