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be quiet! Dark Base 901 vs Montech Air 1000 Premium: Comparison
What is the difference between be quiet! Dark Base 901 and Montech Air 1000 Premium?
On gpu clearance the spread is 15%, be quiet! Dark Base 901 470 mm against Montech Air 1000 Premium 400 mm, so be quiet! Dark Base 901 takes it. Add included fans to that, 3 on the be quiet! Dark Base 901 versus 4 on the Montech Air 1000 Premium, and the pattern holds. There is a split on case type as well, Full-Tower on the be quiet! Dark Base 901 versus Mid-Tower on the Montech Air 1000 Premium. There is a split on panel type as well, Tempered glass, tool-free removable on the be quiet! Dark Base 901 versus Full mesh front panel, tempered glass side on the Montech Air 1000 Premium.
be quiet! Dark Base 901 vs Montech Air 1000 Premium: which one fits your build
The be quiet! Dark Base 901 suits Quiet high-end builds and E-ATX motherboards, though it is not the pick for budget builds and small desks. Buy the Montech Air 1000 Premium for dual radiator builds on a mid-range budget and high-airflow gaming PCs with big GPUs, though it is the wrong buy for small desks with limited space and silent or sound-dampened build goals. Our rating of the be quiet! Dark Base 901 (8.5/10): nearly all of the Dark Base Pro 901 experience for less money, with genuinely quiet stock fans. Our rating of the Montech Air 1000 Premium (8.5/10): excellent value for a four-fan, dual-360mm-radiator case; one of the best budget-to-midrange picks for a serious air-cooled or AIO build.
Frequently asked questions
Do the be quiet! Dark Base 901 and Montech Air 1000 Premium differ on cpu cooler clearance?
Yes. CPU Cooler Clearance reads 195 mm on the be quiet! Dark Base 901 versus 176 mm on the Montech Air 1000 Premium.
Is the Front USB-C the same on the be quiet! Dark Base 901 and Montech Air 1000 Premium?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Motherboard Support
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- E-ATX, ATX, mATX, ITX
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- E-ATX, ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX
Case Type
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- Full-Tower
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- Mid-Tower
Panel Type
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- Tempered glass, tool-free removable
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- Full mesh front panel, tempered glass side
GPU Clearance
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- 470 mmBest
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- 400 mm-15%
CPU Cooler Clearance
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- 195 mmBest
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- 176 mm-10%
Included Fans
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- 3-25%
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- 4Best
Radiator Support
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- Front up to 420mm, top up to 420mm
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- Front 360mm, Top 360mm
Front USB-C
- be quiet! Dark Base 901
- Yes
- Montech Air 1000 Premium
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose be quiet! Dark Base 901 if you want the higher GPU clearance (470 mm vs 400 mm) and the higher CPU cooler clearance (195 mm vs 176 mm).
Choose Montech Air 1000 Premium if you want the higher included fans (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | be quiet! Dark Base 901 | Montech Air 1000 Premium |
|---|---|---|
| be quiet! Store | $210.00 View on be quiet! Store | |
| Montech | View on Montech |
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! Dark Base 901
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Nearly all of the Dark Base Pro 901 experience for less money, with genuinely quiet stock fans.
Montech Air 1000 Premium
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Excellent value for a four-fan, dual-360mm-radiator case; one of the best budget-to-midrange picks for a serious air-cooled or AIO build.