The ambient noise for this set of testing is 31 dBA. To make sure we could measure noise levels that were softer than 30 dBA, the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) was set 10 cm from each fan. SPL was adjusted to 1 meter by subtracting 20 dB. The sound pressure meter is a Tenma 72-942. This fan tester has a microphone which is not accurate under 30 dBA. This is the limit of all but the most expensive SPL meters. At low levels sound measurement by extrapolation is not accurate, so that sound measurements are approximate. With such a variety of PC fans on the market these days a manufacturer really needs something that makes their product stand out. Basic considerations when choosing a case fan are appearance, cost, noise level and performance which depending on your needs will carry different weights in your decision. With that in mind let’s see how the Silent 3 case fans measure up and if they might be a product you would consider. Introduction The fans were installed with what be quiet! calls “hard plastic fittings” on the corners. Belying their name they have rubber cores designed to attenuate vibrations. To finish the job they fasten these fans with rubber washers. Installed fans close up A Closer Look The airflow was assessed using a standard measure, cubic feet per minute, or CFM. The air entered a sealed 8″x8″x8″ box (200+ mm on a side) where it was allowed to mix. The air left the box through an exhaust port, where it was measured with the vane head of an Extech AN100 anemometer, averaging 10 readings per fan setting. The fans were tested in an unobstructed state, with a metal mesh dust filter and on a 30 FPI rad. Test Results

SW3 fans were originally designed by BeQuiet to be used with their cases, which included additional circuitry to "pull up" the pwm signals applied to them to 5 volt levels (you couldn't control pwm SW3s using the Aquaero unless you added additional circuitry to raise pwm signal levels to 5V; a similar issue was experienced using pwm pumps with the Aquaero). This was determined by IT DIVA on OCN, and she eventually designed an addon circuit that provided properly spec'd pullup resistance. On the intake side the air tube flares at the corners to make the “funnel-shaped air inlets” previously noted. This corner shaping is in aid of static pressure. On the exhaust side, the air path is a straight tube. Intake and Exhaust Views And all the fans are built with PBT, the same plastic that's best for gaming keyboard keycaps. Be Quiet says in their testing these fans worked just fine for really long periods, and say that even for four of more years of maximum RPM, there shouldn't be any sign of impeller creep. That's basically when the constant spinning and centrifugal forces on the blades causes them to stretch out, which, you might have guessed, isn't ideal. A speed range under PWM of greater than 500 %! Quite the range. If the highspeed version of the SW3 is like this it will be a fabulous rad fan. Availability and Price Anyway, AquaComputer eventually added similar circuitry to the SPLITTY9 Active and QUADRO products, which helped mitigate the problem down the road.The Silent Wings 3 fan is a premium product. When you buy the fan retail it comes with two different fittings for the corners. However, we are reviewing the fans that came with the Pro 900 case, so our review will focus on the 140 mm 1000 RPM PWM fans that were included. The image above shows the fan with what be quiet! calls “hard plastic fittings.” These may be hard on the outside but on the inside, there is rubber for reducing noise when a screw holds it tight. The only other problem to consider is that occasionally, components immediately adjacent to the motherboard fan header can get in the way of the larger 4-pin fan connector, physically preventing connection. This problem also occurs if you try to use an in-line fan speed controller such as the one made by Gelid.

So the 1000 RPM slow speed version is not a radiator fan. For that one should try the highspeed version that nominally runs at 1650 RPM. But let us now look at the PWM control: Where the Silent Wings 4 finds more success is when it comes to pressure. The standard 120mm model manages 1.79 mm/H₂0 at 1,600 RPM, but up to 3.86 mm/H₂0 at full speed. That makes it a great fit for radiators, and up there with the likes of Corsair's SP120 static pressure fans at 1.45 mm/H₂0 at 1,400 RPM. The Noctua NF-S12B isn't the fan you'd want for this purpose at 1.31 mm/H₂0 at 1,200 RPM, instead you'd be better off with something like the NF-P12 redux. An image from be quiet! showing an anti-vibration fitting on the corner. BTW, be quiet! has a PDF manual that shows you how to take these corners off. The manual has a diagram that helps us see just how vibrations are not transmitted with this corner fitting. Anti-Vibration Fitting Test Setup

Features

The fans were placed on a test stand, where their free air RPM was observed and their noise was assessed. The standard proxy for what you can hear is the Sound Pressure Level (SPL), measured in decibels and given a type A-weighting (dBA). A silent room is about 30 dBA. The people at be quiet! sell you the retail fans with what they call “anti-vibration fittings” as well. They say, “Removable anti-vibration mountings on all four edges of the fan reduce vibrations transmitted to the PC case to an absolute minimum.” The corner fittings look nice, but because I never had them in hand I can only say the the pictures from be quiet have the fittings looking nice. Could be BeQuiet phased out the SW3s because there was a problem with using the pwm versions with AquaComputer Aquaeros. that's interesting... exactly what i use Will for sure investigate a bit further... Thank you very much for that information, had no clue about that! The Silent Wings 3 are quiet fans. Their airflow is about mid-range but they are among the quieter case fans. Arguably with the other corner mounts, it would be quieter still.

The Silent Wings 3 normally comes in a box with a variety of accessories, including two sets of corner mounts, screws and connectors (photographs from be quiet!). The case fans did not come with “anti-vibration fittings” at the corners, but retail fans do. Undoubtedly the fans are an integral factor in minimizing the noise levels of the products in the be quiet! portfolio.Specially developed Silent Wings and other be quiet! fans are used throughout all product ranges. They are equipped with a variety of noise-reducing features, such as special bearings, smooth motors, optimized airflow and vibration decoupling. Thanks to these fans be quiet! products attain a perfect balance of ideal cooling performance and virtually inaudible operation.Whoever decides to buy be quiet! products, buys proven premium quality and the silent operation typical of be quiet!.

Today we’re having a look at the be quiet! Silent Wings 3 case fans that came with the recently reviewed Dark Base Pro 900. These fans are available in 120/140mm sizes at two different speeds of 1000 RPM and 1650 RPM as PWM or DC and are available at many retail outlets. These are excellent results for fans that came in a case. Usually cases come with pretty cheap fans. The fans we received with the Dark Base Pro 900 were premium fans. The retail versions of the Silent Wings 3 are even more premium than that, coming with both kinds of corner fittings, providing those users who like to fiddle with things something to fiddle with. Here is a closeup of a corner mount that has been removed, showing how the frame holds it in place. Note that the corner shows its rubber core in this picture. Corner Closeup Well if you have review questions, probably talk to @Avacado. Keep in mind not everyone necessarily has the specific comparisons you may be looking for.

Characteristics

Fluid dynamic bearings are an expensive option. FDB adds to the cost of a fan. Frame-shaping we have seen before. Specifications Compare both of those to the Noctua NF-S12B redux-1200 PWM, our favourite PC fan, at 100.6 m³/h at 1,200 RPM, and you're likely looking at running the Silent Wings at a higher RPM to match that airflow rate. But with the Silent Wings Pro 4 you really can crank up the RPM something fierce if you don't care for the noise. Despite its high performance, the SilentWings 3 from be quiet! is almost inaudibly quiet: the 120-millimeter variant produces a sound level of 16.4 decibels, while the 140 mm model produces only 15.5 decibels. The highly efficient, three-phase 6-pole fan motor and the rubberized frame contribute positively to this: both parts reduce vibrations to a possible minimum. In addition, the advanced, high-quality IC motor control effectively prevents electrical interference.