Testing
And in this review instead of mounting the fans on a CPU cooler I will measure the airflow and static pressure using a dedicated wind meter and a basic wind tunnel. Of course, I will also include a CPU cooler test for all fans in the future, once the testing methodology is updated fully. Right now I will focus on raw performance with the wind tunnel.
120mm Fan Airflow – No restriction
120mm Fan Airflow – 25mm thick Radiator
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 5 db.
In the video below you can hear a noise sample of both fans going from zero RPM to their maximum RPM:
Final thoughts
The be quiet! Silent Wings 4 and the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro are one of the best fans available on the market right now. Not only is the performance great, but the design and build quality are great. These fans bring out improvements over the Silent Wings 3 models and come with no less than three different mounting systems to suit your needs.
The design of these fans is interesting to say the least. With an all-black color scheme and a matte surface on all components. The impeller design is good too, with an angled shape that will increase the static pressure and airflow, and matches the trends of the fans today, design wise.
One of the best features of these fans apart from their great performance is the modular mounting system. Even with the regular Silent Wings 4, you get plenty of options to mount this fan and adapt it to suit your needs.
However, the biggest feature of this fan is the performance on both a radiator and as a case fan. The be quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro was only bested by the Phanteks t30 running at maximum rpm. Speaking of maximum RPM, as no fan can be silent at close to 3000RPM, the Silent Wings 4 Pro is not silent, at close to 48 decibels. However, it’s not like you will hold this fan at maximum RPM all the time. And when we talk about the noise level at lower RPMs, then the noise output lowers to around 27 decibels, which is great.
The build quality is good and above most be quiet! fans, in fact, this fan is pretty much on the same level as high end Noctua fans. Everything from the plastic used to the rubber pads, motor and cables are high quality.
In conclusion, the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 and the Silent Wings 4 Pro are two great fans that will deliver a great performance. The build quality is good and the design is fantastic. However, there is a price to pay for all this, literally. These fans are not cheap especially if you want to use multiple fans in your system.
