Field test …
A Super-Silent PC system was used as the test environment. The reference PC system is neither audible nor measurable in idle. In absolute silence in the room, the measuring device captures 5-7db “ambient noise”.
Dark Base 700
Be quiet! PurePower 10 600W
MSI Z370 Krait Gaming
Intel i3 8350K @4.0GHz
Be quiet! PureRock Slim
Crucial DDR4-2133 8GB
Galax GTX980 SOC mit Custom Cooling
Two be quiet! Silent Wings 3 140 PWM fans served as reference case fans.
The system and CPU temperatures were read out in parallel using two different tools, GPU-Z and the MSI Control Center. The fan rotations were read out via the MSI Control Center.
The system was equipped once with the two be quiet! fans and once with an Enermax TBS 120 ADV as front fan and an Enermax TBS 140 ADV as rear fan.
In both configurations the following scenarios were played through:
1. open case, idle, fan on auto
2. open case, idle, case fan at maximum speed (only volume measurement)
3. open case, fan on auto, stress test CPU & graphics card with Prime95 and the Unigine Superposition
4. closed case, idle, fan on auto
5. closed case, idle, case fan at maximum speed (volume measurement only)
6. closed case, fan on auto, stress test CPU & graphics card with Prime95 and the Unigine Superposition
| Test scenario | Enermax TB Silent ADV | Be quiet! Silent Wings 3 |
| Case open, idle, fan auto | CPU Temp: 32°C CPU Fan: 530rpm System Temp: 30°C System Fan 120: 710rpm System Fan 140: 600rpm Geräusch: 6-7 dB |
CPU Temp: 32°C CPU Fan: 530rpm System Temp: 30°C System Fan F: 550rpm System Fan R: 520rpm Geräusch: 6-7 dB |
| Case open, idle, case fan max | System Fan 120: 1450rpm System Fan 140: 1200rpm Geräusch: 26 dB |
System Fan F: 1890rpm System Fan R: 1950rpm Geräusch: 24 dB |
| Case open, fan auto, Load (Prime95 & Unigine Superposition) for 30min |
CPU Temp: 65°C CPU Fan: 1540rpm System Temp: 35°C System Fan 120: 1230rpm System Fan 140: 1010rpm Geräusch: 23 dB |
CPU Temp: 65°C CPU Fan: 1500rpm System Temp: 36°C System Fan F: 1400rpm System Fan R: 1300rpm Geräusch: 22 dB |
| Case closed, idle, fan auto | CPU Temp: 31°C CPU Fan: 530rpm System Temp: 30°C System Fan 120: 800rpm System Fan 140: 620rpm Geräusch: 5-7 dB |
CPU Temp: 32°C CPU Fan: 530rpm System Temp: 31°C System Fan F: 550rpm System Fan R: 550rpm Geräusch: 5-7 dB |
| Case closed, idle, case fan max | System Fan 120: 1480rpm System Fan 140: 1120rpm Geräusch: 21 dB |
System Fan F: 1800rpm System Fan R: 1940rpm Geräusch: 20 dB |
| Case closed, fan auto, Load (Prime95 & Unigine Superposition) for 30min |
CPU Temp: 75°C CPU Fan: 1700rpm System Temp: 35°C System Fan 120: 1380rpm System Fan 140: 1090rpm Geräusch: 23 dB |
CPU Temp: 79°C CPU Fan: 2100rpm System Temp: 39°C System Fan F: 1860rpm System Fan R: 1750rpm Geräusch: 25 dB |
The result is quite consistent. Even if you have to say that the differences are not huge.
The Enermax T.B. Silence fans are very quiet, only at a speed of more than 50% they become audible and remain even at 100% in the hardly disturbing range. The be quiet! silent wings they have to admit defeat in this point.
But we have another scenario when the system needs a good cooling under load!
At least in the half-hour stress test the Enermax managed better to keep the system temperature lower overall and to avoid very high fan speeds. The Silent Wings finally had higher temperatures and were even louder finally due to high speeds.
Whereby both system configurations with 25 to 30 dB at a distance of one meter simply have to be regarded as “whisper-quiet”, the usual dB tables locate “whispering”, a “quiet bedroom at night” or “light wind noise” in this area.
Enermax T.B. Silence ADV result and general impression …