Introduction

Pure Wings 3 is a new generation of high-performance fans from be quiet! They were introduced with the launch of the Pure Loop 2 series (second generation). At that time, these fans were not available off the self in the market. Be quiet! later on released these fans in the following configuration:

These fans feature a closed-loop motor Control and they also feature a closed or sealed-off exhaust square design. The salient features of the Pure Wings 3 include:

  • Innovative closed loop motor keeps the rpm no matter the resistance
  • Optimized fan frame for outstanding performance on radiators
  • Newly designed fan blades and re-arranged angle for extraordinary air pressure
  • Pure Wings 3 120/140mm PWM high-speed can be operated with very low minimum rpm for very quiet operation
  • Long life rifle bearing gives an operating lifetime of 80,000 hours
  • Product conception, design and quality control in Germany

The 120mm High-Speed PWM fan has MSRP of €13.90 whereas the 140mm High-Speed PWM fan has MSRP of €14.90. These can also be found on Amazon UK HERE and Amazon US HERE.

Specifications

Specs 120mm PWM HS

The above picture shows the specifications of Pure Wings 3 120mm High-Speed PWM fan.

Specs 140mm PWM HS

The above picture shows the specifications of Pure Wings 3 140mm High-Speed PWM fan.

Packaging and Unboxing

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Both fans are shipped inside a black colored shipping box in a standard be quiet! Theme. Be quiet! is defining this generation in three words; Performant, Progressive, and Quiet. I am taking a look at High-Speed PWM variants in this article.

Accessories

Let’s take a look at what accessories are provided.

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Each box has

  • 1x Fan on stated size
  • 4x Self-Tapping Screws

Closer Look

Here is what be quiet! is saying about these fans. “Pure Wings 3 are the mainstream fans of be quiet! They offer everything demanding gamers need for their system. Be it high air pressure or quiet operation with very low minimum rpm: Pure Wings 3 suits both applications ideally. The PWM high-speed models feature closed loop motor technology that ensures the fan speed always stays on the same level, despite the resistance the fans are facing during operation. Pure Wings 3 are undisputed in their class.”

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The dimension of 120mm fan is 120x120x25mm whereas it is 140x140x25mm for the 140mm variant. Since I am taking a look at High-Speed PWM variants, these will be referred to throughout this content. The above picture shows both fans from the front side. Both sizes have 9x blades with layered surface which is the same design that I have been seeing on many other generations of be quiet! Fans. This layered design helps in generating more airflow and reducing air turbulence.

There is a ring between the main frame and the blade assembly. Basically, this ring is a part of the frame with a distinction that blades spin inside this ring area. There are no anti-vibration pads on the mounting corners. The center has be quiet! branding. There is a slope-down design from the mounting corners towards the ring.

Looking at the backside of the fan, we can see a 4-arms assembly. Each arm has a curvature design which helps to generate a focused airflow through the fan. Also, you can see a closed design from the back which is named sealed-off exhaust square design. It prevents the air from leaking through the frame area. The fans are made in China and have a manufacturing date of 23-08-23.

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Looking at the sides of the main frame, you can see that there is a be quiet! branding on one side whereas there are arrow markers on another side. These arrows indicate the direction of airflow through the fan and the direction in which blades spin. These are handy for the novice users.

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Each fan has a 460mm flat cable that has a 4-pin PWM connector. These fans use Rifle bearings and use 4-pole fan motors. The 120mm High-Speed PWM fan is rated for 2100 RPM at 100% PWM cycle whereas the 140mm fan is rated for 1800 RPM. The noise rating of 120mm fan is 30.9 dB(A) and it is 30.5 dB(A) for the 140mm version. The airflow rating for 120mm fan is 59.6 CFM and 72.2 CFM for the 140mm version. The 120mm version is rated for 2.41 mmH₂O and 140mm is rated for 2.44 mmH₂O.

Closed-Loop Motor Control

The main concept behind the Pure Wings 3 High-Speed PWM fans is the closed-loop motor control which is different than the mainstream PWM regulated fan control. In PWM fan control, the speed of the fans is regulated using %age that is mentioned as PWM Range. There is always a variance in PWM range. This variance could affect the actual speed of the fans.

Since speed and airflow are linked directly, the airflow would also be affected accordingly. This variation could become more significant in a longer run. This implies that we are compensating speed. Be Quiet! has taken a different approach with the Pure Wings 3 PWM fans.

These fans are still PWM but they are regulating the speed using Tachometer signal from the fan itself. This way we have a closed-loop whereby motor is getting regular feedback about the speed of the fan instead of the PWM range factor and adjusts the current and RPM of the fans ensuring that the fans would continue to spin at the set speed for its target. This way we can ensure same performance and same airflow regardless of the resistance to the air flow.

Testing

We have used the following configurations for testing:

  • Intel core i7 12700k
  • Be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 360
  • GIGABYTE Z690 AERO G D5
  • Sabrent Rocket 32GB DDR5 Kit @ 4800MHz CAS 40
  • GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC
  • Sabrent Rocket Q 500GB NVMe SSD [For OS]
  • Be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum PSU
  • Open-air bench

The test table is:

Clocks P-Cores 4.8GHz

E-Core 3.8GHz
Voltage 1.20V
C-States Disabled
Speed Step Disabled
Rest of settings Stock, Auto
XMP XMP Loaded where available
Thermal Paste Noctua NT-H1
Thermal Paste Application X lines method
Headers CPU_FAN, CPU_OPT, and PUMP Headers
Stress Software CINEBENCH R23.2
Stress Run Time 30 minutes
PC Idle Time 5 minutes
Monitoring Software HWInfo64
OC Tool Intel XTU

be quiet Pure Loop 2 360 RGB 7

The ambient temperature is in the range of 25°C to 25.5°C. Since the variation in the ambient temperature is within 1°C, we are reporting absolute temperatures in the graph. The testing is done on an open-air bench system. Once inside the chassis, the temperatures are expected to rise and would largely depend upon the optimal airflow inside the chassis.

Let’s take a look at the results.

Result

Thermal Performance

I have tested the 120mm PWM High-Speed fans on the be quiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 360 cooler that comes with the Light Wings 120mm fans. In my testing, there was an improvement by 2ᵒC when stock fans were switched to 120mm High-Speed PWM fans. These fans are not that loud at full speed and one can use the fan curve or auto PWM function anyway.

Conclusion

Pure Wings 3 is the next generation of mainstream fans that are capable of fulfilling the high air pressure and low noise application requirements. This generation of fans is available in the following options:

I have taken a look at the High-Speed PWM variants in 120mm and 140mm sizes. These fans have a dimension of 120x120x25mm and 140x140x25mm. The specification comparison is as under:

120mm PWM High-Speed 140mm PWM High-Speed
Speed 2100 RPM 1800 RPM
Air Pressure 2.41 mmH₂O 2.44 mmH₂O
Noise 30.9 dB(A) 30.5 dB(A)
Airflow 59.6 CFM 72.2 CFM
Bearing Rifle

 

These fans use a 4-pole fan motor. Each fan has 9x layered blades. This design helps generate better airflow while reducing turbulence. There is a ring design in the interior of the main frame and the backside has a sealed-off exhaust square frame to prevent air leakage.

These fans have one key feature that is a differentiating factor between these fans and the other fans on the market. Instead of PWM regulation, these fans use a tachometer to provide an RPM of the fans to the motor hence the name closed-loop motor control. The smart motor then adjusts the current so that the same speed can be ensured at the set target by the users.

Tachometer or tach in short is nothing new and be quiet! has changed the mapping of speed regulation. By focusing on the speed of the fans, they have ensured that fans would continue to spin at the same speed and generate the same airflow regardless of the surface of use and its resistance to airflow. This way the variation in PWM regulation is also addressed.

A 4-pin PWM connector powers each fan. The fan comes with 4x self-tapping screws and now these fans are available in white color as well. The 120mm PWM High-Speed fan has an MSRP of $13.90 whereas the 140mm PWM High-Speed version has an MSRP of €14.90. be quiet! offers a 3-year warranty on these fans. In my testing, these fans offered a 2ᵒC over Light Wings fans that are provided with Pure Loop 2 FX 360 liquid cooler. This shows the good performance capability of these fans at a better noise output and they come recommended by us.

EnosTech Recommended Award