The airflow performance of Be Quiet!’s Shadow Wings fans seemed fairly impressive. The lower speed variants managed to move a decent amount of air at their 12V setting but this amount rapidly decreased once the voltage was reduced. The 2,200 RPM version offered excellent airflow as is expected of any high speed, 2,200 RPM fan. The airflow levels weren’t as impressive as those of the Silent Wings 2/Dark Wings counterparts or Phanteks’ and Noctua’s competing options. Nevertheless, the airflow levels should be fine when used in a chassis environment, just don’t expect ground-breaking temperatures.
Acoustic performance for the Shadow Wings is very good. They are generally quieter than Phanteks’ and Noctua’s options even when the latter operated at lower speeds. Using the 7V adapter will yield overwhelming delta noise of well under 1.0 dbA. As expected, the 800 RPM version was by far the quietest. At full speed it didn’t even break the 0.5 dbA delta acoustic output mark, a value which was decreased with a voltage reduction. Rubber and plastic mounting hardware ensures that the Shadow Wings fans operate quietly whatever the environment as noise-producing vibrations are unable to escape the fan’s body.
Be Quiet! chose to cut costs by including a scarce bundle consisting of a single voltage-reduction adapter and tool-less mounting hardware. Printing the installation technique on a part of the internal packaging is a clever and effective way of cutting costs seeing as it would be preferred to a separate manual but added expense. The black fan cable is another quality aspect which so many fan manufacturers forget. Nobody wants to pay extra for a fan which has an elegant and trendy appearance only for it to be let down by an ugly multi-coloured cable.
While they may not be of the same quality as some of today’s competitors, the Shadow Wings do have one clear advantage, price. They offer decent levels of airflow, a tool-less installation method and very low-noise operation. With a 3 year warranty and a variety of models priced at around £11/€11,90 for the 120mm versions and £12.49/€13,90 for the 140mm version, Be Quiet!’s Shadow Wings fans are a good choice for anybody wanting low-noise computing without having to concede too much performance.
