I’ve long noticed that not all companies shake off the holiday slowdown at the same time. Some wait until the end of winter to release new products, while others, like be quiet!, keep their audience engaged with smaller but interesting updates. While I wait for the Light Base 900 FX to arrive for review, I’ve had the chance to test be quiet!’s latest fans—the Light Wings LX 120mm and Light Wings LX 140mm.
Video about be quiet! Light Wings LX 140mm
Market position
However, this won’t be a full review—more of a showcase. I’ll cover the key points briefly but sufficiently. Let’s start with pricing. In theory, there could be up to 16 different variations of the Light Wings LX series. These include 120mm or 140mm sizes, PWM or fixed-speed versions, standard or High-Speed models, and a choice of black or white color options.
In theory, there could be up to 16 different variants of the Light Wings LX lineup, but in reality, only about half of them will likely be available. The models I received for testing include the black be quiet! Light Wings LX 120mm PWM High Speed, the black be quiet! Light Wings LX 140mm PWM High Speed, and a set of three white be quiet! Light Wings LX 140mm PWM.
The pricing for these fans is as follows: $21 for the 120mm PWM High Speed, $21 for the 140mm PWM High Speed, and around $60 for the triple-pack of 140mm PWM. This places them in the mid-to-premium range—not the cheapest option available, but also not among the most expensive. There are pricier alternatives on the market.
Package contents
All models come with the same set of accessories: an instruction manual and a set of screws. However, the included screws are only for case mounting, not for radiator installation. This makes sense, as radiator screws are not universal due to varying radiator thicknesses. It’s something to keep in mind if you plan to use these fans for liquid cooling setups.
Specifications
The fans come in two standard sizes: 120 mm or 140 mm in width and height, with a thickness of 25 mm. Power consumption ranges from 3.6 W to 5.4 W, depending on speed. They use fluid dynamic bearings with a helical groove design, which are considered high-quality and durable.
Fan speeds vary depending on the model: up to 1200 RPM for the standard 140 mm version, 1800 RPM for the high-speed 140 mm model, and 2100 RPM for the high-speed 120 mm version. At full speed, airflow is rated at 56 m³/h for the standard 140 mm fan, 61 m³/h for the high-speed 120 mm, and 75 m³/h for the high-speed 140 mm. Static pressure differs as well—0.9 mm H₂O for the standard 140 mm model, while both high-speed variants offer 2.5 mm H₂O.
Volume
The high-speed models are also noticeably louder at maximum RPM—reaching up to 30 dBA, while the standard version stays just under 23 dBA. You can check out the noise levels in the video above. For testing, I focused on maximum speed rather than the lowest setting. The reason? In a typical apartment, the background noise level usually ranges between 28 and 33 dBA, coming from neighbors, electrical wiring, street sounds, and other ambient sources.
At that background noise level, 22 dBA is practically imperceptible. And that’s at 100% speed. However, I wouldn’t recommend running case fans at full speed anyway. Instead, I suggest setting them to 25–30% at most. It’s generally better to install more fans at lower speeds rather than relying on fewer high-speed ones.
Features
I’ve already covered the differences between the high-speed and standard models in a previous discussion—the link will be in the video description. However, the Light Wings LX series comes with a few notable features. One of them is a feedback function that helps compensate for airflow resistance, ensuring more stable fan speeds.
Other notable features include a daisy-chainable ARGB cable, a well-executed ARGB lighting system with 16 LEDs and high-quality diffusion across 9 or 10 fan blades, and a 50 cm cable length for flexible installation. The rated lifespan is up to 60,000 hours, and the fans come with a 3-year warranty.
Why the showcase?
And that’s about it. As promised, this was a brief showcase. I could compare the be quiet! Light Wings LX to the Pure Wings 2, as I still have a set on hand—originally used to keep cool during the summer since they’re nearly silent.
But then again, all be quiet! fans are about equally quiet, and they are also equally reliable. What should I compare the backlight? Well, let’s compare, Light Wings LX has it, Pure Wings 2 does not. End of comparison.
Conclusions
I appreciate how the fan industry has evolved to the point where new models no longer raise concerns about noise levels, speed, or reliability. And when it comes to RGB lighting, it’s consistently well-executed.
That said, the be quiet! Light Wings LX 140mm—whether in the black High Speed version or the white variant—are worth their price if you understand their purpose and how they fit into your setup.
Read also:
- Zalman Reserator 5 Z36 ARGB Liquid Cooling Review
- ID-Cooling DX360 Max Liquid Cooling System Review
- IRDM Pro Nano 1TB Gaming SSD Review
