Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting
With the addition of the Shadow Wings 2 tests, you now have a full overview of the features of all unlit BeQuiet! fans in 120 mm format. Shadow Wings 2 is between Silent Wings 3 and Pure Wings 2 in terms of both price and design. In terms of efficiency, they are closer to the more expensive Silent Wings 3 and in certain situations they give top-notch results. Given the lower price, this can be a very attractive option, but there are some things to look out for.
Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting
Modern fans often include lighting. This is no longer a “cooling” parameter, but for some users the presence of (A)RGB LEDs is important. Therefore, we also measure how intense this lighting is in our tests. These tests are the only ones that take place externally, outside the wind tunnel.
We record the luminosity of the fans in a chamber with reflective walls. This internal arrangement is important to increase the resolution for us to measure anything at all with lower luminosity fans. But also so that the readings do not blend together and it is obvious which fan is emitting more light and which one less.
The illumination intensity is measured in the horizontal position of the fan, above which is the lux meter sensor (UNI-T UT383S). This is centered on the illumination intensity sensing chamber.
The illumination is controlled via an IR controller and the hue is set to RGB level 255, 255, 255 (white). We record the brightness at maximum and minimum intensity. According to this, you can easily see if the brightness is high enough, but conversely also if the lower level is low enough for you.
In addition to the brightness intensity, we also measure the power draw that it requires. This is again through the shunt, which is between the Gophert CPS-3205 power supply and the (A)RGB LED driver. After this we get a reading of the lighting power draw. In the graphs we show it separately, but also in sum with the motor power draw as the total maximum fan power.
- Contents
- BeQuiet! Shadow Wings 2 (BL085) in detail
- The basis of the methodology, the wind tunnel
- Mounting and vibration measurement
- Initial warm-up and speed recording
- Base 6 equal noise levels…
- ... and sound color (frequency characteristic)
- Static pressure measurement…
- … and airflow
- Everything changes with obstacles
- How we measure power draw and motor power
- Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting
- Results: Speed
- Results: Airlow w/o obstacles
- Results: Airflow through a nylon filter
- Results: Airflow through a plastic filter
- Results: Airflow through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Airflow through a thinner radiator
- Results: Airflow through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure w/o obstacles
- Results: Static pressure through a nylon filter
- Results: Static pressure through a plastic filter
- Results: Static pressure through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Static pressure through a thinner radiator
- Results: Static pressure through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure, efficiency by orientation
- Reality vs. specifications
- Results: Frequency response of sound w/o obstacles
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a dust filter
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a hexagonal grille
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a radiator
- Results: Vibration, in total (3D vector length)
- Results: Vibration, X-axis
- Results: Vibration, Y-axis
- Results: Vibration, Z-axis
- Results: Power draw (and motor power)
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, airflow
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, static pressure
- Airflow per euro
- Static pressure per euro
- Results: Lighting – LED luminance and power draw
- Results: LED to motor power draw ratio
- Evaluation
Which Fan would you recommend to use as 3x Intake and Rear Exhaust on the Corsair 4000D between the Shadow Wings 2(BL085), Pure Wings 2(BL039) and Light Wings(BL072)? I’m having a Hard time deciding.
Have you seen our Light Wings (BL072) tests? We published them later than the tests of Shadow Wings 2 (BL085) and Pure Wings 2 (BL039), so their results are missing in the graphs of this article. But you can find them in this one.
The behaviour of all three fans will be very similar in your case, both performance-wise and acoustically. Nevertheless, the Pure Wings 2 is the model that achieves the lowest airflow at equal noise level, but it is also the cheapest… If you are also considering the Light Wings (BL072), I assume you have a higher budget and at the same time we might not care so much about the ARGB LEDs (since you are also deciding between unlighted fans)? In that case I find Shadow Wings 2 (BL085), with which you will not get worse results, the most attractive option. The argument for Light Wings (BL072) could be a wider speed range with lower minimum speeds. Shadow Wings 2 (BL085) start from almost 500 rpm. If you were to run the fans above that anyway, it really doesn’t matter.
I also checked the vibrations, which can, especially in your type of use (on a case), increase the noise, but they are practically zero with the BL085 as well as with the BL072. Personally, I would reach for the Shadow Wings 2 (if you don’t crave the extra low speed of the Light Wings) and enjoy the 40 euros saved. 🙂