Be Quiet vs Noctua comparisons are quite common, and rightfully so – after all, PC users want the best, quietest fan for their system. And while most fans become thunderously loud at high speeds, Be Quiet and Noctua models don’t make as much noise while keeping your PC cool. But which one of these two is the better option?
Let’s compare the two brands in this complete guide, along with a look at some of their most famous models to help you pick a silent radiator fan.
Contents
Be Quiet vs Noctua Comparison Table
| Features | Be Quiet | Noctua |
| Price | More expensive | Less expensive |
| Looks | Elegant | Mostly clinical |
| Noise | Very quiet | Less quiet |
| Ease of maintenance | Trickier to maintain | Easier to maintain |
What Are the Differences Between Be Quiet and Noctua?
The main difference between Be Quiet and Noctua is that Noctua fans are more affordable and don’t attract dust, while BQ fans are quieter. Both cater to different consumers, but Be Quiet is for those who want to display their fans while Noctua is for those who don’t mind a less appealing look.
– Overall Appearance
Now that you’ve gotten a brief overview of both the brands as well as their respective pros and cons, let’s take a look at how they compare with each other. In terms of overall appearance, we find BQ fans to be prettier, but it all comes down to personal preference.
Noctua has a variety of fans available on the market. These include top-of-the-line, beautiful models with all the bells and whistles, simplistic and gorgeous fans, as well as some clinical models. Most fans from Noctua don’t have the elegant lines and touches that Be Quiet and other brands have and the ones that do are more on the higher end of the price spectrum.
Meanwhile, Be Quiet models have a simplistic look, but they are darker and a little more stylish than other options available today. They also have elegant lines on them that are hard to replicate, and it’s clear that they’re made with clear PC cases in mind.
Almost all Be Quiet models are characterized by a minimalistic edge, but only some of them are designed with lights. But despite them being prettier to look at, we can’t deny that you have a larger variety available with Noctua.
– Ease of Installation
Installing Noctua fans is mostly quick and easy for nearly all models, except those that feature lighting. In the case of the latter, you’ll have to follow a few more steps to complete the process.
But even if you’ve never installed a fan before, you don’t need to worry. It’s easy enough to follow the given instructions and complete the process in no time. Plus, you get almost everything you need to install the fan in the box.
The same is the case for BQ fans; even if it’s your first time, you should be able to complete the process without any problem. Like Noctua, Be Quiet also provides everything you need to install the fan in the box, such as extra brackets, 2-way PWM splitters, thermal paste, and mounting brackets. You even get a special screwdriver, preventing you from messing up the finishing.
So is there a difference between the two brands in terms of ease of installation? If you compare the two, it takes a little longer to install Noctua models but given the popularity of the brand, there are more installation guides and how-to tutorials available for these fans. So Noctua is the winner in this case.
– Speed
You can easily adjust the speed on both Noctua and Be Quiet models. However, you get more options with the former, and they’re slightly easier to overclock. They’re also easier to adjust if you want customized speed.
It’s important to mention here that while you can speed up fans by Noctua, they tend to make some noise at higher speeds. But if the model is graded for a certain speed, it’s going to be quiet at that specific speed.
The same goes for fans from Be Quiet – you can speed them up, but they have an upper hand over fans from Noctua, i.e., they stay quiet even if you overclock them (force them to run at a speed that’s higher than the advertised speed). For an average user who doesn’t really need to adjust the speeds, any model from either brand is good enough.
– Noise Level
As the name suggests, Be Quiet models are really quiet and easily beat Noctua models by a long shot. They produce the least amount of noise possible without compromising performance, even if they’re pushed to work overtime. This is mostly because of the innovative blade design that’s optimized for airflow and state-of-the-art technology used by Be Quiet.
That’s not to say that fans from Noctua aren’t quiet. The company has tried to make the fans as quiet as possible and to do so, they use rubberized parts that cut down on the vibration. In addition to that, they use anti-vibration pads made using silicone for their fans, which further ensure quietness.
The bottom line is that both Noctua and Be Quiet models are quieter in comparison to not only standard case fans that come pre-built in computers but also to fans from most other fan brands, too.
– Price
Noctua is the clear winner in this case since nearly all Be Quiet models cost more than their Noctua counterparts.
– Ease of Cleaning
In this category, Noctua beats Be Quiet as well. This is because most fans by Noctua are made using anti-dust material that doesn’t attract as much dust as BQ fans. This also means that you don’t need to clean them often like you need to clean Be Quiet fans.
– Target Market
It seems that both radiator fans cater to different kinds of users. Noctua is made for those who don’t really care how their fan looks as long as it works. Meanwhile, Be Quiet is for those who want an elegant and attractive fan that they can show off through a clear case. The latter is also for those who can afford to splurge on these parts considering their high cost.
What Is Be Quiet Best For?
Be Quiet fans are best for a great price-to-performance ratio, and since they use an anti-vibration, noise-absorbing concept, they’re a great choice for radiators and gaming PCs.
– More Facts
Be Quiet is not as well known or as famous as Noctua since it’s a relatively newer brand and especially focuses on fans (while Noctua is also known for its CPU coolers). However, its fans are elegant and more expensive than most other options available on the market today. As the name suggests, all Be Quiet models are, well, quiet, but they’re slightly harder to find.
The reason why BQ fans are so quiet is that they have a 6-pole motor that causes less vibration. Apart from their silent operation, these fans have other benefits too. For instance, they’re easy to install, provide good cooling, and have beautiful and sleek designs.
However, like the Noctua models, these also have some drawbacks. They are more expensive than most other similar units, and they tend to attract more dust, so they need cleaning more frequently than other fans. Plus, most models don’t come with an RGB lighting option like most fans do, and the coating on the fan tends to scratch easily.
Some great models from Be Quiet that you should check out include:
- Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4
- Dark Rock Pro TR4
- Be Quiet Silent Wings 3
- Be Quiet Silent Wings 4
What Is Noctua Best For?
Noctua fans are the best option if you’re going to be using a water cooling system. Noctua is quite a famous brand, well-known for producing some of the most premium fans available today.
Their latest fans, in particular, are known for their strength and lack of noise.
– More Facts
Fans and coolers by Noctua are often the first choices of many PC builders and manufacturers because of two reasons. First, their quality is unbeatable compared to case fans. And second, they’re available at an affordable price. Plus, their fans promise better airflow ratios and good static pressure compared to more costly fans.
In addition to all these benefits, you also don’t need to clean these cooling fans very often. However, they come with their fair share of drawbacks. For instance, they are usually quite thin and are available in one size only. But the biggest drawback is that they don’t come with a physical knob to adjust the speed, which can be very inconvenient.
Some of the best Noctua models worth checking out are:
- Noctua NF-A14 FLX
- Noctua NF-A12X15 PWM Premium Quiet Slim Fan
- Noctua NF-F12 IPPC PWM fan
- Noctua NF-A12X25 PWM
- Noctua NF-P12
FAQs
1. Is Noctua Better Than Corsair?
It depends; the answer to this comes down to the exact models you’re comparing. For instance, Corsair ML120 can run up to 700 rpm faster than some fans from Noctua, which means it provides better value for a powerful fan. However, it makes more noise than some Noctua models at the same rpm. Plus, it costs a little more than Noctua.
With that in mind, you can also find fans that are better than the ones manufactured by Noctua. For instance, users find that BQ’s Silent Wings 3 is a much better option. Some also suggest checking out Arctic; Arctic vs Noctua comparisons do suggest that the former is better, especially considering the price.
2. Are Be Quiet Fans Good?
Yes; these cooling fans are quite impressive and even though they aren’t designed to put out a lot of air, they can still push a decent amount without making excessive noise.
Conclusion
As shown in this Be Quiet vs Noctua review, there are numerous similarities and differences between the two. The main difference between them is that fans from Be Quiet are quieter, while Noctua models are cheaper and easier to maintain.
When it comes down to choosing one, you need to keep your budget as well as your use in mind, since Be Quiet models are relatively expensive. You should opt for BQ fans if you want something well-designed for your gaming computer, but if you use water cooling systems, then Noctua models are your best choice. You should also keep in mind that the latter is easier to clean and install, and has greater variety.