be quiet!

be quiet! is a German computer-hardware brand owned by Listan GmbH. It serves PC enthusiasts, gamers, system integrators, and other builders seeking comparatively quiet operation without giving up cooling capacity or power delivery. The brand's portfolio includes power supply units, CPU coolers, liquid coolers, case fans, and PC cases. The trademark was registered by Listan in 2002, and the initial product strategy concentrated on PC power supplies designed around noise reduction. This emphasis became the defining characteristic of the brand: rather than treating acoustics as a secondary feature, be quiet! positioned low operating noise as a central part of product design and marketing. Its power-supply portfolio has primarily centered on ATX products, while also extending into SFX and TFX formats. Across the range, the company has offered power classes from approximately 300 watts to 1600 watts, covering mainstream systems as well as high-performance computers. The brand broadened beyond power supplies in 2008, when it introduced PC cooling products. Its CPU-cooler range has included tower, dual-tower, and top-flow designs, while its fan portfolio has included models in common 80 mm to 140 mm mounting sizes, with both PWM and non-PWM variants. In 2016, be quiet! added all-in-one liquid coolers in 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm formats. These additions allowed the brand to address a wider range of thermal and acoustic requirements, from ordinary desktop systems to enthusiast and gaming computers. In 2014, be quiet! entered the PC-case market with the Silent Base 800 mid-tower. It subsequently developed the Dark Base, Pure Base, and Shadow Base case families. The cases extended the brand's acoustic philosophy into chassis construction through design choices intended to control vibration, airflow, and fan noise, while also supporting modern component layouts and cooling systems. Product conception, design, technical development, administration, logistics, and final quality control are associated with the company's German headquarters. be quiet! also has branches in Poland, China, and Taiwan, while products are sold from Glinde through distributors and resellers in international markets. Europe is identified as the brand's principal market, although its distribution footprint is global. The company has developed and registered technologies, designs, patents, and utility models connected with noise reduction, vibration control, airflow, fan mounting, and power-supply cable management. Examples described in reference material include aerodynamically optimized fan-surface textures, anti-vibration mounts, rubber-based fan-damping assemblies, mounting systems that help isolate CPU-cooler fan vibration, and adjustable cable-outlet positioning for power supplies. These technologies support the brand's core promise of quieter PC operation while also addressing installation convenience and internal airflow. be quiet! has received recognition from German hardware publications and European hardware awards. Readers of PC Games Hardware and Hardwareluxx selected the brand as a power-supply manufacturer of the year in their respective reader polls. GfK-based studies cited by the company also identified be quiet! as Germany's unit-sales market leader in PC power supplies from 2006 through 2017. The available reference material does not provide current financial figures, a public listing, or a separately disclosed corporate ownership structure beyond Listan GmbH.

be quiet! originated as a Listan GmbH trademark registered in 2002. The brand entered the market with PC power supplies whose principal differentiator was noise reduction. This initial focus established the identity that continues to define the name: components should provide the required electrical or thermal performance while producing as little acoustic disturbance as practical. During its early development, the brand concentrated on power supplies for desktop computers, particularly products in the ATX format. Over time, its power-supply range also covered SFX and TFX form factors and a broad range of output classes, from approximately 300 W to 1600 W. This allowed be quiet! to address both conventional desktop builds and high-performance enthusiast systems. Its principal audience included do-it-yourself PC builders, gamers, enthusiasts, and system integrators. In 2008, Listan expanded the brand into PC cooling. The new range included CPU coolers using tower, dual-tower, and top-flow architectures, together with case fans in several mounting sizes and with different control configurations. The move transformed be quiet! from a specialist power-supply label into a broader component brand. Cooling products also gave the company more opportunities to apply its acoustic-design expertise directly to airflow and vibration management. The company developed technologies intended to lower noise and improve the practical installation of cooling and power-delivery components. Described examples include textured fan surfaces designed to improve aerodynamic behavior, anti-vibration mounts, rubber-based damping assemblies, and fan-retention arrangements that help isolate vibration at the CPU heatsink. The brand also registered designs, patents, and utility models in several regions between 2009 and 2011. A separate power-supply cable feature allowed the angle of cable outlets to be adjusted for different installation layouts, potentially helping cable routing and internal airflow. be quiet! entered the PC-case category in 2014 with the Silent Base 800, a mid-tower chassis. It later developed the Dark Base, Pure Base, and Shadow Base families. The case business extended the brand's noise-control concept from individual components to complete system enclosures, combining chassis design with provisions for fans, radiators, component clearance, and airflow management. The cooling portfolio continued to develop. In 2015, the Pure Wings 2 case-fan series received recognition in the European Hardware Awards. In 2016, be quiet! added all-in-one liquid CPU coolers in 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm formats, giving builders an alternative to air cooling for higher thermal loads or different case configurations. The brand's organizational and technical activities are centered at its German headquarters in Glinde near Hamburg. Administrative, logistics, product-conception, design, development, and final quality-control functions are associated with Germany. Branches in Poland, China, and Taiwan support the international organization, while distribution from Glinde reaches resellers and distributors worldwide. Europe remains the principal market identified in the reference material. Recognition from German hardware publications contributed to the brand's reputation in power supplies. Readers of PC Games Hardware and Hardwareluxx selected be quiet! as a power-supply manufacturer of the year. GfK-based unit-sales studies cited in the reference material also placed the brand as Germany's PC-power-supply market leader from 2006 through the latest cited study in 2017. The available sources do not establish a separately listed company, disclose current financial results, or identify individual executives.

1. 2016Liquid CPU coolers added

   be quiet! expanded its cooling range with 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm all-in-one liquid coolers.

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2. 2015Pure Wings 2 recognized by European Hardware Awards

   The Pure Wings 2 case-fan series received recognition in the European Hardware Awards.

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3. 2014First PC case launched

   The Silent Base 800 became be quiet!'s first mid-tower case.

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4. 2008Entry into PC cooling

   The brand added CPU coolers and case fans to its power-supply portfolio.

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5. 2002be quiet! trademark registered

   Listan GmbH registered the be quiet! trademark and initially marketed noise-focused PC power supplies under the name.

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Premium and enthusiast-oriented PC components emphasizing low noise, thermal performance, reliability, and clean system integration.

• Power suppliesPC power supplies2002

  Power supplies are the brand's original and historically central product category. The range is primarily based on ATX designs, with SFX and TFX models also available. Reference material describes output classes from approximately 300 W to 1600 W, covering ordinary desktop computers and demanding enthusiast systems. Dark Power, Straight Power, and Pure Power are among the principal families associated with the portfolio, with product development emphasizing acoustic control, electrical performance, installation flexibility, and compatibility with different PC configurations.

• CPU coolersAir CPU coolers2008

  be quiet!'s air-cooling range includes tower, dual-tower, and top-flow CPU-cooler architectures. The designs are intended for builders who want effective heat removal with controlled fan noise. The brand has also developed mounting and vibration-damping features intended to simplify fan attachment and reduce the transfer of vibration from the fan and heatsink into the rest of the system.

• Case fansPC cooling fans2008

  The case-fan portfolio includes models in mounting sizes from 80 mm to 140 mm and versions with or without PWM control. Silent Wings and Pure Wings are prominent families. Product-development themes include airflow management, aerodynamic refinement, anti-vibration mounting, and damping structures designed to reduce mechanical noise while supporting system cooling.

• All-in-one liquid coolersLiquid CPU cooling2016

  be quiet! added all-in-one liquid CPU coolers in 2016, with radiator formats of 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm identified in the reference material. These products broadened the brand's thermal-management offering beyond air cooling and targeted systems requiring additional cooling capacity or compatibility with alternative internal layouts.

• PC casesComputer cases2014

  The PC-case business began with the Silent Base 800 mid-tower in 2014. Subsequent case families included Dark Base, Pure Base, and Shadow Base. The chassis portfolio applies the brand's quiet-computing emphasis at system level, combining support for component installation and cooling with design approaches intended to manage vibration, airflow, and acoustic output.

• 2016Add all-in-one liquid coolingProduct launch

  The existing air-cooling portfolio was extended to address systems and builders seeking liquid-based CPU cooling.

  What changed. The brand introduced all-in-one liquid coolers in 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm formats.

  Aftermath. Liquid cooling became an additional part of the brand's broader thermal-management portfolio.

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• 2014Enter the PC-case marketProduct launch

  After expanding into cooling, the brand sought to apply its acoustic and airflow positioning to complete PC enclosures.

  What changed. be quiet! launched the Silent Base 800 mid-tower case.

  Aftermath. The company subsequently developed the Dark Base, Pure Base, and Shadow Base case families.

  Source
• 2008Broaden the brand into coolingStrategy

  The brand had originally focused on power supplies, but its quiet-operation positioning could also be applied to thermal-management products.

  What changed. Listan added CPU coolers and case fans to the be quiet! range.

  Aftermath. The move established be quiet! as a broader PC-component brand rather than solely a power-supply label.

  Source

• 2016be quiet! adds all-in-one liquid coolers

  The CPU-cooling portfolio expanded with 240 mm, 280 mm, and 360 mm liquid-cooling formats.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 2015Pure Wings 2 receives European Hardware Award recognition

  The Pure Wings 2 case-fan series was selected in the European Hardware Awards.

  Other
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• 2014be quiet! introduces its first PC case

  The Silent Base 800 became the brand's first mid-tower PC case and marked its entry into the chassis category.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2008be quiet! expands from power supplies into PC cooling

  The brand added CPU coolers and case fans to its original power-supply portfolio.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Be quiet!
2. be quiet! official website