JDW says it is quiet but does not seem to push as much air through as compared to a stock fan. I sort of doubt the CFM rating they claim since RPM is the most dominant factor for most of these types fans. Based on his experience, it seems like a fine alternative, but I would rather run the system cooler (in theory) and sacrifice sound levels a little bit. At some point a higher CFM probably stops helping air flow and cooling due to the constrictive vent/grill in the back case.