Cerberus: The 18L, mATX, USA-made enclosure

[Katschung]

You deserve a medal for that fact on its own 

[ZeroKoolGuy]

That's cool. I can dig it. And I am a really tough judge.

[willemdoom1]

Are you gonna make more photos with different configurations? 

[Aibohphobia]

You deserve a medal for that fact on its own 

 

A space efficiency medal would be neat 

 

 

That's cool. I can dig it. And I am a really tough judge.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Are you gonna make more photos with different configurations? 

 

In a week or two I'll be getting a non-reference video card for testing, plus an interesting CPU heatsink that if it lives up to its promise will be really cool (pun completely intended) 

 

Sometime in the near future I'll also be getting a 240mm rad to test fit on the bottom. I don't think I'll actually build a working loop though.

 

Right now we're busy figuring out the boring business details.

[ZeroKoolGuy]

Are you in the US sir?

[Aibohphobia]

Yes. I'm hoping to be able to put "Made in USA" on the case but the FTC rules about that are vague and contradictory so we'll see.

[Spook_]

Incredible design. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you guy's come up with. Are your plans to only make this an air only case, I saw you mentioned above fitting 240mm rad but if you wanted to run sli and overclock you'd need roughly 2x 240mm rads. Maybe an external option? 

[waggythegeek]

@Aibohphobia

Just figured out your name. LOL. What's ur profile pic?

[Aibohphobia]

Incredible design. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you guy's come up with. Are your plans to only make this an air only case, I saw you mentioned above fitting 240mm rad but wanted to run sli and overclock you'd need roughly 2x 240mm rads. Maybe an external option? 

 

Limited water cooling should be supported but Nova is primarily designed for air cooled GPUs. Due to space and power constraints I think really good water cooling is better suited for a different design rather than doing a halfway job here.

 

I have vague plans for a larger water cooling focused design but I don't know if/when I'll get to that: http://www.overclock.net/t/1527311/build-log-nova-custom-designed-17-0l-5-slot-matx-case/0_20#post_23217742

 

 

@Aibohphobia

Just figured out your name. LOL. What's ur profile pic?

 

You're the first to mention my username! I like it too, whoever came up with it is pretty clever 

 

My avatar is the initials of the company (well, soon to be company, still need to file paperwork): Kimera Industries

[Spook_]

Limited water cooling should be supported but Nova is primarily designed for air cooled GPUs. Due to space and power constraints I think really good water cooling is better suited for a different design rather than doing a halfway job here.

 

I have vague plans for a larger water cooling focused design but I don't know if/when I'll get to that: http://www.overclock.net/t/1527311/build-log-nova-custom-designed-17-0l-5-slot-matx-case/0_20#post_23217742

 

Interesting I quite like the idea of a slightly larger version with better wc support. Either way, I am all for this case and would definitely purchase one. Speaking of which do you have any estimations of when we would be able to buy one?

[PlayfulPhoenix]

 

Incredible design. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you guy's come up with. Are your plans to only make this an air only case, I saw you mentioned above fitting 240mm rad but wanted to run sli and overclock you'd need roughly 2x 240mm rads. Maybe an external option? 

 

 

Limited water cooling should be supported but Nova is primarily designed for air cooled GPUs. Due to space and power constraints I think really good water cooling is better suited for a different design rather than doing a halfway job here.

 

To expand on this a bit: Nova isn't built with watercooling in mind first and foremost, since that would necessitate room for thick radiators, a discrete pump and reservoir, and so forth - all of which need considerable space.

 

That said, given the inherent power limit imposed by the form factor of the case, the watercooling that is possible is probably enough for anything you could put in Nova. We'll be testing fitment of 240mm radiators on the bottom, to ensure that they work (or make minor design modifications to ensure that they do), so you'll have that if you're willing to sacrifice a few expansion slots (and at least one PCI slot). But you can also install a 140mm radiator on the side bracket, and utilize an integrated pump and/or reservoir, or perhaps one that's mounted on the back.

 

For a CPU + GPU, 240mm + 140mm is plenty, and you'd have the power headroom to overclock both quite a bit. With a CPU and dual-GPU, you'll be cutting it close, but you wouldn't get insane overclocks anyway due to the power ceiling imposed by SFX.

 

TLDR: Nova isn't purpose-built for watercooling, but there are potentially a lot of really solid options for both AIO's and custom loops, even if some configurations will be tight. Which, for a case the size of Nova, is pretty remarkable, if I may say so myself 

[Spook_]

To expand on this a bit: Nova isn't built with watercooling in mind first and foremost, since that would necessitate room for thick radiators, a discrete pump and reservoir, and so forth - all of which need considerable space.

 

That said, given the inherent power limit imposed by the form factor of the case, the watercooling that is possible is probably enough for anything you could put in Nova. We'll be testing fitment of 240mm radiators on the bottom, to ensure that they work (or make minor design modifications to ensure that they do), so you'll have that if you're willing to sacrifice a few expansion slots (and at least one PCI slot). But you can also install a 140mm radiator on the side bracket, and utilize an integrated pump and/or reservoir, or perhaps one that's mounted on the back.

 

For a CPU + GPU, 240mm + 140mm is plenty, and you'd have the power headroom to overclock both quite a bit. With a CPU and dual-GPU, you'll be cutting it close, but you wouldn't get insane overclocks anyway due to the power ceiling imposed by SFX.

 

TLDR: Nova isn't purpose-built for watercooling, but there are potentially a lot of really solid options for both AIO's and custom loops, even if some configurations will be tight. Which, for a case the size of Nova, is pretty remarkable, if I may say so myself 

Here's to hoping that sfx-l brings 700+ watts. I totally forgot about the swing out 140mm rad that changes things, I suppose if one was ambitious enough you could buy the case an make a enlarged front cover to fit another 240mm rad. Actually... is there enough room by the rear exhaust to fit a single 120mm?

[Aibohphobia]

Either way, I am all for this case and would definitely purchase one. Speaking of which do you have any estimations of when we would be able to buy one?

 

Before the end of the year? Hopefully sooner but there's lots of work to be done still.

 

 

Here's to hoping that sfx-l brings 700+ watts. I totally forgot about the swing out 140mm rad that changes things, I suppose if one was ambitious enough you could buy the case an make a enlarged front cover to fit another 240mm rad. Actually... is there enough room by the rear exhaust to fit a single 120mm?

 

It should be possible with some modding to mount an external 240mm rad on top. The rear mount is only 92mm, the case isn't wide enough for 120mm.

[Aibohphobia]

@willemdoom1, got a good deal on a used Asus Direct Cu II GTX 780 so here it is installed:

 

 

 

That stupidly tall bit of heapipe sticks out past the frame but it clears the side panel with room to spare.

 

I'll need to rethink the expansion slot dust cover though because it doesn't fit with the card installed.

 

Also, I think there's enough space between the card and the front of the frame for a fan but it would be very difficult to get the card installed with the fan there.

[NerdNinja]

 

<snip>

 

 

Smexy!

[willemdoom1]

 

@willemdoom1, got a good deal on a used Asus Direct Cu II GTX 780 so here it is installed:

 

 

 

 

 

That stupidly tall bit of heapipe sticks out past the frame but it clears the side panel with room to spare.

 

I'll need to rethink the expansion slot dust cover though because it doesn't fit with the card installed.

 

Also, I think there's enough space between the card and the front of the frame for a fan but it would be very difficult to get the card installed with the fan there.

 

Nice, me like, how are the temps with the open air cooler design on the GPU? Personally like the look of the reference cooler more on this build, or maybe a gigabyte card, if they fit.

[Aibohphobia]

Nice, me like, how are the temps with the open air cooler design on the GPU? Personally like the look of the reference cooler more on this build, or maybe a gigabyte card, if they fit.

 

Not sure on temps yet, I had to reload Windows so I'm downloading BF4 now.

 

The Gigabyte 980s should fit.

[Aibohphobia]

Played a round of BF4 and GPU temp was about 67°C. CPU was about the same since it's intaking fresh air from the side vent but motherboard temp was about 10°C higher than before.

 

The PSU fan was also running much faster than before since it was intaking hot exhaust from the card through the front fan hole. So I took another look and managed to install the front 120mm fan by maneuvering it in through the fan hole from the front:

 

 

I'll need to do some testing with this configuration but it should fix the PSU issue. I'm pretty sure I can bring the motherboard temp back down by plugging in the top and rear fan, I've been running without them because the fan control on this motherboard really sucks so they were too loud for my taste.

[DJ46]

I've been running without them because the fan control on this motherboard really sucks so they were too loud for my taste.

Yup, seems like Gigabyte. Seriously, I've seen people complain about terrible fan control on the Force series boards.

I ended up buying a powered 4pin fan splitter and plugging it into the Intel specified CPU fan connector.

[Aibohphobia]

Yup, seems like Gigabyte. Seriously, I've seen people complain about terrible fan control on the Force series boards.

I ended up buying a powered 4pin fan splitter and plugging it into the Intel specified CPU fan connector.

 

Yes, it's the Gigabyte X99M Gaming 5. For a $260 board the fan control is pathetic.

 

Only the CPU is PWM, all the other 4-pin headers are really voltage control only. I can either set it to the pre-defined profiles (silent, normal) which are based on CPU temp, Full Speed, and Manual.

 

Manual mode is useless though. It doesn't actually let you put the fan at a set speed, instead it's a confusing way of setting the fan speed as a function of degree C rise in CPU temp. And it's labeled as PWM percentage even though it's really voltage control.

 

I seriously hope Asus has a Rampage V Gene in the works because mATX X99 needs a real board.

[Aibohphobia]

Big thanks to PlayfulPhoenix for getting me some rads to test fit.

 

Here's the Alphacool ST30. Fits great, no clearance issues in any direction, the side panel tabs barely clear the rad but they do.

 

I forgot to bring my calipers to measure and I don't have a card to test fit but it should clear a single slot card in the 3rd slot.

 

 

The Swiftech MCR220-QP-RES-R2 on the other hand doesn't fit quite so nicely.

 

 

It's canted because I left the caps in the ports on the bottom front.

 

 

 

There's not enough room between the rad and the frame for the side panel tabs to clear but it's already too close to the motherboard, I had to unplug the power button header to get the rad in (and I've already filed down the plastic housings on the front panel headers so the video card doesn't press down on them so hard).

[Zentorno56]

What were the specs of your old PC?

 

[willemdoom1]

 

Big thanks to PlayfulPhoenix for getting me some rads to test fit.

 

Here's the Alphacool ST30. Fits great, no clearance issues in any direction, the side panel tabs barely clear the rad but they do.

 

 

I forgot to bring my calipers to measure and I don't have a card to test fit but it should clear a single slot card in the 3rd slot.

 

 

The Swiftech MCR220-QP-RES-R2 on the other hand doesn't fit quite so nicely.

 

 

 

It's canted because I left the caps in the ports on the bottom front.

 

 

 

There's not enough room between the rad and the frame for the side panel tabs to clear but it's already too close to the motherboard, I had to unplug the power button header to get the rad in (and I've already filed down the plastic housings on the front panel headers so the video card doesn't press down on them so hard).

 

Looks great, but you will still need a pump and reservoir. I don't see how that ever will fit but someone also water cooled a NCASE M1 so i guess everything is doable

[Aibohphobia]

What were the specs of your old PC?

 

i7-4771, 16GB RAM, Asus Impact VI, Kingwin Lazer Platinum 550W.

Here's a pic of it with a de-shrouded 260X but I sold that a while ago and I'm currently running off the onboard graphics.

 

I still have it, I keep Nova in the partially remodeled room that serves as my "office". I'm actually developing a custom bracket so I can fit the new SilverStone SX500-LG and one of the 980s in it. I'm only gaming at 1080p so I'll only really need both 980s in Nova when I'm doing 3d renders to take advantage of the GPU acceleration.

 

 

Looks great, but you will still need a pump and reservoir. I don't see how that ever will fit but someone also water cooled a NCASE M1 so i guess everything is doable

 

External res and then either a integrated pump/block or external pump will needed, no room otherwise if someone still wants to put a rad on the side bracket.

[willemdoom1]

How are the "negotiations" with manufacturers going? Or still refining the design?