Hey Everyone!
I've been working on this for the past few weeks and it's finally in a stage that I feel I can share.
Quick reasoning behind this concept: As with most of us who go into designing a custom case, I feel like there wasn't something that satisfied all of my needs and wants in a market-available option. Now, I love Small Form Factor builds. Had a build in a GEEEK A40 a while back (that's when I discovered that I really dislike sandwich style cases) and all. However, I also love the "typical mid-tower" look, GPU horizontal, power supply and cables hidden and all that. So I wanted something that combined both of those factors. I also wanted to include water cooling in the factor, as it's my "next step" in PC building. Last but certainly not least, boredom at quarantine.
So, took a deep look at the options on the market and some builds and concepts here and the closest I could get was the Cerberus from our friends at Sliger. And the way it implements the dual rad ruins (for me) the aesthetics with the PSU like that. Top and bottom are also possible but involve some heavy modding. But still that was my main source of ideas.
The guidelines established:
Also, this project might never get to see the light of the day, as I am anticipating astronomical prices to manufacture it. Still, I want to finish and get it quoted... Who knows, eh?
Enough rambling about. After some iterations and attempts at a decent thing, here's what I came up with:
Specs:
Final thoughts:
Things that I realize will be a bit hard to work with:
Also, as the title says, I have no clue for a name. It doesn't have a real distinctive feature to name it after, so if anyone want to pitch in ideas for a name, please do. I will probably add an engraving on the front.
That's it. Sorry and Thank you for bearing with me through this long post.
I've been working on this for the past few weeks and it's finally in a stage that I feel I can share.
Quick reasoning behind this concept: As with most of us who go into designing a custom case, I feel like there wasn't something that satisfied all of my needs and wants in a market-available option. Now, I love Small Form Factor builds. Had a build in a GEEEK A40 a while back (that's when I discovered that I really dislike sandwich style cases) and all. However, I also love the "typical mid-tower" look, GPU horizontal, power supply and cables hidden and all that. So I wanted something that combined both of those factors. I also wanted to include water cooling in the factor, as it's my "next step" in PC building. Last but certainly not least, boredom at quarantine.
So, took a deep look at the options on the market and some builds and concepts here and the closest I could get was the Cerberus from our friends at Sliger. And the way it implements the dual rad ruins (for me) the aesthetics with the PSU like that. Top and bottom are also possible but involve some heavy modding. But still that was my main source of ideas.
The guidelines established:
- Below 20L, but little above is ok, for the right reasons
- Must be taller rather than longer - equal dimensions are OK though
- Accommodate 2x 240mm 45mm thick radiators
- Standard GPU support at 280mm long
- PSU hidden and space behind the motherboard tray (or elsewhere) to hide cables
- Nothing too complicated to design or build out of sheet metal
Also, this project might never get to see the light of the day, as I am anticipating astronomical prices to manufacture it. Still, I want to finish and get it quoted... Who knows, eh?
Enough rambling about. After some iterations and attempts at a decent thing, here's what I came up with:
Specs:
- Material: Cold rolled steel - 0.91mm (0.036")
- Dimensions: HxLxW - 350mm x 315mm x 180mm
- Volume: 19.85L
- Motherboard: Mini-ITX
- CPU cooler height: 145mm
- GPU length: 280mm
- GPU width: Dual-slot
- PSU: SFX
- Fans: 4x 120mm - 2x on the bottom, 2x on the top
- Cable Management: 20mm of free space behind the motherboard tray on the shallow areas and 34mm on the deep area
- -Water cooling-
- Radiator: 2x 240mm 45mm thick - 1x on the bottom, 1x on the top
- Reservoir/pump: Either mounted horizontally from the front of the case, or 120mm mounting holes at the SFX plate for dimensions-compatible units
Final thoughts:
Things that I realize will be a bit hard to work with:
- Installing the motherboard and Cables going into the MB. The space is pretty tight to slip the motherboard in place and the hole for the cables is small. However, the motherboard tray does unscrew from the housing, so it's possible to mount it outside the case and then screw the whole assemble. And I measured sleeved cables that I have and they fit. I don't mind a little trouble when building to favor space.
- The space to running the tubing for the custom loop may be tight, specially from the radiators. The top one will definitely need a 90 angle fitting coming out of it as it sits on top of the motherboard I/O cover. But it's doable.
Also, as the title says, I have no clue for a name. It doesn't have a real distinctive feature to name it after, so if anyone want to pitch in ideas for a name, please do. I will probably add an engraving on the front.
That's it. Sorry and Thank you for bearing with me through this long post.
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