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

[MarcParis]

Even this should work!! and with an ATX PSU! Never seen it!

http://www.swiftech.com/MCR-X20-Drive-Rev3.aspx

This was first swiftech attempt (with H2O series) to combine elements.
However this X20 isout of stock since years.. now Swiftech switched to Drive X3 reservoir/radiator/pump combo :

Orientation

Due to this "conflict" with asetek in USA, Swiftech was just able to keep on sale separate apogee drive II and rad/reservoir separately....

Anyway I wonder if this Drive X3 240mm could fit inside Cerberus..

 

[CantingSoup]

For the top vent bracket, can I mount 2 25mm fans (with EATX board) or is it 15mm for those as well?

 

[MarcParis]

For the top vent bracket, can I mount 2 25mm fans (with EATX board) or is it 15mm for those as well?

15mm almost sure.
25mm it's heavily depends on your VRM heatsinks.

 

[fabio]

@KSliger I was wondering if you have ever planned something similar to this to have even more flexibility for Fan, SSD, HDD, etc. And hinged will be great!

 

[Iwanit]

Hey guys - Finally time for me to start purchasing my equipment! Would love some feedback on my build from those of you more experienced with building in this case, my build is far from the most complex in this thread, but I'm still a little worried I've forgotten to consider something. I'm trying to minimise noise and thermals as much as I can, without going custom loop.

Parts list

• Case: Cerberus X (Thinking of getting double vented side panels for passive exhaust)
  
• CPU: AMD Ryzen Threadripper II 2950x
• CPU Cooler: LIQTECH TR4 II 240mm AIO Bottom mounted
• CPU Cooler Fans: 2x Noctua NF-A12x25
• Motherboard: Asrock Fatal1ty X399 Professional Gaming (ATX)
• Memory: 2x 16GB Crucial DDR4-2666 ECC UDIMM CT16G4WFD8266
• Storage: Samsung 970 evo 1TB M.2 NVMe
• Video Card: Radeon RX Vega56 Air Boost 8G OC (Reference length)
• Video Card Cooler: Raijintek Morpheus II (Would increase thickness of GPU to 3-slot)
• Video card Cooler fans: 2x Noctua NF-A12x25
• Power Supply: Silverstone SX800-LTI SFX-L 800w Titanium (Requires adapter cable for dual eps requirement of x399)

Questions:

1. Where would be the best location to mount the PSU for best airflow? I'm thinking back mounted PSU, so I can put an additional two NF-A12x25's in the front
2. I've heard a lot of people advising against mounting a 280mm AIO in the bottom due to it blocking off some mobo I/O - can anyone help me understand what swapping to the LIQTECH TR4 II 280mm would block off? Would it fit at all? Would it be worth mounting it in the front and sacrificing the two front Fans I'm planning on adding in like shown here by fabio Decided against 280mm - see here
3. Should i consider custom PSU cables? Aesthetics aren't a consideration for me, but if slimmer cables would provide better airflow, then I would consider custom cables.
   
4. Case fan pressure, and fan direction has always confused me - assuming i use the bottom + front dust filters that were posted a few pages back (Thanks @matthewn4444 @KSliger !) would the below be correct?

• 2x CPU fans on bottom mounted AIO: Push
• 2x GPU Fans: Push
• 2x Front Fans: Pull

I've read through countless feedback and builds in this thread - I based a lot of my build/ consideration on the below three builds - thanks for all who posted their builds in this thread!

• garekinokami
• Johnny0971
  
• 3lfk1ng

 

[TheHig]

Welcome to Cerberus owner club!

Regarding your setup, if you want the best cooling (in-line with 9900K), I suggest you go to smallest customed watercooling with combination of Swiftech Apogree Drivee II (cpu block, DDC pump) and radiator/reservoir MCR220-QP-RES-R2

That's the best cooling solution with dual NF A12-25 fans.. (full DDC pump only spinning at 1200rpm, great cpu copper waterblock, copper radiator).
For the look you can play with tubing,liquid, etc...
Check my setup, I've this setup in place and it works like a charm in silence and efficiency.

If you want to stick on Asetek AIO like, well they are all based on same design : asetek pump (low pressure, high rpm and fragile), aluminium radiator...they perform almost the same with same fans...so pick-up what ever you prefer in look.

On top bracket, you can put slim fan (15mm) with no motherboard compatibility issues.

@MarcParis

Can you add a gpu block and or another rad to the loop with the Apogee 2?

Toying with putting my Vega under water somehow

 

[FoskcoRS5]

@KSliger I was wondering if you have ever planned something similar to this to have even more flexibility for Fan, SSD, HDD, etc. And hinged will be great!

Does the announced SSD tray not mount on lower set of screws?

 

[MarcParis]

@MarcParis

Can you add a gpu block and or another rad to the loop with the Apogee 2?

Toying with putting my Vega under water somehow

Of course this is 100% expandable and easy to fill the loop as you have a true reservoir (dislike EK predator).
Pump is also powerful enough (in previous release you were also able to replace it by a full DDC pump) to include a gpu with no issue

 

[MarcParis]

@KSliger I was wondering if you have ever planned something similar to this to have even more flexibility for Fan, SSD, HDD, etc. And hinged will be great!

@MarcParis

Can you add a gpu block and or another rad to the loop with the Apogee 2?

Toying with putting my Vega under water somehow

Yes I noticed that also...unused screw holes on the right are perfectly aligned for a second hinge bracket..
I'm betting for an earlier design on which is based tooling..
Could be also doable only on Cerberus-x (not sure if Cerberus has them)

But it's true, dual hinge bracket will be cool for cooling option..

 

[VegetableStu]

've heard a lot of people advising against mounting a 280mm AIO in the bottom due to it blocking off some mobo I/O - can anyone help me understand what swapping to the LIQTECH TR4 II 280mm would block off?

check your motherboard on what those would be
(applies to both Cerberuses. CX is just C with 3 extra PCI slots of height)

EDIT: see also:

 

[fabio]

Does the announced SSD tray not mount on lower set of screw?

I guess so, I was suggesting it, as a choice like the top options. This case can even more perfect than what it is!
BTW, because we are talking about a few suggestions, @KSliger , maybe in a next REV, if you add 2/3 mm on top, or shift the same amount down the ATX PSU, will be possible to mount also with an ATX PSU x2 top slim fans with your top bracket! (Now the only option is the terrible schythe slipstream slim).

Thank you!

 

[CantingSoup]

I'm conflicted right now with the CPU for my build. Should I buy the 1920x for $397 (and possibly replace it with Zen 2) or bite the bullet and get either the 2920x/2950x?

Edit: bought fittings and radiators instead.

 

[Ion23]

May I know what are you guys using for dust filters for the Cerberus? And what sizes?

 

[kageiit]

May I know what are you guys using for dust filters for the Cerberus? And what sizes?

I bought the ones @KSliger linked to https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...x-usa-made-enclosure.454/page-249#post-117840

 

[Ion23]

Ar

I bought the ones @KSliger linked to https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...x-usa-made-enclosure.454/page-249#post-117840

e these for the Cerberus x or Cerberus?

 

[Ion23]

With a front mounted aio, will I still be able to fit 4 140mm noctuas? 2x bottom, 1x side, 1 top?

 

[kageiit]

Ar

these for the Cerberus x or Cerberus?

These are for the Cerberus iirc. The bottom one should be the same for both. The front one needs to be larger for the Cerberus x.

 

[MarcParis]

I'm conflicted right now with the CPU for my build. Should I buy the 1920x for $397 (and possibly replace it with Zen 2) or bite the bullet and get either the 2920x/2950x?

Edit: bought fittings and radiators instead.

Let's be practical.
Will you use of 16 cores of Zen +? Gap between zen and zen + is minimal, especially on threardripper as AMD used their best chip on threadripper.
Zen 2 cores are announced with noticeable IPC improvement vs Zen+.

To be honest, at your place, I'll go for robust&durable X499 motherboard and go for cheap 1920X. Next summer (I presume), at zen 2 threadripper release you switch..

 

[CantingSoup]

Let's be practical.
Will you use of 16 cores of Zen +? Gap between zen and zen + is minimal, especially on threardripper as AMD used their best chip on threadripper.
Zen 2 cores are announced with noticeable IPC improvement vs Zen+.

To be honest, at your place, I'll go for robust&durable X499 motherboard and go for cheap 1920X. Next summer (I presume), at zen 2 threadripper release you switch..

I’ve ordered everything except the fans and pump/res. Pulled the trigger on 1920x. I’m in saving mode now haha.

 

[VegetableStu]

I was considering between selling off my 1060 to get an in-betweener 2070 card and then repeat for a 3070, or just going straight to a 3070 without secondhanding anything. decided on the latter, LOL

so saving and waiting mode once more, LOL