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

[jeshikat]

SpaceClaim: http://www.spaceclaim.com/en/default.aspx

I talk a bit about it here: https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...l-atx-unit-in-the-world.934/page-2#post-18010

 

[Ricky]

Could you put a SFX/SFX-L PSU in the ATX bracket, and still put a radiator in the bracket too?

 

[jeshikat]

Should be doable depending on the exact configuration.

 

[cadiguno]

Hey there. New to the forums but have been lurking here for a while. I absolutely adore these custom SFF cases! Kudos to this amazingly creative community!

Just checking in to see how the post-KS survey has turned out. I'm really interested in the Cerberus, but it was quite expensive for me, especially after shipping (steel is heavy, ugh). Though I understand the Cerberus being a bigger case would require more materials to build, I expected something not far more expensive than an M1 (maybe along the price of a Dan A4-SFX).

Have there been any new info on pricing, material changes (I notice you're switching to aluminum?), or others that I can find in a list somewhere?

Thanks!

 

[jeshikat]

Welcome to the forum!

Have there been any new info on pricing, material changes (I notice you're switching to aluminum?), or others that I can find in a list somewhere?

Pricing won't really be any cheaper due to the smaller production volume. Exterior panels will be aluminum, frame and brackets will remain steel.

 

[deleted]

Just checking in to see how the post-KS survey has turned out. I'm really interested in the Cerberus, but it was quite expensive for me, especially after shipping (steel is heavy, ugh). Though I understand the Cerberus being a bigger case would require more materials to build, I expected something not far more expensive than an M1 (maybe along the price of a Dan A4-SFX).

I couldn't help but notice you mentioned the pricing of this case. Could someone please give me an estimate as to the pricing of this case?

 

[Edward78]

Why all these small cases with no ODD?

 

[PNP]

Why all these small cases with no ODD?

Most people don't use optical media anymore, or at least not often enough to warrant having an internal drive. I last used a DVD to install Windows 7 in ye olde vintage of two-aught fourteen, now I have the disk image on a USB drive and it's much faster.

Most other things you use a 5 1/4 bay for have superior alternatives anyways, and even monstrous E-ATX cases are ditching them.

 

[cadiguno]

I couldn't help but notice you mentioned the pricing of this case. Could someone please give me an estimate as to the pricing of this case?

The Cerberus was available on Kickstarter. I assumed the backer tiers are the price.

 

[jeshikat]

I couldn't help but notice you mentioned the pricing of this case. Could someone please give me an estimate as to the pricing of this case?

The Cerberus was available on Kickstarter. I assumed the backer tiers are the price.

Yup, we're aiming to keep production price around the Kickstarter tiers despite the lower volume. Not sure on the prototype run though.

 

[deleted]

will the cerberus fit a 280mm rad on the bottom? just wondering for future liquid cooling options.

 

[BiaxialObject48]

Hey guys,

Do you think I would be able to fit two SLI'd and liquid cooled Nvidia graphics cards, along with a radiator on the bottom? Thanks.

 

[3lfk1ng]

@BiaxialObject48

Easily!

Check out this image (and also this one aaaand this one)
The mATX motherboard that was used in that first picture has two PCIe slots between the two cards.

Note:
The 1st "spare" slot is blocked by the double-slot GPU cooler.
The 2nd "spare" slot is occupied with an Intel 750 series 400gb SSD.

With this case, there are several ways that you could run SLI and still have room for a radiator at the bottom.
1. Get a mobo where there is only a single PCIe slot between the two 16x slots.
- Run a thin 240mm radiator and 2x 25mm fans.
- Run a 240mm radiator and 2x low-profile fans.
2. Get a mobo where there is are two PCIe slots between the two 16x slots.
- Run a thin 240mm rad and 2x low-profile fans.

Aibohphobia made this image to illustrate it. It makes me salivate at the thought of having two dual Vega cards.

Hope this helps.

 

[iksretep]

Hi there, I am a happy owner of the M1, but I find it limiting as far as space and of course the potential of having a dual GPU setup ... I wanted to find out if a version of the Cerberus would be available without the I/O cut outs in the top panel so I could customize my power button, and power led location later.

 

[VegetableStu]

Curious question regarding Cerberus-X: Would the Asus X99 WS board fit in it? o_o I remember it's slightly longer rightways and downwards

 

[Phuncz]

@Aibohphobia will be able to answer that, but you pose an interesting question.

I was also looking at that board today. Just out of curiosity I looked up some examples:

The "Asus X99 WS" is a "CEB" form factor, according to Asus it's 12 in x 10.5 in (305 mm x 267 mm).
Boards like the "Asus Sabretooth X99" are ATX form factor, 12 in x 9.6 in (305 mm x 244 mm), so the CEB board is "only" 23mm wider.
Dual socket boards like the "Asus Z10PE-D16 WS" are "EEB" form factor on the other hand are 12 in x 13 in (305 mm x 330 mm)
It gets all fuzzy with E-ATX apparently:

Although true E-ATX is 12 × 13 in (305 × 330 mm) most motherboard manufacturers also refer to motherboards with measurements 12 × 10.1 in (305 × 257 mm), 12 × 10.4 in (305 × 264 mm), 12 × 10.5 in (305 × 267 mm) and 12 × 10.7 in (305 × 272 mm) as E-ATX. While E-ATX and SSI EEB share the same dimensions, the screw holes of the two standards do not all align; rendering them incompatible.

When I look at a comparison website and filter for motherboards with Socket 1151, 2011-3 and AM3+, I see the following distribution:
ATX 249 (137)
µATX 189 (17)
EATX 33 (24)
mITX 32 (8)
EEB 20 (0)
thin mITX 8 (0)
CEB 4 (2)

Between brackets are when I filter for X99, Z170, 990X or 990FX chipsets. So there are almost 10 times as many ATX and EATX boards combined as µATX boards for high-end configurations.

Just something I was looking into.

 

[jeshikat]

will the cerberus fit a 280mm rad on the bottom? just wondering for future liquid cooling options.

If it's a fairly compact 280mm rad then yes. It'd be a tight fit though so generally I'd recommend 240mm over 280mm.

I wanted to find out if a version of the Cerberus would be available without the I/O cut outs in the top panel so I could customize my power button, and power led location later.

Welcome to the forum! To keep manufacturing and logistics simpler there won't be variants of the top panel like that.

Curious question regarding Cerberus-X: Would the Asus X99 WS board fit in it? o_o I remember it's slightly longer rightways and downwards

The X99-E WS is the same height as ATX, but is 23mm wider like @Phuncz said. With the SFX bracket installed it will be extremely close, the board may actually be touching the bracket.

With a rear mounted PSU then it would fit in Cerberus-X with no issues assuming there isn't a really thick rad+fan combo mounted to the front.

 

[Phuncz]

With the SFX bracket installed it will be extremely close, the board may actually be touching the bracket.

Can the SFX bracket still be installed when the motherboard is installed first ? Because if it touches, that means the board needs to go in first (due to I/O bracket) but if the SFX bracket needs some jimmying to get in, this might make it impossible.

With a rear/side mounted PSU, could an EEB board possibly fit ? This could mean some beastly workstation builds that need all the cores times two that money can buy, but in the slim and tiny package that is Cerberus-X.

 

[jeshikat]

Can the SFX bracket still be installed when the motherboard is installed first ?

Ok, double checked the CAD model and the the X99-E WS will not fit with the SFX bracket installed.

With a rear/side mounted PSU, could an EEB board possibly fit ?

There is exactly 330mm between the inside faces of the front/rear frame. So in theory an EEB could fit but I wouldn't count on it

 

[Phuncz]

I would say "Challenge Accepted" if I didn't mind spending over € 2.000 to test it. Maybe something for Linus' Tech Tips when you send in the case for review ?