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

VegetableStu

Shrink Ray Wielder
Aug 18, 2016
1,949
2,619
Not sure if I'd go the crazy route of having the PSU tethered outside actually. Or dial down the crazy and go for the matx setup I'm aiming now ._.
 

Xsjado

Efficiency Noob
Oct 16, 2016
6
0
Hello everybody! Awesome project!
1) I am wondering if the specs of the case may still be changed or if now everything is settled.
Basically, I need a PC now and but would buy a cheap case now, and when the Cereberus is out, I'd take it. So I need to know what I can buy and what I can't haha.

2) Is there a difference between Cereberus and Cereberus-X, or the X is just the name to differentiate with the Kickstarter version?

3) Is the handle still planned?

Thank you!
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
5,947
4,953
Welcome to the forum !

Cerberus is The Original © with µATX support, Cerberus-X is the ATX version that Kimera ( @Aibohphobia and @PlayfulPhoenix ) are possibly doing at a later stage.

The handle is still planned for the Cerberus as far as I know, as an optional feature.
 

Xsjado

Efficiency Noob
Oct 16, 2016
6
0
I don't know, on the post kickstarter form, there were questions about PSU space for instance, things like that!
 

Phuncz

Lord of the Boards
SFFn Staff
May 9, 2015
5,947
4,953
If I'm interpreting @Aibohphobia 's comments from the past correctly, the overall design is done and only minor tweaking is expected. If your build is very tight in some dimensions, you could post a question here, Aiboh regularly responds.
 
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Xsjado

Efficiency Noob
Oct 16, 2016
6
0
Okay, thanks for your answers!

This might have already been asked: what are the maximum allowed GPU dimensions? Thanks!
 
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jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,783
Hello everybody! Awesome project!
1) I am wondering if the specs of the case may still be changed or if now everything is settled.

2) Is there a difference between Cereberus and Cereberus-X, or the X is just the name to differentiate with the Kickstarter version?

3) Is the handle still planned?

Welcome to the forum!

No major dimension changes have been made.

Cerberus-X is proposed ATX variant. Basically just Cerberus extended in height for a total of 8 slots.

Handle is still planned as an option.
 

Lavosu

Minimal Tinkerer
Oct 24, 2016
4
0
Hey! Like Xsjado above, I'm also going to build a PC soon and will purchase a cheap case until I reach a decision. This concept is exactly what I'm looking for, but I'm worried about cable management options.

I imagine it'd be a huge help to use a modular PSU with short cables, like SilverStone's SX600-G, but does the case itself provide any space for cable routing?

I saw HardwareCanucks' showcase on youtube of this unit and there was no space behind the motherboard tray. Is this still the case, or is there some kind of bulge at the back to fit some flat cables?

Are there any pictures of a build on this case, to have a general idea of what cable management would look like?

Also, I read somewhere about a prototype run. Any details available?

EDIT: Have backtracked 20 or so pages and read up on prototype situation. Neither the product page nor the first couple posta in this thread mention cable management space, so I presume it's all done within the same chamber the components are in. One of the compromises with tiny cases like this, I suppose.
 
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Xsjado

Efficiency Noob
Oct 16, 2016
6
0
I tried to think about where to put parts in the case, and I'm concerned about overheating. Do you think I can but a PSU (inside the case), a motherboard, one big GPU, two ssds, one 3.5 HDD and fans without the latters working 100%? And I assume watercooling is the only effective solution? Thanks!
 

Lavosu

Minimal Tinkerer
Oct 24, 2016
4
0
The type of PSU changes your fan and HDD mounting location options. If you are using an SFX or SFX L, you could fit all those components in multiple configurations.

Two that come to mind are:

I.
Bottom: 2 case fans
Front: PSU takes up top half, case fan on bottom half
GPU: would fit fine on the 1st slot as long as its not too tall or long, measurements are available on site
Side Bracket: 3.5 HDD
2.5 SSDs: in the two mounting spaces by the mobo(I believe these spots do not interfere with any other components)

Back: 1 92mm case fan

This config would have 3 fans blowing at the gpu area so it should run cool.

II.
Bottom: 1 case fan, 3.5 HDD
Front: PSU takes up top half, case fan on bottom half
GPU: would fit fine on the 1st slot as long as its not too tall or long, measurements are available on site
Side bracket: 1 Case fan
2.5 SSDs: in the two mounting spaces by the mobo(I believe these spots do not interfere with any other components)

Back: 1 92mm case fan

This one has 1 less case fan blowing at the card, but has one blowing at the CPU.

I've only thought about SFX layouts and I'm not sure if you can mount a fan at the top, but those two setups seem to me like they would be sufficient as far as cooling goes
 
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jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,783
I imagine it'd be a huge help to use a modular PSU with short cables, like SilverStone's SX600-G, but does the case itself provide any space for cable routing?

Welcome to the forum! Like the NCASE M1, there is basically no dedicated space set aside for cable management. I've built and rebuilt in the prototype many times and it's pretty easy with a PSU with short cables like the SilverStone units though.

These guys tried an ATX unit with normal ATX-length cables. It's messy but they managed to fit everything in there: https://unlocked.newegg.com/kimera-cerberus-review-smallest-sli-vr-ready-case-in-the-world

Also, I read somewhere about a prototype run. Any details available?

Not yet.

Do you think I can but a PSU (inside the case), a motherboard, one big GPU, two ssds, one 3.5 HDD and fans without the latters working 100%? And I assume watercooling is the only effective solution? Thanks!

Absolutely, if you're not chasing the absolute lowest temperatures. I typically have the case fans idling at 600 RPM with a max speed set in the motherboard's fan control for 1200 RPM. Depending on the video card and arrangement of the parts and fans the GPU can get kinda loud though.

I've only thought about SFX layouts and I'm not sure if you can mount a fan at the top

There will probably be mountings for a slim 120mm fan on the optional carry handle bracket. But I didn't find it that effective in testing and it's very prone to interference from tall motherboard VRM heatsinks.
 

Lavosu

Minimal Tinkerer
Oct 24, 2016
4
0
OK. Three more questions:

I'm looking at compatible CPU coolers, and I think I've found a fit but I'd like to run it through you.

Silverstone NT06 PRO has 82mm height, or approx 107mm height with a 25mm fan on top. Would this cooler fit with a 25mm fan mounted on the side bracket?

You mention Demci dust filters. Do these fit between the fan and the case on the inside?

Would an orientation such as: 2 bottom intake fans, 1 lower front half intake fan, side exhaust and back 92mm intake work to maintain positive pressure and keep dust relatively at bay?
 

jeshikat

Jessica. Wayward SFF.n Founder
Silver Supporter
Feb 22, 2015
4,969
4,783
Stacking fans right up against each other isn't helpful, you'd be better off with a taller heatsink and a single fan. The Noctua C14S fits perfectly and is what I currently use.

Case filters generally attach to the outside of the frame/side bracket. So the side and front filter would be covered by their respective exterior panels.

I don't find populating all the fan mounts with fans to be that useful. I think that trying to maintain positive pressure that way as a method of reducing dust is self-defeating due to the much greater volume of air moving through the case.
 

Lavosu

Minimal Tinkerer
Oct 24, 2016
4
0
I understand what you mean. I'd have to test my setup and decide whether the temperature difference is worth the dust.

Approximately how much space for a CPU cooler is there with one 3.5 hdd mounted on the side bracket?
 

wusiji_doctor

Minimal Tinkerer
Sep 22, 2016
3
3
I've got a question about PSU cables. Where would you recommend a novice look to learn more about PSU cable splitters? Cleary to power a high-end mATX setup on an SFX PSU, I'm going to need more cables than what comes in the PSU box. I know it's kind of off topic for this thread, but could someone point me in the right direction on where I can figure out how I can get the right cables/splitters/whatevers? Or am I entirely wrong, and trying to split cables like that will burn down everything I love? Why else would we have such high wattage SFX PSUs now if SLI setups weren't possible with them due to lack of cables? The internet is a vast, confusing place full of confusion.