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

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Hmmm so about pricing, if you switch to aluminum would pricing be the same or cheaper (as I was shooting for around 150 USD like the Ncase M1).

We're making a case with a design and development process second to none, with the best materials and manufacturing available to anyone in the industry. We're carving the feet out of aluminum billets, it's of that caliber. This is not meant to be a $150 case.

Neither is the NCASE M1, by the way. That enclosure costs $185, is manufactured in Taiwan, and is ~2/3 the size of our enclosure. They also use plastic, off-the-shelf feet, which I mention not to criticize, but to emphasize how fastidious we've been.

Ours comparatively will be US-made, 50% larger, and will (relative to the M1) be very competitively priced IMO (though the two don't really compete directly).

Cerberus will be pricey, but it will be of very high value for the users it is designed for. This is an enclosure that is meant to outlive generations of hardware. This is an enclosure that provides features and compatibility/volume that are not remotely close to being reached by any other option currently on the market. This is an enclosure and passion project by and for enthusiasts.

I wouldn't mind an Al case. A steel inner would be nice though, stability, rigidity and all that. Al I can get oxidised for a lovely oil-on-water shimmer effect, which is really hard with steel

We will not be compromising on stability/rigidity/strength no matter what we end up doing. It's just that, if we use aluminum with the internal chassis, that means we are forced to use a thicker gauge to get that, which will either increase the external dimensions, or decrease the internal tolerances - and either way, we have to do a bit of work to re-factor the design with the thicker material.

Everything else - features, finishes, design, etc - would be unchanged. We'd just be changing the metal used. Benefits would be a much lighter enclosure and the perception (by some) of higher quality; the drawbacks would be the thicker gauge, a potentially higher cost (though we might scrape by - waiting on quotes currently), and a loss of the ability to use magnetic filters without putting magnets on yourself.

 

[tedlas]

no choice but to make the entire enclosure in aluminum

no magnetic filters? That's a very significant negative for me.

we will not be moving production of Cerberus overseas

:/ maybe a Cerberus lite in the future?

chrome-plated copper

Or just polished copper with a clearcoat. I'd buy that yesterday. I love everything copper.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

no magnetic filters? That's a very significant negative for me.

Yes, it's a bummer. Just note that your snippet is a bit misleading insofar that I said we might not have a choice - we don't know what will ultimately be the best option until we can get concrete figures for our manufacturer.

:/ maybe a Cerberus lite in the future?

We like the idea of making a super-simple, well-designed mATX enclosure at a lower price point, but Cerberus won't ever be that. Even if we did move production overseas, it's a complex case, and we use high-end finishes and materials. To design it down to $100 would be to change it so much that it ain't Cerberus anymore.

That said, the success of Cerberus will dictate our ability to make other designs we have, including simpler ones that are meant to be more accessible. We've got a few already, and ideas for more, and through some arrangements we've been making we'd be able to bring stuff to market a lot faster than has been the case with Cerberus. So consider Cerberus a launchpad of sorts in that regard.

Or just polished copper with a clearcoat. I'd buy that yesterday. I love everything copper.

When done right, it can look incredible. The problem is, it's done wrong much too often

 

[tedlas]

To design it down to $100 would be to change it so much that it ain't Cerberus anymore.

I don't think this case should be brought down to $100, Something like 180-225 would be a lot more palatable, but impossible to accomplish in the states.

Keep up the work (and the updates), I can't wait to get this case.

 

[Ankacat]

We will not be compromising on stability/rigidity/strength no matter what we end up doing.

So regardless of the final case material(s), I can still use the argument of "well this computer I can quickly evacuate in a fire AND use to break a window on the way out" vs a laptop?

 

[AstroWan]

Oh right, I personally think a full aluminum build would be pretty sweet, but worry that since the panels are so long, it would require thick enough panels to decrease the risk of them getting bent out of shape.

How about platinum?

 

[AstroWan]

I don't think this case should be brought down to $100, Something like 180-225 would be a lot more palatable, but impossible to accomplish in the states.

Keep up the work (and the updates), I can't wait to get this case.

Hmm 180-200 for a white case with a windowed side panel sounds like a nice price to me.

 

[AstroWan]

We're making a case with a design and development process second to none, with the best materials and manufacturing available to anyone in the industry. We're carving the feet out of aluminum billets, it's of that caliber. This is not meant to be a $150 case.

Neither is the NCASE M1, by the way. That enclosure costs $185, is manufactured in Taiwan, and is ~2/3 the size of our enclosure. They also use plastic, off-the-shelf feet, which I mention not to criticize, but to emphasize how fastidious we've been.

Ours comparatively will be US-made, 50% larger, and will (relative to the M1) be very competitively priced IMO (though the two don't really compete directly).

Cerberus will be pricey, but it will be of very high value for the users it is designed for. This is an enclosure that is meant to outlive generations of hardware. This is an enclosure that provides features and compatibility/volume that are not remotely close to being reached by any other option currently on the market. This is an enclosure and passion project by and for enthusiasts.



We will not be compromising on stability/rigidity/strength no matter what we end up doing. It's just that, if we use aluminum with the internal chassis, that means we are forced to use a thicker gauge to get that, which will either increase the external dimensions, or decrease the internal tolerances - and either way, we have to do a bit of work to re-factor the design with the thicker material.

Everything else - features, finishes, design, etc - would be unchanged. We'd just be changing the metal used. Benefits would be a much lighter enclosure and the perception (by some) of higher quality; the drawbacks would be the thicker gauge, a potentially higher cost (though we might scrape by - waiting on quotes currently), and a loss of the ability to use magnetic filters without putting magnets on yourself.

Hmm, ok, well I wonder what pricing will be all together after this.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Something like 180-225 would be a lot more palatable, but impossible to accomplish in the states.

Not impossible at all. Would just require certain compromises. Heck, a $100 case that uses good materials wouldn't be impossible either - we'd just have to have that be the goal from the start, and be very clever and deliberate in our design. (And, obviously, it wouldn't have some of the things Cerberus does)

So regardless of the final case material(s), I can still use the argument of "well this computer I can quickly evacuate in a fire AND use to break a window on the way out" vs a laptop?

Well, the laptop would work for that too, so long as you're fine with downgrading it to a doorstop

Oh right, I personally think a full aluminum build would be pretty sweet, but worry that since the panels are so long, it would require thick enough panels to decrease the risk of them getting bent out of shape.

We were already investigating aluminum panels, and know the right thickness to get essentially the same rigidity. Ditto for the frame - we're currently just waiting to get a quote for materials cost.

Hmm, ok, well I wonder what pricing will be all together after this.

If anyone out there is worried that the price is going to go above $249, don't be worried. I think we're at the point where we can say that such an outcome is totally avoidable.

 

[3lfk1ng]

Looooong time lurker and failed backer here . Also backer of the initial NCASE funding round.
I just wanted to quickly say, "Keep up the good work Kimera!"

A little bit about me: I've been a huge fan of SFF builds since as far back as 2011, trying like a madman to build interest in SFF powerhouses over the years. I've only ever funded whatever I could to help make these SFF dreams a reality. The dream was always to do what I could to help so that eventually I purchase one of your amazing cases.

With the recent massive update (thank you for the detailed explanation!), I figured it was time to make an account and chime in to provide the feedback you so kindly requested.

I personally prefer an all aluminum case over a steel case or even an aluminum case with a steel motherboard tray.
After growing up with the best that Antec, Cooler Master, and Thermaltake had to offer, once I made the switch to Lian-Li I could never go back to steel. To this day I'm the proud owner of three Lian-Li cases and even a Caselabs S3 because I absolutely love working with lightweight Aluminum cases (especially when you have to carry it to and from the occasional LAN party).

While the initial proposed use of steel didn't dissuade my interest for what I still think is the most perfect case ever designed (that Matte Red+Black combo, mmm), the proposed switch to Aluminum is a very exciting proposition. While costs are and will always be a concern, I understand that a premium case, with limited manufacturing numbers, will come at a premium price. To be fair to you and provide voice on the matter, I am only willing to go as high as $250USD for a premium mATX case (~$300 for ATX). Any higher and I will regrettably have to look elsewhere.

Outside of price, I guess the only real concern now would be factoring in the time needed to respec/refit the case to support slightly thicker aluminum panels and any other unforeseen complications as a result (thickness of top panel needed to use handle w/o flex). However, with that being said, I am in no rush to build a new computer so please take your time to do it once and do it right.

As for the other change that you proposed, the loss of magnetic fan-filter support is not a deal breaker to me so long as we still have room to insert a fan filter that is easily removable (slot loaded? grommet-mounted?). With my old budget oriented liquid cooled SFF build (CM 110), the worst part of maintenance is removing damn near everything just to clean a simple front-mounted fan filter.

I will follow this thread like a hawk and the next time you request feedback, I will gladly do what I can to help.

Thank you again, you're all rockstars in my eyes,
Drew

 

[candyman]

No, please, there are plenty of cases made of alluminum out there. Please, let's maintain the steel that was feature that made Cerberus original.

I miss something? The poll saw the victory of the alluminum supporters?

p.s.: any original steel mockup for sale?

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Looooong time lurker and failed backer here . Also backer of the initial NCASE funding round.
I just wanted to quickly say, "Keep up the good work Kimera!"

Thanks for the kind words that level of passion is why we do what we're doing.

But to your questions:

To be fair to you and provide voice on the matter, I am only willing to go as high as $250USD for a premium mATX case (~$300 for ATX). Any higher and I will regrettably have to look elsewhere.

You won't need to worry. Do you have a preference between mATX and ATX? (Mostly curious)

Outside of price, I guess the only real concern now would be factoring in the time needed to respec/refit the case to support slightly thicker aluminum panels and any other unforeseen complications as a result (thickness of top panel needed to use handle w/o flex). However, with that being said, I am in no rush to build a new computer so please take your time to do it once and do it right.

The delay is 10% refactoring, and 90% waiting on our manufacturer, to be honest. Refactoring for the thicker metal isn't too big a burden, but our manufacturer is just slammed right now Once the ball is in our court we'll be able to move very quickly.

That said, we are of course being diligent, and have leaned towards taking our time across the arc of the project. It's no different here, it's just that we're faster since we're better, we've pre-planned, and this is a simple change.

As for the other change that you proposed, the loss of magnetic fan-filter support is not a deal breaker to me so long as we still have room to insert a fan filter that is easily removable (slot loaded? grommet-mounted?). With my old budget oriented liquid cooled SFF build (CM 110), the worst part of maintenance is removing damn near everything just to clean a simple front-mounted fan filter.

If we go with aluminum for the internal chassis, we will have to consider what can be done to address the loss of magnetic filter support. We're considering a few things presently. But the room/tolerances that already exist provide ample space to mount a bunch of filters however you'd like... it's just that magnetic filters are a much more elegant way to go about it, generally.

No, please, there are plenty of cases made of alluminum out there. Please, let's maintain the steel that was feature that made Cerberus original.

Steel for the panels was a debatable choice by us. We did it mostly to save a little money and get away with thinner panels, but moving to aluminum would have had a negligible impact on size and a significant impact on weight.

Steel for the internal chassis, on the other hand... I personally think that it's just a straightforward better choice than aluminum, because you have to use thicker aluminum to match steel's characteristics. Plus, you lose the magnetic properties. Plus, it's cheaper.

But now it's not cheaper, and in fact it could be significantly more. And if the cost difference is substantial, we basically have to decide if using steel is worth that premium. So we'll have to find out what that is, and go from there.

We'll keep you all posted! We have so much to share, and we really want to You can't imagine how excited-yet-frustrated we are.

 

[3lfk1ng]

1. You're very welcome.
2. Definitely mATX.

 

[jeshikat]

p.s.: any original steel mockup for sale?

Not for reasonable prices. I am loathe to sell either the Nova or Cerberus prototype so it'd require quite a bit of money to convince me to part with either.

 

[Anthony]

Regardless of a price hike, I still very much prefer an entirely steel case.

 

[Phuncz]

I do too, up to a point. I need to pay import duties on this baby so every 4 euro added to the price, I pay another 1 euro in import duties that aren't reflected anywhere in the product.
I'm quite sure many non-US residents will appreciate a lower price because the shipping and import duties will almost double the cost for some.

 

[blackjack1031]

Long time lurker here curious about the widths on the 1080s , whats the maximun width gpu we can have in the cereberus

 

[jeshikat]

Long time lurker here curious about the widths on the 1080s , whats the maximun width gpu we can have in the cereberus

Welcome! The spec for Cerberus is listed as 150mm, but video card manufacturers aren't consistent with how they measure. Generally, if it fits in the NCASE M1 it'll fit in Cerberus plus cards that are up to 10mm taller than what fits in the M1.

 

[superpapu]

Welcome! The spec for Cerberus is listed as 150mm, but video card manufacturers aren't consistent with how they measure. Generally, if it fits in the NCASE M1 it'll fit in Cerberus plus cards that are up to 10mm taller than what fits in the M1.

There are pre order page, estimated production schedule and cost in europe?

 

[jeshikat]

There are pre order page, estimated production schedule and cost in europe?

Welcome to the forum! Cerberus isn't up for pre-order yet.

Production will hopefully start in the next few months but we've run into some issues recently with metal prices that we're working through.

Not 100% on shipping cost to Europe yet. We may be changing some additional parts from steel to aluminum which would change the weight. I don't think it'll affect international shipping price much since that's more determined by the size of the box but we're not sure yet.