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

[Uruk]

I think I stil have a DABOX 100 somewhere, old times when MATX was a thing ?

 

[Theflathead]

• CPU - Ryzen 3700x // H115i platinum with stock fans (for RGB, i have Noctua NF-A14s still in theri box, but the SP140L noise/temps are acceptable so far)
• GPU - Asus STRIX 2080 super
• PSU - Corsair SF600 platinum; stock cables
• Motherboard - Asus b450i
• Storage - 1TB Samsung 970 PRO M.2, 750 GB Crucial MX300
• RAM - 32 GB Corsair Vengeance PRO
• Rear fan - Be Quiet! 92 Pure Wings 2 92mm set to exhaust
• Top fan - Prolimatech 120mm slim fan set to exhaust

This build was a whole lot of fun coming from an Lazer3d Lz7. HUGE size difference, but I wanted a panel to show off my stuff. Bonus shots including lights on, case on desk, and a doggo.


I have not yet decided if i'll get custom cables because the stock ones seem to be enough to not appear cluttered. The ATX cable is a good length and the 8 pin EPS seems just enough (if not just an inch or so short). Shorter PCIE cables are the only ones I would really benefit from and I may order just a pair of them.

 

[MarcParis]

• CPU - Ryzen 3700x // H115i platinum with stock fans (for RGB, i have Noctua NF-A14s still in theri box, but the SP140L noise/temps are acceptable so far)
• GPU - Asus STRIX 2080 super
• PSU - Corsair SF600 platinum; stock cables
• Motherboard - Asus b450i
• Storage - 1TB Samsung 970 PRO M.2, 750 GB Crucial MX300
• RAM - 32 GB Corsair Vengeance PRO
• Rear fan - Be Quiet! 92 Pure Wings 2 92mm set to exhaust
• Top fan - Prolimatech 120mm slim fan set to exhaust

This build was a whole lot of fun coming from an Lazer3d Lz7. HUGE size difference, but I wanted a panel to show off my stuff. Bonus shots including lights on, case on desk, and a doggo.


I have not yet decided if i'll get custom cables because the stock ones seem to be enough to not appear cluttered. The ATX cable is a good length and the 8 pin EPS seems just enough (if not just an inch or so short). Shorter PCIE cables are the only ones I would really benefit from and I may order just a pair of them.

Nice build!
Have you also considered SM580 instead of Cerberus (non X)?

 

[Theflathead]

Nice build!
Have you also considered SM580 instead of Cerberus (non X)?

I did, but I did not want a sandwich style because then I could only see half the PC at a time!

 

[MuffinCrumbs]

Has anyone come up with any solution for the USB-C, port, Audio port jack on front I/O?

 

[MarcParis]

I did, but I did not want a sandwich style because then I could only see half the PC at a time!

Personally I prefer watching at gpu fans..

 

[zugok]

Does anyone one where I can buy the mounting posts used for the side panels? I want to try and customize my side panels w 3d printed ones.

 

[zugok]

Has anyone come up with any solution for the USB-C, port, Audio port jack on front I/O?

As suggested by another member here, Sliger has a cable part for their SM580 case that may work?

https://www.sliger.com/includes/products/sm/RX-FRONTPANEL-AMD.jpg

I just got my Cerberus X case today, so I hope to have time over the holidays, to build the system and try out modding as I have SM580 cable too.

FYI, the case is great.

 

[zugok]

I am looking for recommendations for the order in which to install the various PC components into a Sliger Cerberus X or SFF case? I have a Cerberus X.

Off the top of my head I am thinking:
#1 Fans (Corsair ML120 front/top panel, ML140 x2 bottom, Noctua NF-B9 back panel)
#2 SFX PSU (Corsair SF750)
#3 Initial cable layout
#4 Motherboard without CPU cooler ( Asus x570 TUF)
#5 3.5" HDD
#6 Plug-in cables, and arrange.
#7 Attach CPU Cooler, (Scythe Fuma)
#8 Attach 2x Corsair ML120 to cooler.
#9 Attach GPU to MB (RTX 2070)

In such a small case, I am sure cable routing may be a challenge.

Thanks in advance for tips or suggestions.

 

[MarcParis]

I am looking for recommendations for the order in which to install the various PC components into a Sliger Cerberus X or SFF case? I have a Cerberus X.

Off the top of my head I am thinking:
#1 Fans (Corsair ML120 front/top panel, ML140 x2 bottom, Noctua NF-B9 back panel)
#2 SFX PSU (Corsair SF750)
#3 Initial cable layout
#4 Motherboard without CPU cooler ( Asus x570 TUF)
#5 3.5" HDD
#6 Plug-in cables, and arrange.
#7 Attach CPU Cooler, (Scythe Fuma)
#8 Attach 2x Corsair ML120 to cooler.
#9 Attach GPU to MB (RTX 2070)

In such a small case, I am sure cable routing may be a challenge.

Thanks in advance for tips or suggestions.

Welcome on board!

First, Cerberus-X is not too complicated in terms of cable management (especially compared to smaller case...like...SM550 or alike, or even smaller..)

My main advice is simply to start by MB.
Then PSU (plug what can be plugged)
Then Storage/Fans : Please check your top fan, it's normally accept only slim fan (not Corsair) ML.
Then CPU cooler (don't forget CPU..) with RAM stick
Then GPU

Good luck for assembly

 

[zugok]

Thankyou Marc!

 

[Joejoe317]

Is there a SketchUp for the Cerberus x. The one I pulled up is for the cereberus.

 

[Joejoe317]

It's Kimeras design so I cannot release anything. Anything in particularly you need help ensuring fit for?

I just found this, but yes..

I have a 2080 ti EVGA ftw3 that I believe with the water block is 158mm which is seriously over standard mounting. If I do a vertical mount, I know a radiator will not fit on the bottom.

I wanted to buy an extra top bracket and actually mod the case and screw it in the side, this way I can fit in a radiator with fans and a vertical mounted card.
The card is 303mm and I know I only have 330 to play with in the front as well... meaning a slim radiator with probably 15mm fans in the behind the front panel.

Anyway, I really just wanted to see if there is any reason why this wouldn't work.

I did extrapolate some data from the sketchup that was there. I measured from the bottom of the io shield to the bottom of the case and came up with125.16mm, there are 2 more slots in the x version, I saw about 21.5mm per slot so about a total of 168mm in the x from io shield to the bottom.

depending how offset I can get the card this means I should be able to add some 120mm fans at the bottom without much impedance.

My biggest concern is more about being able to mount the radiator on the side and kind of sandwich it with the gpu (there will be a big gap more than likely).

Too bad the hinge side mount cannot be moved to the bottom ...well I guess I could cut it off and weld the hinges toward the bottom to accommodate as well.

 

[Boil]

Alright, looking for some advice on the Cerberus...

3900X CPU / Crosshair VIII Impact mobo / 5700 XT 50AE GPU / 64 GB RAM (trash Samsung M-die)

Fractal Design Celsius S24 on CPU with stock fans...

Morpheus II heat sink on GPU with single Noctua NF-F12 on front panel below PSU & attached to the GPU fan header...

No fans attached to Morpheus II heat sink at all (yeah, I know, I was not thinking right), not enough room (unaware of EK 120x38 fans at the time, might have tried those, might still try those)...

Got low profile copper heat sinks for the RAM on the GPU, but they sucked and acted more as a heat soak, causing thermal throttling pretty quickly...

Moved rig to a temp chassis, NZXT H510 I think...? Huge, but contains the Four Slot Beast that a Morpheus II & 25mm thick fans creates (and those fans really helped with the GPU temps, Big Duh)...

SO...! I still want to use my Cerberus...

I might just try the 38mm thick EK fans, pulling thru the bottom mounted AIO & feeding directly thru the Morpheus II heat sink (with the 120x25 front intake attached to the GPU fan header)...

Exhaust is rear Noctua NF-A9 & top Noctua NF-A12x15...

That would be a short term, but I really want to do a custom loop...

So (...fraking finally dude, get to any point, would ya...?!?) the question is, what temps might one expect to see with the above listed hardware & the following cooling gear...?

CPU & GPU both under water (full cover block on GPU), 280x45 radiator with two 140x25 fans intaking from the bottom of the chassis, 92x25 intake on front panel (below PSU), and same exhaust as covered above...

I would mount a D5 pump / reservoir combo on the motherboard tray, between the mobo & the PSU...

With a 70mm thick rad / fan stack, there would probably be about 30mm or so between the top of the cooling stack & the GPU water block, that should be sufficient for proper airflow around & up, yeah...?

A lot to wade thru, thanks for any advise folks...!

Oh, and thinking of using the J-Hack 2427 wiring harness & optional cables to make that all more streamlined...!

 

[MarcParis]

What are you looking for your Cerberus build?
comparing with your current setup temperature should be slightly higher. Morpheus gpu cooler is really good.

 

[JJSEA]

I have a Cerberus X on the way and I am struggling to decide on a cooling strategy.

I am using air cooling and ordered the vented side panel. I do very little gaming and my GPU needs are modest. I am using ECC memory and do not plan to OC. My parts are:

• Ryzen 3950X
• Gigabyte Aorus X570 Master
• Noctua NH-C14S
• Corsair SF600 Platinum
• Gigabyte GTX 1050Ti (will upgrade this to something like a 1660 Super)
• Asus XG-C100C (10GbE card)

Overall goal is to maximize CPU performance while keeping noise low (in particular, inaudible at idle or low load).

I have been doing some open bench experiments, and found that (as measured by CPU temperature)

• GPU is better in PCIe slot 2 than in PCIe slot 1
• C14S is better blowing towards motherboard rather than away from it
• fan underneath the C14S (pulling) is as good (or slightly better than) as fan on top (pushing)
• C14S is better with 1 fan rather than 2 (in push/pull)

I do not know whether these will apply within the case.

My current thinking is

• graphics card in PCIe slot 2
• 10GbE card in PCIe slot 1
• 1 or 2 fans on C14S as intake (blowing towards motherboard): not sure whether on top or below; not sure if 2 fans will be helpful when inside the case
• 120mm fan(s) on top of the case as exhaust: not sure whether I need 1 or 2
• 90mm fan on rear of case: not sure whether intake or exhaust
• 120mm at front of case (opposite PCIe slots 1 and 2): not sure if intake or exhaust (but opposite of rear fan)
• maybe 140mm intake at bottom: not sure if that will help

I have found a couple of strange things:

1. Prime96 Small FFTs with 16 threads takes temp to about 68C (IntelBurnTest is similar); but with 8 threads it stabilizes at around 92C.
2. Even when the CPU is at a very high temp, the heat pipes on the C14S only get slightly warm (at most 33C).

I wonder if I have messed up the thermal paste application.

I found MarcParis's build log very helpful, but I suspect my less powerful GPU changes things a bit.

 

[JJSEA]

One more question: do the 2.5" SSD/HDD mounting points on the Cerberus X chassis accommodate 15mm thick HDDs (such as Seagate Barracuda 4Tb)?

 

[VegetableStu]

beside the motherboard: might need to check with Sliger. from my estimations there shouldn't be any interference for when you're using the front-mounted PSU bracket
the optional 2.5" disk frames: only the upper storey. the 2.5" disk frames are designed for 9mm thick disks

 

[MarcParis]

I have a Cerberus X on the way and I am struggling to decide on a cooling strategy.

I am using air cooling and ordered the vented side panel. I do very little gaming and my GPU needs are modest. I am using ECC memory and do not plan to OC. My parts are:

• Ryzen 3950X
• Gigabyte Aorus X570 Master
• Noctua NH-C14S
• Corsair SF600 Platinum
• Gigabyte GTX 1050Ti (will upgrade this to something like a 1660 Super)
• Asus XG-C100C (10GbE card)

Overall goal is to maximize CPU performance while keeping noise low (in particular, inaudible at idle or low load).

I have been doing some open bench experiments, and found that (as measured by CPU temperature)

• GPU is better in PCIe slot 2 than in PCIe slot 1
• C14S is better blowing towards motherboard rather than away from it
• fan underneath the C14S (pulling) is as good (or slightly better than) as fan on top (pushing)
• C14S is better with 1 fan rather than 2 (in push/pull)

I do not know whether these will apply within the case.

My current thinking is

• graphics card in PCIe slot 2
• 10GbE card in PCIe slot 1
• 1 or 2 fans on C14S as intake (blowing towards motherboard): not sure whether on top or below; not sure if 2 fans will be helpful when inside the case
• 120mm fan(s) on top of the case as exhaust: not sure whether I need 1 or 2
• 90mm fan on rear of case: not sure whether intake or exhaust
• 120mm at front of case (opposite PCIe slots 1 and 2): not sure if intake or exhaust (but opposite of rear fan)
• maybe 140mm intake at bottom: not sure if that will help

I have found a couple of strange things:

1. Prime96 Small FFTs with 16 threads takes temp to about 68C (IntelBurnTest is similar); but with 8 threads it stabilizes at around 92C.
2. Even when the CPU is at a very high temp, the heat pipes on the C14S only get slightly warm (at most 33C).

I wonder if I have messed up the thermal paste application.

I found MarcParis's build log very helpful, but I suspect my less powerful GPU changes things a bit.

Thanks and welcome to Cerberus-X owner’s club..

In terms of thermals, as you are prioritising CPU, go for dual 140mm fans on c14s as intake.
Put rear and top fan as exhaust.
Put bottom fan as intake, especially effective with gpu on second slot. (No loss of performance also with your gpu)

no need of front fan.

You should be fine with that

 

[JJSEA]

Thanks. I was worried about what would happen to the GPU heat. In particular, I didn't want the GPU heat to negatively affect CPU cooling. I was thinking the front fan might help with that. Or would the rear fan be sufficient to exhaust the GPU heat?