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

[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?

 

[MarcParis]

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?

With gtx 1050 sure...

 

[MarcParis]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Testing Asetek 645LT & Corsair SF600 (3rd January 2020)
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Asetek 645LT proved to be a very good choice for Cerberus owner's as it can give its maximum performance (better than my Noctua C14S) without harming GPU performance...

Corsair SF600 is still a pain with this "fake/joke" fanless mode.

 

[mweis]

hey there, would it be possible to install the ASUS Maximus Extreme XI (12 inch x 10.9 inch ( 30.5 cm x 27.7 cm) together with a front mounted SF750 PSU?

 

[si_death]

Hello, i have been slowly collecting my parts for my cerberus X build. I am planning on putting an arctic liquid freezer 2 AIO on the front and then 2 fans at the bottom. I have almost everything now except for the GPU. The arctic liquid freezer looks rather thick and was wandering if anyone using this cooler what GPU they were using. I was hoping to aim for a 2070 super or a 2080 super. Much thanks!

 

[MarcParis]

After SM580, Level 1 just reviewed (and using) Cerberus-X as "ultimate" streaming machine :

 

[Uruk]

Hello, i have been slowly collecting my parts for my cerberus X build. I am planning on putting an arctic liquid freezer 2 AIO on the front and then 2 fans at the bottom. I have almost everything now except for the GPU. The arctic liquid freezer looks rather thick and was wandering if anyone using this cooler what GPU they were using. I was hoping to aim for a 2070 super or a 2080 super. Much thanks!

If you can fit that AIO in front, total length should be 330mm, so with 38mm rad and 25mm fans, you can install a 267mm GPU (reference RTX 2070 Super fits there).

 

[MarcParis]

If you can fit that AIO in front, total length should be 330mm, so with 38mm rad and 25mm fans, you can install a 267mm GPU (reference RTX 2070 Super fits there).

As far as I remember total internal depth of Cerberus-X is 329mm.. Most probably playing with tolerance/rounding.

@si_death
I hope to share with community progress on 92 AIO/customed loop.

Depending on your CPU, but Asetek 645LT is already a very good choice, able to cool my OC R7 3800X in pretty efficient way (a little bit better than Noctua C14S), without deteoriating GPU cooling (as front or bottom radiator are doing)

I'm currently working on beefier version...

 

[threestripevida]

Very curious about your results with the 645 lt. My gpu temps are okay for the most part with my x52 at the bottom, but if the 645lt still lets me watercool my cpu and keep my window panel I might just switch to that.

 

[MarcParis]

Very curious about your results with the 645 lt. My gpu temps are okay for the most part with my x52 at the bottom, but if the 645lt still lets me watercool my cpu and keep my window panel I might just switch to that.

Indeed you are right. While using 645LT, this is easing by far use of windowed side panel...as main exhaust is now top fan.

Right now, my testings are finished with 645LT. It provides slightly better temperature & lower noise than my Noctua C14S setup (dual fan as exhaust) on my R7 3800X (OC 4.3Ghz @1.3125v), and no negative impact on GPU thermals. I've also managed to run Asetek pump at 5v only (1350 rpm, monitored as 2700), making it pretty quiet...and with no impact on performance as loop is small on 645LT.
For info I'm using 645LT with only Noctua NF-A09x25 PWM (2000rpm max), but it worked almost as good with NF-A09x14 (2500rpm), but it was a bit noisier. I even tried push/pull (NF-A09x14 and NF-A9x25...giving a boost of 1-2°C on cooling..)
https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...erberus-x-complete-build-log.2007/post-179453

Previously while using 240mm bottom radiator (intake), GPU thermals were clearly impacted (from 75°C to 84°C on temperature and GPU fans speed from 1800-1900 to 2500 max). My GPU is overclocked GTX1080ti that can draw 330W max (average 300W on demanding title, like Gears 5).

Now I'm looking to build best setup with 92mm watercooling. I'll share them, if successful indeed..

 

[Uruk]

As far as I remember total internal depth of Cerberus-X is 329mm.. Most probably playing with tolerance/rounding.

According to Sliger website support for GPUs is 330mm, and mine have that space. Did you check yours?

 

[MarcParis]

According to Sliger website support for GPUs is 330mm, and mine have that space. Did you check yours?

In fact I was just refering from cerberus quotation..

1mm won't have major impact for me..

 

[DKsystem]

Now we wait for Cerberus Mini...

 

[MarcParis]

Now we wait for Cerberus Mini...

Never...somehow Kimera Industries has become Chimera and develop completely new products.


Closest of Cerberus mini is SM550/560 from Sliger or Ncase M1..

 

[VegetableStu]

Sliger did say they're working on an ITX-height Cerberus that's vertically-reversible ._.

 

[MarcParis]

Sliger did say they're working on an ITX-height Cerberus that's vertically-reversible ._.

ahah my bad then lol...

 

[threestripevida]

If the Cerberus Mini comes out soon I might have to sell my Cerberus X to get it.

 

[Boil]

Hmm... What exactly is the projected layout for a Cerebus Mini...?

If it is just a shorter Cerberus, that might kill a good bit of watercooling capabilities...?

But if the 'vertically-reversible' means moving the motherboard tray to put the GPU slot up top, that might help some with cooling of the GPU (although I doubt there would be space for a Morpheus II with 120x25mm fans)...

If only Fractal Design would make a sub-20 liter Meshify Nano, with room for a 280 radiator & 140x25 fans up front...