Completed Circle Pro - Solid Alu CNCed mini-itx case - 240mm liquid cooling

[Necere]

The Celsius, according to amazon questions, sadly, we can't replace the fittings on CPU waterblock, so I am not sure that will work.

That's unfortunate. Really limits what you can do with it. The new EK Phoenix (Predator replacement) has similar downgrades (nonremovable barb fittings on the rad).

Alright, let's have a look at the space we have. There isn't any room under the PSU. That area is designed to hide excess cable runs. In my builds, I've been coiling and stuffing the cables in there and makes for a clean build. I don't think you can fit anything else in there.

The image above doesn't do it full justice, but you can see the scale of one single power cable. There will be about 4 of them stuffed in there in a regular build. I designed the fan bracket underneath to actually clamp and compress on the cables in this area, that's how cramped it can get.

So why not move the PSU up closer to the radiator? Two reasons: although it looks like there's ample room in this picture, you're actually working against the minimum bend radius of the radiator tubes. Using a TD02 Lite, the pipes are quite stiff, and this is nearing the minimum distance I can bend them in without uncomfortably distorting them. The distance from the top of the PSU to the radiator is 46mm.

Second factor at the moment is the IEC cable. Because different power supplies have the IEC port facing different directions, I had to change the IEC connector from a right angle model to a standard straight model. This is so you wouldn't get a nasty surprise finding your power supply was not compatible.

On the other side is where we have a bit of room, if you're ok sacrificing 2.5" drive support. The pink rectangle has the dimensions: 143 x 38 x 80mm. You could probably increase the depth measurement from 38mm to something like 40-42, but you'll start majorly clashing with the IEC cable.

I would love to make a set of custom cooling solutions - because it would mean I could make custom fittings into the radiator. This, in combination with a new custom IEC low profile connector, means we could move the PSU closer to the radiator, potentially giving us more room for accessories. But that's a long term plan. For now, priority is on stock components and compatibility

Well... you could probably fit a stock DDC in that space, and do a t-line build. Hard to see where you might fit a res though.

 

[urmyeye]

That's unfortunate. Really limits what you can do with it. The new EK Phoenix (Predator replacement) has similar downgrades (nonremovable barb fittings on the rad).

Well... you could probably fit a stock DDC in that space, and do a t-line build. Hard to see where you might fit a res though.

T-line seems like the least feasible solution we got here. I am also thinking to use dc-atx psu, but then the eurocom adapter is fairly expensive and g-unique runs hot. If the current psu shroud is removable , that will indeed free up a lot of space for the pump and reservoir.
Not sure if that is a better solution.
Try to move psu closer to radiator by using a right angle/90 degree ICE cord might be something worth trying. Not sure if it will interfere with hard tube fittings though.

 

[owliwar]

@urmyeye brought a point that raised me a question. the psu shroud is removable? I know you are using normal cables but if the PSU could be moved a little by the user, that would be nice. but it would only be possible if the psu shroud is moveable / removeable.

Though i'm not sure how far into production you guys already are. Modulation is nice but its a pain sometimes.

 

[NuclearLemons]

you could mount the resovior outside the case, perhaps on its back? Akin to what has been done on some NCASE builds. Something like this :

what kind of clearance would be available if low profile ram was used in that space above the water block (above where the pie bridge would be? could it be enough to fit something like this:

.
another smaller note, could it be possible to take advantage of an AIO block pump and simply add your own fittings to it? sure you would have to crank it up a ton but if the same method was used on the gpu instead of a proper water block, would that be enough to drive the loop? -edit probably ineffective and cumbersome, fractal celcius still looks like better option

 

[NuclearLemons]

That's unfortunate. Really limits what you can do with it. The new EK Phoenix (Predator replacement) has similar downgrades (nonremovable barb fittings on the rad).

Well... you could probably fit a stock DDC in that space, and do a t-line build. Hard to see where you might fit a res though.

i believe you can change the tubes on the fractal kelvin cpu blocks rather than just the radiators

 

[iFreilicht]

Hard to see where you might fit a res though.

What if you made the fill tube very long and filled the whole loop until that was half full as well? That would have the same effect as using a reservoir, right? Just a small and very flexible one.

 

[Boil]

Ok. Here is a list of supported hardware for the Circle Pro barebones case.

Water Cooling AIO
275mm x 120mm x 30mm

Note, these dimensions aren't final and are still being tested. The radiator is quite close to the GPU ATX connector, and the thicker the radiator, the more tightly the cables from this connector have to be compressed. Thinner radiators are preferred. We have been testing with a TD-02 Lite which is 27mm thick. I think an additional 3mm will be fine as it has been designed with clearance in mind - but I'll need to test it to make sure.

Also note that the cooling block section either needs to have very soft tubes coming out of it (ie. Fractal Celsius S24), or angle adjustable tubes (I.e. Silverstone TD-02 Lite, Kelvin S24), so they can be pulled to the side and zip tied to the core - otherwise they will collide with the glass panel and prevent the case from closing. The side panels are held in place with magnets, so any internal force against them will mean they won’t sit flush.

RAM
Depending on the location of your RAM, you should get as low profile RAM as possible. In some cases, you may have to route the water cooling tubes over it, and if it’s too high, the side panel might not sit flush.

GPU
Any ‘mini’ class card up to a length of 212mm (Zotac 1070, 1080 and 1080ti mini cards are all supported). Note that we haven’t yet tested the ‘overheight’ Gigabyte 1070 mini card. It might fit depending on the thickness of the radiator you’re using.

Fans
Cooling and noise is an important aspect of this case, so we’ll be supplying the 4 necessary Noctua fans in the price of the case. We don’t recommend using the fans that come with most AIO radiators, as they are far too noisy. We are supplying 2 x Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM (chassis fans) and 2 x Noctua NF-P12 PWM (radiator static pressure). You will also need fan extender cables, which we will supply.

Price TBA.

@CircleTect

Well, this is a stunning chassis...!

Comments towards quoted specs...

AIO - The dimensions you give are smaller than some of the AIO units you mention (275mm length allowed for AIO, Celsius 24 is 284mm in length), which AIO units (aside from the Silverstone one you have already tested with) will fit properly within the chassis...?

RAM - So, Corsair LPX rather than G.Skill Trident Z...?

GPU - Awesome...! A chassis deigned around the in-between (not a full-length, but not really an ITX-length) Zotac Mini GPU line-up...!

Fans - Might Noctua be convinced to make a run of black / grey fans for the project...?

PRICE - Ballpark...?!?

Again, a really sweet looking chassis, definitely get the Hackintosh vibe with it, which is not a bad thing at all,,,

Looking forward to more on this chassis & availability...!

 

[CircleTect]

Celsius 24 is 284mm in length

Good catch, that was a typo. I meant the Kelvin S24 which is 275mm long, not the Celsius.

which AIO units (aside from the Silverstone one you have already tested with) will fit properly within the chassis...?

I have tested the TD02-Lite and the Fractal Kelvin S24. You're right though, we will need to make a compatibility document to show which coolers fit as we get more info.

RAM - So, Corsair LPX rather than G.Skill Trident Z...?

Yes exactly. I've been using Corsair LPX with success.

Fans - Might Noctua be convinced to make a run of black / grey fans for the project...?

You can use their industrial grade fans which are already the perfect colour scheme, but I wouldn't recommend it because of the noise. Because of the design though, you won't see the radiator fans at all, and you can only just barely see the case fans, so it isn't really an issue how they look.

PRICE - Ballpark...?!?

Basically, we're looking at this being a little under double the cost of other boutique cases around here. The good news is that with a lot of back and forth with suppliers, I've managed to find a way to reduce the price significantly for a limited forum-only run, the final price and availability of which I'll announce in a few weeks

the psu shroud is removable?

The PSU shroud is held in place with 4 screws, so you can remove it. But you can't move it up or down or anything because the shroud height extends the full height it can occupy. The PSU is firmly located in one spot and isn't adjustable.

i'm not sure how far into production you guys already are

We're finalising details of our first major batch order, so if we are going to make any changes, they need to be made now or latest in the next couple of days. Speaking of which..

Corsair H100iV2 dimensions are 276.00mm x 125.00mm x 30.00mm I wish this case allow it as this is a very popular AIO here (and the one I have!!!)...

Good news @jukbo ! I've just increased the maximum allowable radiator size up to 280mm in length and 125mm in width. This theoretically means compatibility with more radiators, but personally I would be conservative and only assume radiators up to length 276mm will fit until we fully test it. Also, I'm really surprised, but after some tweaking in the CAD, I managed to get an additional 5mm in width for the radiator without increasing the overall case dimensions. Woo!

In terms of making a custom water loop in this case - I'm sure we can come up with something cool, even if a couple of the parts have to be made completely custom. Because our supply chain is now set up for just-in-time CNC machining, I'm prepared to design and sell a custom reservoir that could fit in the 2.5" drive bay area if necessary. No promises, but I'm personally very interested in making accessories that enhance this case as soon as production has stabilised and orders are shipping. Exciting times!

 

[Boil]

@CircleTect

Basically, we're looking at this being a little under double the cost of other boutique cases around here. The good news is that with a lot of back and forth with suppliers, I've managed to find a way to reduce the price significantly for a limited forum-only run, the final price and availability of which I'll announce in a few weeks

For such a higher price, I would hope the PCIe riser cable is a 3M model...?!?

Good news @jukbo ! I've just increased the maximum allowable radiator size up to 280mm in length and 125mm in width. This theoretically means compatibility with more radiators, but personally I would be conservative and only assume radiators up to length 276mm will fit until we fully test it. Also, I'm really surprised, but after some tweaking in the CAD, I managed to get an additional 5mm in width for the radiator without increasing the overall case dimensions. Woo!

@jukbo

The thing to look out for with the Corsair would be the tubing, which comes out of the face of the block, might interfere with side panel closing properly...?

In terms of making a custom water loop in this case - I'm sure we can come up with something cool, even if a couple of the parts have to be made completely custom. Because our supply chain is now set up for just-in-time CNC machining, I'm prepared to design and sell a custom reservoir that could fit in the 2.5" drive bay area if necessary. No promises, but I'm personally very interested in making accessories that enhance this case as soon as production has stabilised and orders are shipping. Exciting times!

I could see a custom reservoir with integrated pump below the GPU, at which point you would basically be designing around the Zotac GTX 1080 Ti ArcticStorm Mini GPU...

You would have to use the side ports & hard tube it, Bitspower ASRock X299E-ITX/AC monoblock in the loop as well...!

 

[urmyeye]

Custom res/pump combo sounds very intriguing, if you are making that happen, I will buy one without hesitation, please keep that information coming!

 

[jukbo]

Good catch, that was a typo. I meant the Kelvin S24 which is 275mm long, not the Celsius.



I have tested the TD02-Lite and the Fractal Kelvin S24. You're right though, we will need to make a compatibility document to show which coolers fit as we get more info.



Yes exactly. I've been using Corsair LPX with success.



You can use their industrial grade fans which are already the perfect colour scheme, but I wouldn't recommend it because of the noise. Because of the design though, you won't see the radiator fans at all, and you can only just barely see the case fans, so it isn't really an issue how they look.



Basically, we're looking at this being a little under double the cost of other boutique cases around here. The good news is that with a lot of back and forth with suppliers, I've managed to find a way to reduce the price significantly for a limited forum-only run, the final price and availability of which I'll announce in a few weeks



The PSU shroud is held in place with 4 screws, so you can remove it. But you can't move it up or down or anything because the shroud height extends the full height it can occupy. The PSU is firmly located in one spot and isn't adjustable.



We're finalising details of our first major batch order, so if we are going to make any changes, they need to be made now or latest in the next couple of days. Speaking of which..



Good news @jukbo ! I've just increased the maximum allowable radiator size up to 280mm in length and 125mm in width. This theoretically means compatibility with more radiators, but personally I would be conservative and only assume radiators up to length 276mm will fit until we fully test it. Also, I'm really surprised, but after some tweaking in the CAD, I managed to get an additional 5mm in width for the radiator without increasing the overall case dimensions. Woo!

In terms of making a custom water loop in this case - I'm sure we can come up with something cool, even if a couple of the parts have to be made completely custom. Because our supply chain is now set up for just-in-time CNC machining, I'm prepared to design and sell a custom reservoir that could fit in the 2.5" drive bay area if necessary. No promises, but I'm personally very interested in making accessories that enhance this case as soon as production has stabilised and orders are shipping. Exciting times!

Wow those really are excellent news for me!! Can’t wait until the Circle Case is finished!!! Believe me, this is the most intelligent design I’ve ever seen for this category. Guys from CustomMod in Ukraine, created a very similar one (9.8L) and somehow the same position of components, but you know what? Those cases are UGLY. Take a look at this:

https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?s...073741848.670833023019281&type=1&l=6f8a542740

The curved Premium aluminium with rounded borders and the glass panel make your Circle the best case ever designed in this category for us, the true lovers of “Bonsai sized Gaming PCs”!!! After all, this is mITX ! All cases out there are HUUuUGE! An insult to this category!

BTW how many litres is this Circle case?

Please let us posted about availability of 1st batch.

 

[zanduh]

Checking this thread daily hoping to find the notification that the standalone case sale has begun. This thing is so good looking and pretty much everything I imagined in my head of how to fix some mainstream itx cases. If I am lucky enough to snag one of these I will definitely attempt to fit a custom loop in there.

 

[cfortney]

Will there be any room in the case for 3.5" HDD's?

 

[jukbo]

Will there be any room in the case for 3.5" HDD's?

Possibly, however don’t forget that there are 2.5es @5GB! I bought a couple of these!!!

 

[CircleTect]

For such a higher price, I would hope the PCIe riser cable is a 3M model...?!?

It's not the 3M, but it's a high quality, double shielded riser with similar performance. In short, it performs flawlessly.

Will there be any room in the case for 3.5" HDD's?

No. The case would have to be much, much bigger for that!

Possibly, however don’t forget that there are 2.5es @5GB! I bought a couple of these!!!

Note that currently the drive cage only support the thinner 7mm thick 2.5" drives. If you want to support the thicker drives, I'd have to look at making a modified cage for them. This is possible but depends on how many people need this feature as it does waste space if you're not going to use it.

Checking this thread daily hoping to find the notification that the standalone case sale has begun. This thing is so good looking and pretty much everything I imagined in my head of how to fix some mainstream itx cases.

I'm also having to practice patience as well. Very close, but the last details often take the longest. Getting it done right is more important than rushing it out. Will keep everyone posted.

 

[Boil]

Drive support
Number of M.2 SSD drives supported depends on your motherboard. Up to 3 x SATA 2.5” drives supported (only up to a thickness of 9.5mm, the case doesn’t support the thicker 12.5mm drives).

Note that currently the drive cage only support the thinner 7mm thick 2.5" drives. If you want to support the thicker drives, I'd have to look at making a modified cage for them. This is possible but depends on how many people need this feature as it does waste space if you're not going to use it.

So, 7mm or 9.5mm SSDs...?

Maybe slots for fastening the drives, so one can slide to adjust...?

I could see an ASUS Z370 Strix ITX motherboard with a pair of Intel Optane 900P 2.5" NVMe SSDs in a bootable RAID array in the Circle One Pro, but they are 15mm thick drives, hence the thoughts of adjustable drive mountings...

(...would love to see 25mm thick fans top & bottom, so one could use Corsair ML120s all around...)

Also, question regarding fastening hardware (MB, SSDs, fans, etc.), will this be included with the chassis...?

Thanks...!

 

[CircleTect]

So, 7mm or 9.5mm SSDs...?

The name of the SFF game is minimising space usage, so I'm thinking the priority is standard 6.5-7mm thick drives for the moment. See image below for the current SSD block design. Note that this part is interchangeable, and can be easily replaced , so it would be easy to 3D print a block specially designed for 15mm drives. If you're super keen, this is definitely possible @Boil.

The beauty of this design is that the drives just slot in, and 'click' into position. No tools required.

(...would love to see 25mm thick fans top & bottom, so one could use Corsair ML120s all around...)

I would have also liked this, but using slim fans at the bottom was necessary to keep the proportions of the case a perfect square. The Noctua slim fans are fantastic in this build by the way, and keep the whole case cool with general cross-flow ventilation.

Also, question regarding fastening hardware (MB, SSDs, fans, etc.), will this be included with the chassis...?

Yes, all fastening hardware that isn't supplied by default with your parts will come with the case. Parts not included are: screws that come with your power supply, screws that come with your AIO liquid cooler. The rest is supplied!

 

[Boil]

The name of the SFF game is minimising space utilisation...

You mean maximizing, yes...?

I like the idea of the SSD dock, but I would rather a bracket that allowed a variety of thickness of drives; that would allow for maximizing usage of the space allotted for SSDs...

 

[orbitalwalsh]

damn, make me miss my jonsbo umx 4

seen a lot of people looking for custom water- bequiet (alphacool eisbaer unit) should do the trick- alphacool have new multiport Pump/Block out soon , but had to use EK rad or another high FPI model with silent wing 3 or other high end model to keep system cool, or keep this Case cool with cpu and GPU under water

 

[jukbo]

Jonsobo UMX4: HUUUGE.