Source: https://t.bilibili.com/h5/dynamic/detail/398537308255562711
Note comment from the offical Cooler Master account in the source.
Note comment from the offical Cooler Master account in the source.
Enclosure Cooler Master's new SFF products
- Thread starter CC Ricers
- Start date
Hm, that's ... impressive for a mainstream manufacturer. First I thought that vertical GPU slot was a serious identity crisis going on, then I realized that it might allow for a thick radiator assembly in the bottom of the case, or for some interesting use of bifurcation risers. Color me impressed.
Looks a lot like a Dan C4 clone, I do like the fact is has top fan mounts. Curious what total volume will be although it looks well under 20l. Hell of a lot better than that H100.
i don't know what to feel about this ._. would case projects here start to be exclusive in details right up to the point of releasing the case proper?
because i fear for the community dynamic here between creators and the public
because i fear for the community dynamic here between creators and the public
I bet Cooler Master will sell a lot of these cases. They kept the front panel clean, while catering to those who want USB ports by having them on top.
I don't see people complaining much about the literally hundreds of clones being discussed in the "What's on Taobao?" thread, so how different is this really? Sure, it's an OEM with a broad market presence in the Western world, but ultimately, they're not doing anything beyond riffing off ideas that are already rather widespread in various permutations (optional vertical GPU mounts are nothing new, Ncase-like layouts are nothing new, etc.). I also doubt this has the option to rotate the PSU like the C4, it lacks a rear exhaust fan option, etc. Is it very similar? Absolutely. Is this a problem? Not really - once you have decided on a form factor, the amount of possible designs without either going exotic/expensive or aesthetically polarizing is really quite limited. I mean, just look at the massive amount of me-too ATX mid-towers out there. Industrial design is ultimately a realm of major similarities much more than major innovation. I absolutely understand that this might suck for someone working hard to bring a low-volume enthusiast case to market, sacrificing a lot of their time and money for this, but that is always going to happen in any market - good ideas will be copied. Enthusiast cases need to sell on other values than price and availability: build quality, service, community engagement, etc. I know there are loads of people here who would much rather buy a Dan case than this CM case despite their similarity and likely >$100 price difference. On the other hand, this opens the door for people with less money or in regions where importing a case like that wouldn't be feasible. Overall I'd say it's a win for the community, and I doubt the negative consequences will be particularly notable.
i kinda meant my sentiment as an outsider, outside of the case designers in this forum and perhaps the community at the SFFnet forum as well (since i'm only seriously following one case project at the moment).
in terms of project advertisement, i'm thinking of the balance between "what do i tell people to get on board on this developing project" and "what shouldn't i reveal to let highly established competitors have the first-sale upperhand?" maybe (as a consumer/enthusiast) the emotional friction comes when the project has been progressing over a long time and then suddenly a viable alternative appears that would be ready within the year. ideally i'd listen to my wallet or my deadline, but having been emotionally present with the project almost felt like another football team poaching a player from the long-time favourite.
also i get the point of the limited scope for aesthetics. this is literally a problem tesla had with their commercial trucks "being copied" because all fluid simulations landed on that shape. i'm just glad i recognise coolermaster's aesthetic on their iteration, although the universal rear mount was too recognisable to me, as if it was the championing feature of the C4
it's definitely beneficial for the mainstream builders at large (please tackle ATX cases, everyone else other than coolermaster (who seem to be the only one trying these days)) since it'll mean wider adoption, but when SFF becomes less of a niche, will the forum lose more interest? (especially when people are fine with cases that are 15L to 35L and above)
Now available for pre-order on Amazon. The dimensions put it close to 20.3 L. I was expecting something smaller like 16L~17L.
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At the price I can see it selling well but I was also hoping for a bit more compact. Availability will probably be much better too.
I still have a Cooler Master HAF X that I will use until it either falls apart or I start scaling everything down so I do feel the company can make good cases. The design on this is clearly inspired by a lot of the more expensive premium cases out there but this seems like it will be good for either entry level builders not looking to invest in something they are not sure of or people trying to put something together on a budget that still want some flexibility. At ten pounds though this is not going to be a petite desktop alternative unless the person has a sturdy desk.
I really like what they're going for with this. Seemingly good ventilation, lots of mounting options, seemingly good compatibility. I see it as more of a Cougar QBX 2, than a knock off of any of the boutique options. An affordable compact case that can tick the boxes for most people.
If didn't already have some parts bought for my next case, then I would've really been looking at this case as an option to move up to from my current NCase V5.
If didn't already have some parts bought for my next case, then I would've really been looking at this case as an option to move up to from my current NCase V5.
It seems like it has been designed with that as a fully supported option. Though I think it may support 280mm radiators as well as 240mm.
There's mounting holes on the bottom for fans and rads alike, and a side bracket is seemingly included with the vented version of the case. There's also mounting points for a pump, but I'm unsure how that'll fit with a side radiator.
Radiators? Together? Not a chance. You might be able to get a super slim 240mm in the top - but you won't be able to mount any fans on it without interfering with the motherboard. Any side rad will likely block the rear fan mount completely. It might be theoretically possible (given that you find radiators with absolutely perfect thicknesses etc.), but reality will get in the way (fittings, tubing, fans etc).
Damn, you're right. You got me there!Hold on there @Valantar , he didn't specify other hardware would fit in the case at the same time with the radiators, like motherboard, graphics card and power supply. So it might just be the amount of radiators you can pack inside the case without anything else in there.
