Hello everyone,
Today's a good day. I can finally been to shed light on the feverish work that @KSliger and I have been doing to get Cerberus and Cerberus X off the drawing board, and on the production line. I have news to share with the configurations that will be available, the ship date for enclosures, and - of course - pricing.
Ready?
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Before we begin.
It's important to note that we've made a few changes to Cerberus and Cerberus X in order to expedite production and meet pricing targets. There are some minor changes and tweaks that have been made to resolve errors or improve component compatibility, but in terms of features, this is what we have changed going into the 'final' versions of each enclosure:
That's it. Everything else about the enclosures themselves has remained the same, from the all-steel construction and durable powder coat finish, to the tolerances, component support, Infinite Vents, and beyond. Not to mention the US-based manufacturing.
- The feet - previously custom cut from aluminum billets at significant expense - will be replaced, either with an off-the-shelf solution of adequate height or a batch of custom feet carved from Ultra Hight Molecular Weight Polymer (UHMW).
- We have sourced a hinge that we can use off-the-shelf, saving some money.
- We have updated our pin and clip system by using marginally cheaper parts, and by reducing the number of clips and pins for the side panels from six to four, which collectively keeps panel attachment sturdy but makes the panels themselves easier to remove (and build).
So with that out of the way, let's turn to the final product.
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Six colors.
One of the compromises we had to make for our (failed) Kickstarter was to significantly limit the number of colors we could make available for customers. Today, however, I am pleased to announce that we will enable folks to choose from six different finishes for Cerberus's panels:
These colors cover the gamut of the most popular and the most requested, while the bare metal option gives customers the ability to truly customize the exterior.
- Obsidian (Black)
- Pearl (White)
- Slate (Grey)
- Ecru (Beige)
- Carmine (Red)
- Bare metal
11/17.
Sliger and KI have set an ambitious deadline to start shipping Cerberus and Cerberus X: November 17th, which would enable most in the US to receive their enclosures at or before Black Friday.
To be sure, this is a ship date target, and is not 100% certain for all customers in all circumstances. But we are already in the starting stages of production, and have been extraordinarily persistent and aggressive about hitting that ship date. We want you all to be able to get your hands on these ASAP.
Beyond this, though, I have one other exciting development to share - KI and Sliger have entered into an agreement whereby Sliger will support manufacture and sale of Cerberus and Cerberus X on a continuous basis. In other words, starting on 11/17, anyone and everyone will be able to navigate to Sliger's website, and order a Cerberus or Cerberus X at any time. No waiting for batches, no questionable availability. This is a remarkable development that will make the enclosures substantially more accessible to enthusiasts, and it's a particular point of pride for me as we've done a lot of work to make this possible.
$225.
Cerberus will start at just $225, a $24 discount relative to our original price target of $249. Cerberus X, meanwhile, will start at just $255, which is only $6 more than what we initially wanted to sell its smaller sibling for!
This price does not include shipping, and Sliger is in the midst of negotiation with a carrier to get that as low and competitive as possible. Once we have a sense as to what the shipping cost will look like, I will reach out to the community with an update.
For $225/$255, enthusiasts will be able to get a Cerberus/Cerberus X chassis, a panel set in their choice of finish, and one 'Power Kit' option - either a front-mounted SFX kit, a rear-mounted ATX kit, or a brand-new rear-mounted SFX kit. Meanwhile, accessories and additional parts are priced in the following manner:
In this way, we are able to provide the lowest possible cost for those who don't need most accessories, whilst also enabling those who want future flexibility to order accessories to their heart's content.
- Panel set: $60 for Cerberus, $70 for Cerberus X.
- Rear-mounted ATX kit: $15
- Front-mounted SFX kit: $15
- Rear-mounted SFX kit: $15
- Handle kit: $30
- 2.5 Bracket kit: $10
- 3.5 Bracket kit: $10
- Windowed panel set: Estimated availability in December, pricing to come.
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Finally.
I'm sure you all have lots of questions. I'd encourage everyone to post them here, and I will work to address them as quickly as possible.
I am aiming to host a brief AMA on Discord sometime next week or weekend, as well, so be on the lookout for an announcement as to the timing for that.
Finally, on a personal note, I just want to mention that this has been a very challenging sprint. I have many responsibilities, from my fill-time work, to Minutiae, to KI, to another (as-of-yet-undisclosed) project. And it's been hard - emotionally - to bring a collaborative effort with @Aibohphobia across the finish line by myself. That said, it is with absolute pride that I share these updates with you all today, and - to be frank - it's about effing time we nailed a ship date. So I hope you're as excited as I am.
That's it for now. There will be more updates to come, and I know that there are questions that remain unanswered. I will answer them as I can. But I do hope this gives you all enough context and information to plan around!
Thanks, now and always, for your support and care over these past few years. This has all been for you.
Joshua
