Production Lazer3D - LZ XTD - Alternative Designs

KidWeaBoo

Average Stuffer
Dec 12, 2018
56
13
This sounds like a crazy idea but why don't you make the smallest possible design that'll fit an atx mobo with full size psu?
 

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
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This sounds like a crazy idea but why don't you make the smallest possible design that'll fit an atx mobo with full size psu?

This is what Overclockers UK have been asking me to do ever since the LZ7 launched! I've just not been able to personally get onboard with the idea, I think it will result in a very space in-efficient design unfortunately. Plus once the case starts getting into the 15 litre + zone there are already some really good cases serving this market such as the Chimera Industries Cerberus X.
 

Legion

Airflow Optimizer
Nov 22, 2017
357
386
Plus once the case starts getting into the 15 litre + zone there are already some really good cases serving this market such as the Chimera Industries Cerberus X.

The Cerberus X costs almost £400 after shipping and import duty to the UK!!
 

Biowarejak

Maker of Awesome | User 1615
Platinum Supporter
Mar 6, 2017
1,744
2,262
The Cerberus X costs almost £400 after shipping and import duty to the UK!!
And to cover the cost of developing a new case would be greater still.

Last I checked, and it's been quite some time, Kimera was looking at expanding their delivery infrastructure to the EU in order to reduce the shipping costs to the consumer. I don't know if that's still the situation or if I'm misremembering.

Regardless, you certainly have other options buddy :)
 

prava

Cable-Tie Ninja
Mar 21, 2017
171
259
This is what Overclockers UK have been asking me to do ever since the LZ7 launched! I've just not been able to personally get onboard with the idea, I think it will result in a very space in-efficient design unfortunately. Plus once the case starts getting into the 15 litre + zone there are already some really good cases serving this market such as the Chimera Industries Cerberus X.

Yeah, maybe not a full size PSU (SFX is good enough this days), but ATX motherboard compatibility would allow you to sell tenfold your current amount of cases.
 

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
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Quick update - sorry for the delay with the results for the XTD competition, I've not forgotten. I'm thinking it may just be better to offer a prototype with the final design changes rather than an outdated older version.

Good news is that I've implemented the changes I wanted to make and today a prototype has been made which will be tested over the next week or so. More information on the testing will follow.

The first step went well and everything fit together perfectly, cable management was a little tricky trying to figure out the best order to install everything but I was happy with the final result. A build guide will be included in the user manual which should help to smoothen out the process for future builders.

Some quick phone snaps of the prototype ready for testing, strictly no fun will be had while testing games on this machine :)




The test system includes an i7-8700k with an EVGA GTX 1080Ti SC and Corsair SF450 SFX PSU. The CPU is cooled by a Noctua NH-U9S with rear 92mm exhaust and a slim 140mm Side intake fan.

Initial testing is giving me CPU temps of 64C and Motherboard temps of 31C during Prime95 12 thread max heat test with fan speeds under 1000rpm, the system still sounds like its idle, absolutely mental.

Unigine Valley @ 1080p max settings is running the GPU at 66C with a GPU fan speed of 1519 rpm, this is audible from across the room but only faintly. The GPU is the loudest part of the system it seems, but at 66C under load there is quite a bit of thermal headroom which should allow me to play with the fan curves and reduce system noise whilst gaming.
 

Nanook

King of Cable Management
May 23, 2016
805
793
Quick update - sorry for the delay with the results for the XTD competition, I've not forgotten. I'm thinking it may just be better to offer a prototype with the final design changes rather than an outdated older version.

Good news is that I've implemented the changes I wanted to make and today a prototype has been made which will be tested over the next week or so. More information on the testing will follow.

The first step went well and everything fit together perfectly, cable management was a little tricky trying to figure out the best order to install everything but I was happy with the final result. A build guide will be included in the user manual which should help to smoothen out the process for future builders.

Some quick phone snaps of the prototype ready for testing, strictly no fun will be had while testing games on this machine :)




The test system includes an i7-8700k with an EVGA GTX 1080Ti SC and Corsair SF450 SFX PSU. The CPU is cooled by a Noctua NH-U9S with rear 92mm exhaust and a slim 140mm Side intake fan.

Initial testing is giving me CPU temps of 64C and Motherboard temps of 31C during Prime95 12 thread max heat test with fan speeds under 1000rpm, the system still sounds like its idle, absolutely mental.

Unigine Valley @ 1080p max settings is running the GPU at 66C with a GPU fan speed of 1519 rpm, this is audible from across the room but only faintly. The GPU is the loudest part of the system it seems, but at 66C under load there is quite a bit of thermal headroom which should allow me to play with the fan curves and reduce system noise whilst gaming.
This is very promising!
 

VeilSide

Efficiency Noob
Jan 29, 2019
6
8
Looks clean, but I really liked those laser etched panels with Lazer3D logo you posted earlier. Will they be optional in your customiser?
Also will there be anti-vandal button version panel?
 

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
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Looks clean, but I really liked those laser etched panels with Lazer3D logo you posted earlier. Will they be optional in your customiser?
Also will there be anti-vandal button version panel?

Thanks! Yes I hope to have both plain and etched panels available, although the etched panels will carry a price premium due to the laser etching time. All current corners, front, rear and HDD panels will be compatible. The XTD panels will replace just the Base, Top, Left and Right panels.

These are the materials I am considering to make available for the side/top/base panels:
  • Clear Gloss (plain)
  • Smoked Gloss (plain)
  • Clear Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Smoked Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Black Matte
  • Grey Matte
  • White Matte
If anyone has any material requests not mentioned above let me know and I'll add it to the list for consideration.

The top panel will be available in both standard vent (slots along the edge above GPU) and full XL-Vent (fully ventilated - shown in the photos above).

Both the Vandal switch and Full IO options will be available, although I'm not sure every material type will be available for both IO options, I'll need to talk it through with Overclockers.
 

VeilSide

Efficiency Noob
Jan 29, 2019
6
8
Thanks! Yes I hope to have both plain and etched panels available, although the etched panels will carry a price premium due to the laser etching time. All current corners, front, rear and HDD panels will be compatible. The XTD panels will replace just the Base, Top, Left and Right panels.

These are the materials I am considering to make available for the side/top/base panels:
  • Clear Gloss (plain)
  • Smoked Gloss (plain)
  • Clear Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Smoked Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Black Matte
  • Grey Matte
  • White Matte
If anyone has any material requests not mentioned above let me know and I'll add it to the list for consideration.

The top panel will be available in both standard vent (slots along the edge above GPU) and full XL-Vent (fully ventilated - shown in the photos above).

Both the Vandal switch and Full IO options will be available, although I'm not sure every material type will be available for both IO options, I'll need to talk it through with Overclockers.

Nice one! Plenty of options.
Will this new design have a removable flap at the base panel for quick M.2 slot and CPU cooler bracket access? These new generation mboards usually come with x2 M.2 slots and I'd really like to utilize this feature on my next build.
 

Nanook

King of Cable Management
May 23, 2016
805
793
Thanks! Yes I hope to have both plain and etched panels available, although the etched panels will carry a price premium due to the laser etching time. All current corners, front, rear and HDD panels will be compatible. The XTD panels will replace just the Base, Top, Left and Right panels.

These are the materials I am considering to make available for the side/top/base panels:
  • Clear Gloss (plain)
  • Smoked Gloss (plain)
  • Clear Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Smoked Gloss (Half Etched)
  • Black Matte
  • Grey Matte
  • White Matte
If anyone has any material requests not mentioned above let me know and I'll add it to the list for consideration.

The top panel will be available in both standard vent (slots along the edge above GPU) and full XL-Vent (fully ventilated - shown in the photos above).

Both the Vandal switch and Full IO options will be available, although I'm not sure every material type will be available for both IO options, I'll need to talk it through with Overclockers.
Both of the etched, and the three matte options are exciting to me... plain is nice too. I guess I love them all! Based on your experience, which surface finish will hold up the best in the long run (scuffs / scratches / etc), especially with multiple builds / tinkering?
 

K888D

SFF Guru
Original poster
Lazer3D
Feb 23, 2016
1,483
2,970
www.lazer3d.com
Will this new design have a removable flap at the base panel for quick M.2 slot and CPU cooler bracket access?

I don't think this case will be able to implement that feature, it would need to be baked into the design from the ground up with some kind of dual layer for the base.

But like you say some of the modern ITX boards have M.2 slots on top of the motherboard which should allow access to swap out the drive more easily.

which surface finish will hold up the best in the long run (scuffs / scratches / etc), especially with multiple builds / tinkering?

Definitely the matte surface is the best option if you are concerned about scratching. The gloss surfaces do have a tendency to show even the smallest speck of dust or fingerprint smudges, whereas the matte acrylic does not suffer from this, i.e. you would need to have extremely greasy fingers to leave a fingerprint mark and specks of dust/debris aren't as prone to sticking to the matte surface.

In terms of resistance to actual scratching that damages the surface, then they are both the same as they are made from the same material. Although I would say that the matte finish can mask the scratch slightly, and light scuffs can sometimes be buffed out or reduced with a fine/soft cloth. The gloss finish is a bit less forgiving.
 

Nanook

King of Cable Management
May 23, 2016
805
793
In terms of resistance to actual scratching that damages the surface, then they are both the same as they are made from the same material. Although I would say that the matte finish can mask the scratch slightly, and light scuffs can sometimes be buffed out or reduced with a fine/soft cloth. The gloss finish is a bit less forgiving.
Thanks for the insights on the different finishes. I look forward to more updates!