Concept Necere's concept/ideation thread

[Necere]

Yea seems like there aren't many options. With the current design, you have two elements of contrast (the I/O cutout and the base section), I'm not sure if this is the best approach such project. Removing either one of these elements will definitely improve the overall design. Generally, it's better if there's only one thing that draws attention.

Hm... the top also contrasts though, so really three elements, right? I'm not sure I find it problematic as you do. Each of these three has some functional/interactable aspect to it: top with the drive slot, front I/O, bottom I/O cover.

Any plan on implementing some of the work that you did in the past? People seem to love what then became the Mach One. Personally, I'm a big fan of what you did with the venting holes.

It's just a cheap Photoshop edit - Ignore the fact that it's missing the "base"

Probably not. It looks decent in renders, but in the metal the holes on the bend introduce some irregularities if you look at it carefully. Also functionally in this concept it doesn't really add anything because the fans on the CPU/GPU/PSU are so close to the side, and with a dust filter the vents wrapping around should probably be blocked off anyway.

Other than that, aesthetically I somewhat prefer the monolithic, otherwise-blank-except-for-the-I/O-ports look of the front.

 

[Boil]

Optical drive isn't needed, of course, but there is a surprising (to me at least) number of people that still use them. I also think the sort of users this will appeal to is more likely to be in the ODD-using group; I could see this as a living room media PC, for example.

From looking at the renders, I could see a possible issue with the ODD interfering with the power cables for the GPU, and also possibly limiting some taller cards from fitting...

Maybe the fastening points are on the inner chassis for an ODD, and optional top plates (slotted or un-slotted); you know, like on the M1...?!?

Sandblasted is a bit expensive compared to brushed, but it could be an option. At least there are fewer panels here than on the M1, so perhaps the cost might be a little lower than it was when we looked into it for that.

Mmm, that sandblasted look though...!

Well, this is just a concept right now, and I think you know how I am about dropping projects. Usually it's because I can't resolve things the way I want to once I get into the weeds of the design work, or I reconsider some fundamental aspect based on new data or market shifts. Consider it to be just a concept exercise for right now, and not anything close to being released. However, I will of course take comments and criticism, as that will help me make a decision. Any comments about what you like or dislike are good, and help me to gauge interest.

Well, I think this one could have legs, don't give up...!

Bottom line though: don't wait for this over another case if that'll meet your needs. W360 has spent the past several months getting the MachOne to a near-production ready state, so if that does what you need and appeals to you, by all means get that when it's out. It's also worth noting that you can build a perfectly capable air-cooled rig in it -- compatibility is similar to the M1 in terms of CPU cooler height, with potentially better airflow for open cooler GPUs thanks to the dual 140mm front fans. Certainly more capable than this concept (as you'd expect for the 5+ more liters).

While I agree the MachOne would make an excellent air-cooled chassis, it really is (at least in my eyes) designed for watercooling, what with the space up top that perfectly fits the EK DDC 5 1/4" bay pump / res combo & the perfect fitment up front for dual 140x25mm fans & 280 radiator...

But that watercooling comes at a price, and not just the cost of the WC components themselves...! I would want to place an i7-8700K & 1080 Ti in there, to make best use of the watercooling...

With your new Tall Cube chassis, I would go with an i5-8600 (non-OC) & 1070 Ti; a NH-L12S & the extra heatsink of the 2.5 slot GPU should be just fine in there, with a 140x25mm (Noctua Chromax) fan exhausting up top...

As an aside, what PCI riser cable would you plan to ship with...?

 

[Necere]

From looking at the renders, I could see a possible issue with the ODD interfering with the power cables for the GPU, and also possibly limiting some taller cards from fitting...

I actually flipped around the entire inside save the ODD and 2.5" since I posted the interior shots the other day expressly to give taller GPUs/power connectors more clearance, so I'm already on it Good observation though.

My biggest reservations at the moment are 1) (as mentioned) how big a deal the bottom-facing I/O would be for people, and 2) cable management inside the case, given how little room there is.

Maybe the fastening points are on the inner chassis for an ODD, and optional top plates (slotted or un-slotted); you know, like on the M1...?!?

Yeah, that would most likely be what I'd do.

Well, I think this one could have legs, don't give up...!

It seems to be doing well in the 'likes' department, if that's any indicator.

As an aside, what PCI riser cable would you plan to ship with...?

Couldn't really say. The Lian Li riser maybe, or possibly the kind of riser HDPLEX uses.

 

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

Console style case please!!!! SFX with Full GPU

 

[Ricky]

Console style case please!!!! SFX with Full GPU

I’d only be interested in a console style case if it possessed good liquid cooling support. Console style cases are becoming more frequent, yeah, but WC in such a case is something that seems rare. Particularly for higher end.

The Inverse case was so promising. Promised support for 240mm support for the CPU, and possibly a 120mm for the GPU bracket too. But it died, and I haven’t really seen anything like it since.

 

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

I think it would be hard to add liquid cooling support and keep the size of the case down to a console size. The Ncase M1 offers the 240. Id love to see something sized like the Dr Zaber Sentry but has the line work of what Necere does.

 

[Ricky]

I think it would be hard to add liquid cooling support and keep the size of the case down to a console size. The Ncase M1 offers the 240. Id love to see something sized like the Dr Zaber Sentry but has the line work of what Necere does.

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/nverse-a-highly-versatile-steam-box-design.34/

 

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

But I want it in Necere's designnnnnn :-P

 

[Necere]

Console style case please!!!! SFX with Full GPU

I think it would be hard to add liquid cooling support and keep the size of the case down to a console size. The Ncase M1 offers the 240. Id love to see something sized like the Dr Zaber Sentry but has the line work of what Necere does.

The problem I have with console-style cases is how limiting they are in terms of what you can do with airflow. The Sentry for example has no room for any case fans whatsoever, so you're stuck doing the "put vents on all the sides so the components suck air directly in and hope for the best" thing. That works, but it's not ideal for anything that doesn't have fans directly on it, and dust filtration is more problematic. I think the best I could do given the SFX+full size GPU requirement would be something like the Node 202 layout with intake fans under the GPU.

 

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

What about a pair of 80mm fans on both sides on the chassis? Small enough to where it wont add too much room I would think?

 

[Necere]

To fit 80mm fans the case would have to be around 90mm thick, a fair bit more than the Sentry (66mm). That, plus the increase in the other dimension (width or height, depending how you're looking at it) and the total volume probably ends up around 11L. Still smaller than the e.g. RVZ01, but definitely on the chunky side for a "console-style" case.

On the plus side, the increased thickness would allow for more CPU cooler height.

 

[Phuncz]

I like the last render a lot and especially like the "floating" I/O as well. It helps in breaking the completely monolithic look without ruining it, in my opinion. To me this is a true Ncase product for external and I expect internal design as well.

 

[Tayu]

I'm liking this design a lot myself.　Please reconsider.

 

[Boil]

Maybe the fastening points are on the inner chassis for an ODD, and optional top plates (slotted or un-slotted); you know, like on the M1...?!?

I actually flipped around the entire inside save the ODD and 2.5" since I posted the interior shots the other day expressly to give taller GPUs/power connectors more clearance, so I'm already on it Good observation though.

For those that might choose no ODD & a non-slotted top, might dual (side-by-side) 2.5" SSD mounts fit in place of the ODD...?

 

[Necere]

For those that might choose no ODD & a non-slotted top, might dual (side-by-side) 2.5" SSD mounts fit in place of the ODD...?

That's entirely possible. There's enough room, and no immediate reason I can see why they couldn't fit.

 

[Necere]

People keep asking about the console concept, and I felt like messing around with it a bit, so here are some renders of it with the long slot vent style I've been using lately:

 

[QuantumBraced]

I was just on [H] bugging Necere regarding the concept of incorporating a front fan option for the M1 to complement the window panel. After he explained the tradeoffs, I agree that it's not worth it. But that got me thinking -- what about a concept that's a similar layout to the M1, but designed from the ground up for a window and a back panel intake into rear exhaust.

I'm basically talking about the In Win A1, however, a smaller version that only supports 130-135mm CPU coolers, SFX PSU (possibly with a shroud + a vertical mounting option to accommodate larger top-down coolers), but you keep the 120mm intake, maybe even 140mm. And you get rid of the ugly acrylic piece on the bottom, instead you have the graphics card intake directly. 2x2.5" drives maybe on the front panel. So it's optimized for a Noctua U9S or C14S with nice airflow from the side to the rear (92mm rear exhaust; top and front would be solid) or a 120mm AIO if you go with a short GPU. And of course optimized for looks/window, especially an RGB intake fan. You'd have magnetic dust filters on the bottom and backside intake, maybe make the case steel as a cheaper/more mainstream option not fully optimized for SFF, but a nice balance between SFF and looks. Does that make sense? In total, perhaps around 15.5L? Or too similar to the M1?

 

[Necere]

So something like this:

You could do it for about the same height x depth as the M1, it would just have to be a little wider to provide clearance for the side intake fan. I don't think an ATX PSU makes much sense though.

 

[Boil]

@Necere

I am imagining this, but different...

Both CPU & GPU water-cooled...

Drive space under GPU...

Move SFX PSU over MB/CPU, change to SFX-L for larger fan...?

Mod PSU so fan (replace w/Noctua) is controlled by Chassis Fan header (PSU is used as exhaust)...

Single bay 5 1/4" pump / reservoir combo where SFX PSU currently is...

Alphacool Monsta 140x86mm radiator, with 140x25mm fans (as yet prototype Sterrox 140s) in push-pull...

Cool air into rad from one side & straight out the other side of chassis...!

 

[Necere]

But then that side-to-side airflow really limits how you can build it out; you'd pretty much have to do a short GPU full water loop. Also with the PSU over the motherboard you wouldn't have a great view for a window. For a commercial case, it's really got to be something that will work for most people, and not just the small niche of SFF water coolers.