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Production SENTRY 2.0: Evolution of console-sized gaming PC case

zustroy

Trash Compacter
Jun 19, 2018
54
33
I don't think UT's demographic even knows what PCs are.

You're wrong on that! I watch him as I know he'll openly and honestly critic Apple as opposed to MKHBD or whatever his name is, that guy sounds like Apple PR team. Sorry for offtopic, but I had to reply to offtopic :)

Back on the subject, I'm listening and waiting for the Century to buy. Hope you'll guys stick to 2 full 3.5" HDDs option layout.

It would also be cool to make a list of all supported hardware in various configurations: 2 HDDs; standalone graphic card etc.
I ask because, in my case, I only know for sure that I'll buy Century and two WD Red HDDs.
 

SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
Hope you'll guys stick to 2 full 3.5" HDDs option layout.

That's not changing. At this point the functional design is pretty much closed unless reviewers figure out something we didn't thought about, and we'll be making some last minute change before campaign, but 3.5" drive mounts are staying there.

I assume you know that you won't be able to anything more than a single slot GPU if you put two 3.5" drives in the GPU bay.

It would also be cool to make a list of all supported hardware in various configurations: 2 HDDs; standalone graphic card etc.

We've updated the configuration tool on our website for that.

For specific hardware we might go over that right before campaign because there will probably be a lot new stuff launching at CES.
 

zustroy

Trash Compacter
Jun 19, 2018
54
33
Yes, fully aware of that. I'll use it as HTPC with two NAS HDDs for movies, photos... Plan to use integrated graphic card as for Win10 and HTPC I need no more than that.

Looking forward to your case, but I'm in no hurry to the point that I'll buy the case and might wait for Intel Ice Lake 10nm architecture in 2020. Because of that I thought to skip this version and wait for the next one, but who knows if you'll guys make next version and when...
 

SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
I thought to skip this version and wait for the next one, but who knows if you'll guys make next version and when...

We don't want to update the case every year/two years just for the sake of making "new" product. It's just that first version had its flaws in terms of manufacturing and it made us take a step back and fix everything in the design we could and should fix.

We are obviously aiming to get into retail with 2.0 at some point, but at this point we can't be sure how much time after delivering campaign cases this is going to be.

The 2.0 is at this point what we want it to be functionally, and any concepts of "3.0" or further development are in area of stuff like "if we could stamp this piece, this would be simpler to make or could let us mount slightly bigger component here". Such "3.0" is in a future where 2.0 sells well enough for us to consider mass production tooling.
 
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zustroy

Trash Compacter
Jun 19, 2018
54
33
Got it. Not that I wanted to skip 2.0 (as I will buy it) but just my thinking as I'm in no hurry.
I like the case that much that it'll sit in the box for a year before I use it.

Good case is hardest component to get.
 
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LeandroB

Average Stuffer
Jun 2, 2017
66
60
I'm thinking about that too. I'm not really excited about building a new rig right now since mine is perfectly handling any games or workloads i want right now, however i really want to build a SFF like the sentry in the future, wich places me in a very confortble position to wait for the Sentry and slowly and surely choose my components while my Sentry sits comfortble in its box.
Rocking a i7-4790K and a GTX 1080 i think i will wait to see the new Zen 2 and the new Intel 10nm and maybe wait for the next generation of Nvidia's GPUs and not those crappy overpriced RTX...
 
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Atremo

Caliper Novice
Mar 3, 2018
21
8
Just Info: I read there are power supplies with dimensions between sfx and sfx-L ---- > 125mm x 125mm seasonic focus sgx gold,but its also named sfx-l. Not that it's important for me (i have my corsair 600w sfx waiting )
 
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SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
Just Info: I read there are power supplies with dimensions between sfx and sfx-L ---- > 125mm x 125mm seasonic focus sgx gold,but its also named sfx-l. Not that it's important for me (i have my corsair 600w sfx waiting )

This is SFX-L. SFX-L is defined as SFX with extended third dimension if I remember correctly. Therefore there are units with 115, 120, 140 mm etc. this doesn't change anything for Sentry 2.0. It won't be supported because there are enough good standard SFX PSUs and we've moved back switch to the center for AIO support.
 
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LeandroB

Average Stuffer
Jun 2, 2017
66
60
This is SFX-L. SFX-L is defined as SFX with extended third dimension if I remember correctly. Therefore there are units with 115, 120, 140 mm etc. this doesn't change anything for Sentry 2.0. It won't be supported because there are enough good standard SFX PSUs and we've moved back switch to the center for AIO support.

Seens better that way. SFX-L is a modularity that really doesn't matter is a SFF like the Sentry i think.
 

SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
Small update:

Manual for Sentry 2.0 is available on our website.

It would be nice if you could check it out and tell us if there's anything you don't understand or maybe you will find something that we wrote improperly in English.
 

Aux

Cable-Tie Ninja
Dec 5, 2018
179
156
manual looks very good, very detailed, you use American English . . . what errors there are (mainly missing prepositions/determiner use), are not worth while mentioning/editing other than . .

"If you encounter a situation when parts seem to not fit, don’t try to put them in forcefully, as it poses a
risk of damaging the case or your computer components,"

could be

If you encounter a situation when the parts do not seem to fit, do not try to force them to fit, as it poses a risk of damaging the case or your computer components . .
 
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Atremo

Caliper Novice
Mar 3, 2018
21
8
Manual reads well, but i have a question about the rubber feet...,it looks like they are bigger then in 1.1 version. Is there any chance to sent the small rubber feet caps from 1.1 along, so we can choose? In vertical stand it looks much better en minimalistic . Anyway, its a dreamcase for me, and i like minimalism, good work!
 
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SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
Manual reads well, but i have a question about the rubber feet...,it looks like they are bigger then in 1.1 version. Is there any chance to add the small rubber feet caps from 1.1? In vertical stand it looks much better en minimalistic . Anyway, its a dreamcase for me, and i like minimalism, good work!

The feet are the same size/height as in 1.1.

If you are talking about the plugs closing the holes, then we are still considering including them. There are few things about them that makes us unsure.

One thing is that we don't have precise control on how they look unless we make custom order for manufacturing which would greatly increase the price for such (not that important) part of the product. It's just that if you want to order such 8 mm plugs, the supplier will often ship whatever they have matching the diameter and color regardless if it matches what they have on the store page as product sheet. So those come with smaller or bigger external radius of the plug cover, different lock mechanisms etc.

Second thing is that most of those plugs cannot be safely detached from the outside (when you want to switch to horizontal position), and if you want to remove safely all of them you would need to remove the motherboard. That's not that neat. Non safe removal means prying them out as far as the lock doesn't need to be squeezed from the inside. Unless you have a wide prying tool, you are risking scratching the paint and/or damaging the edge of the plug.

Also from what we've seen, not many people even cared to use them in Sentry 1.1. Most users that shown off the case have left the holes unplugged on a vertical stand. We have tweaked the position of the holes to be at the corners of GPU vent for it to look nice unplugged in Sentry 2.0.

It's not really a matter of price here, because those plugs cost few cents a set if we order them in big quantities, but if it's something that barely anyone will use, it might be better to not waste time keeping track of whether we get same type of plugs, to not waste time packaging those and to not generate additional plastic waste if not necessary.

Even if we were to decide not to include them, those are generic 8 mm hole plugs you can easily buy for less than a dollar per set.
 
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SaperPL

Master of Cramming
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Oct 17, 2017
478
899
Can I get a confirmation on whether a SAPPHIRE NITRO+ 580 can fit in the case? The width of listed as 135mm but the PEG connectors are recessed by what looks to be over a centimeter. I just want to make sure though.

It definitely won't fit.

Compare card photo with dimensions shown on our website.

It looks like those 135 mm are measured from the slot, where we have 130 mm in total (112+18) for card to fit inside Sentry.

While you're right about connectors being recessed, it still has heat pipes going 5 mm outside of those 130 mm limit.
 

Andorski

Caliper Novice
Sep 10, 2016
21
15
It definitely won't fit.

Compare card photo with dimensions shown on our website.

It looks like those 135 mm are measured from the slot, where we have 130 mm in total (112+18) for card to fit inside Sentry.

While you're right about connectors being recessed, it still has heat pipes going 5 mm outside of those 130 mm limit.

Are there any RX 580 non-reference cards that are recommended for the Sentry. It seems like most - if not all of them - are too wide. Is there a compatible GPU list for me to check?
 

SaperPL

Master of Cramming
DR ZĄBER
Oct 17, 2017
478
899
There's a huge list of card compatible that was made when we launched Sentry. We'll be updating before Sentry 2.0 launches.

It is linked on our website in specifications and FAQ.
 

zustroy

Trash Compacter
Jun 19, 2018
54
33
Read the manual. I don't like one thing.

As I will go with 2x3.5"HDDs it seems that I'll need to screw them from the outside of side panel?
If so, that doesn't go with the looks of the case - big time! If I want to place it vertically - screws will be seen on the side. Doesn't look good at all, it looks like from some cheap Chinese factory. Wasn't there any other way to do it? Make it thicker for a few mms if needed. Or make it a small plate the would be screwed from the inside from the case and then screw the HDDs onto it.

You made it look so well designed and I really don't like how "small" thing like this could make it less cool.

Is there a way to provide all other screws and washers that we could possibly need? Would be more practical for us.

Would you be able to provide support when Intel Ice Lake is released, in terms of cpus, coolers (both box and third party) and motherboards that are supported by the Century 2.0? Size wise, of course.

Thank you!
 
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