-
Save 15% on ALL SFF Network merch, until Dec 31st! Use code SFF2024 at checkout. Click here!
Concept SENTRY 3.0: Development and Suggestions
- Thread starter ZombiPL
- Start date
I thought sandwich style cases are not a good fit for flow through GPU coolers. The airflow is blocked by the motherboard and power supply. Velka 7 looks like can only push air out though the PCI slot(might be OK for blower coolers).
Can you even find, let alone buy!, a blower style GPU, nowadays?
I thought of buying a 3070 Ti/RX 6800 blower type to accompany my Sentry 2.0, never been able to find one…
The
I ran a Velka 7 with the PSU flipped and a 3080 FE just fine, undervolted
There is currently a console-style Velka case protype for sale in another thread on the forums.
I ran a Velka 7 with the PSU flipped and a 3080 FE just fine, undervolted
Oh I did not know about that prototype. I'll keep an eye on it. Still, I miss the Sentry. I think it has the best look and build quality.
Dear Dr Zaber, how are you? I hope all is well, I've discovered your project since 2020 and I'm literally obsessed with it, I love everything, I think the sentry 2.0 is the ultimate mini-itx! Please reprint some piece of that fantastic little gem, I would buy it immediately, I thought about getting a clone but keep hoping in 3.0 that it is not much bigger, but that it remains with PCI 2 ports, if there is also a model left I will gladly buy it ! support from Italy
I don't know if you saw this but Optimum Tech shared a new video when wee see AMD 7900 XTX fits in Sentry 2.0
So it looks like hope for all of us
So it looks like hope for all of us
Someone asked us about this card before and this was the response when we were investigating that:
So I think this is essentially the same size as 6800XT, just the card is measured differently.
I guess kudos to AMD on sticking to what works and not going yolo with every new generation like Nvidia does.
So I think this is essentially the same size as 6800XT, just the card is measured differently.
I guess kudos to AMD on sticking to what works and not going yolo with every new generation like Nvidia does.
To follow up on this, TechPowerUp measurements are wrong as they sometimes include temporary information not confirmed yet. The GPU is actually 123mm tall so it is only 3mm taller than last gen reference GPU.
Hi. I'm betting that the work hasn't progressed very far, but I'm curious which of the ideas written in this thread (not yet fleshed out by you) you think you'll use for sure in sentry 3.0. I'd like to know more or less what the changes will be in terms of construction, as I'm basing the planned modifications on version 2.0 for the time being.
Finally, some sort of two-slot card (297x118x42mm) from Nvidia's 4000 series. Shouldn't be any problem fitting it in the Sentry. And with the power target at 70%, the card draws less than 200 watts
I wonder if the Ventus, with dimensions of 308x123x52mm, would somehow fit. You would likely need a low-profile power adapter/custom cables and perhaps grinding the end of the cooling shroud (or simply remove it)
At 52 mm, I'd say it's way too close to perforations, noise would be all over the place.I wonder if the Ventus, with dimensions of 308x123x52mm, would somehow fit. You would likely need a low-profile power adapter/custom cables and perhaps grinding the end of the cooling shroud (or simply remove it)
If I had to get a 4070 Ti, I'd go with the Inno 3D X3, now that EVGA's XC3s are long gone (R.I.P. beautiful EVGA video cards).
I think we've already said the general plan at the beginning of thread and also in few comments. We're investigating option of splitting the cover between two side pieces and simple panel with bent edges, but this requires complex stamping of those side pieces and also figuring out proper attachment to them. Also such change means potential change of the vertical stand, which in current form already had it's issues, so we may end up with a completely different looking stand. Finally there's the pass-through perforation for GPU/AIO where nothing looks as good as the cover in 2.0 and we may end up with perforating the cover panel almost completely.
If that 308 mm dimension includes the PCI bracket part sticking out for screws, then it might squeeze in the 3.0 as we want to raise the middle rail a bit for a 52 mm AI package, otherwise it's long to fit inside the case.
It's probably a stupid suggestion for many reasons, but somehow I imagine having a single cover piece that folds over the top and halfway down the back side would at least look cohesive as that would be a fully perforated piece. Then the part that sits behind the mobo and psu is solid. I was going to suggest that the base (where the stand attaches for vertical orientation) could instead be part of this mobo mounting part as well, but now that seems impossible (or at least unreasonably difficult) given that the front and back of the case are already folded from that piece.
The only practical advantages of this idea would be the ability to remove the cover without removing the stand first, which is pretty minor, and maybe easier access to the GPU. I also suspect that I would be in the minority in thinking that a seam on one side of the case would look good, but there we go.
I'm not sure if I'm getting this correctly. You mean something like the inverted letter "U" like it's a tractor/classic car engine cover? If that's what you mean, then It's a not go for two reasons: we want to get away from the cover panel being bent multiple times because it affects manufacturing cost/quality control, and also if we were to cut away that part from the other side, then we need to reinforce the structure somehow and we're back to square one where we're making a frame that will take some space on the inside. The whole point of our case is that it's not a frame based chassis so we're not adding frame + panels thickness. The only place where that did happen was the internal GPU bracket, but we want to change that into external piece.
Well, we want to have that option to not need to take apart whole thing/unscrewing it from the sides etc. That's why we should aim for splitting cover into three pieces. With that said, such change might mean a different style of vertical stand and effectively that may require removing the case from the stand anyway to remove the top/side panel.
My main points with the sentry 1 after running it for years now.
1 - Hole pattern should match screw holes to mount a fan or other devices (either on the inside or the outside)
2 - Too many screws, try to remove screws as much as possible and use another locking mechanism. Make GPU and CPU slots easier to access.
3 - Front Port should be designed in a way that allows people to install their cable of choice (USB type A or USB type C or other). Instead of just USB type A.
4 - Display mount hook. Ideally, there would be a slim whole/slot on the top CPU side to allow for a bracket to hold/mount a monitor or tablet.
5 - Add a bigger hole above or around Motherboard shield compartment to wire cables through. Example uses: External Fan, Asrock side panel kit plug.
6 - Material on sentry scratches far too easily. I don't know what the solution could be but my case has so many scratches from transporting it that it might as well have a scratch pattern instead of a solid color.
I really crammed a ton of stuff into this case. Soon will have a 3090 in it hopefully. I couldn't find a 4070ti/4080 that would fit. The Inno I would have to import or pay too much for it.
1 - Hole pattern should match screw holes to mount a fan or other devices (either on the inside or the outside)
2 - Too many screws, try to remove screws as much as possible and use another locking mechanism. Make GPU and CPU slots easier to access.
3 - Front Port should be designed in a way that allows people to install their cable of choice (USB type A or USB type C or other). Instead of just USB type A.
4 - Display mount hook. Ideally, there would be a slim whole/slot on the top CPU side to allow for a bracket to hold/mount a monitor or tablet.
5 - Add a bigger hole above or around Motherboard shield compartment to wire cables through. Example uses: External Fan, Asrock side panel kit plug.
6 - Material on sentry scratches far too easily. I don't know what the solution could be but my case has so many scratches from transporting it that it might as well have a scratch pattern instead of a solid color.
I really crammed a ton of stuff into this case. Soon will have a 3090 in it hopefully. I couldn't find a 4070ti/4080 that would fit. The Inno I would have to import or pay too much for it.
Last edited:
You can't optimise for too many types of devices. We wanted to address attaching hard drives in the GPU bay this way in 1.0/1.1, but barely anyone used those. The aim in 3.0 is to have improved airflow while supporting 120 mm fan mounting holes in GPU/CPU inlets/perforation on the big sides and 40 mm fan mounting holes on the exhausts/small side perforation (top and bottom in vertical orientation), but that's just the perforation layout and it's not necessarily going to be useful in every config.
That's part of the plan with with cutting up the cover in three pieces. The main big panel could have captive screws. But reduction of screws on the GPU side is impossible apart from that you won't have to use a tool to remove the main panel itself if it'll have captive screws. Those 4 screws that are on the bracket will be there, there's no other way to make it rigid without over-complicating it.
As long as there's no standardised type A + Type C header cable that's easily accessible by everyone, it's a no-go for us to change anything here. I'm checking this from time to time, but we're not going to support something that's PCB-based with weird dimensions that once it's dead, you'll have no way to replace it with an off-shelf part.
There are just single type C headers that are there, but again - it makes sense to have it for the bandwidth, so either we need a header with an active hub if you want both type C and type A on a single cable OR you need two separate cables. And we want to get ride of the old 20-pin plug and jump onto the new type-E/type-F ? header on the board for the included cable. We probably could order a custom type-A + type-C header for our cable, but it's not going to have type-C bandwidth on the type-C connector, just the type-A bandwidth there, so it's meaningless and you can just use type-A to type-C cable like now.
Not happening - this would affect the looks and cost definitely while it's such niche use case that we shouldn't really follow this.
We could think about a side cut for passing through a fan cable, but a big cut out for some big undefined plugs is a no go - you're not supposed to be able to squeeze in a finger through the holes.
Well, that's powder coating, depending on how you're transporting it, what you're keeping inside the bag with etc, you'll have different effects. Powder coating is a thin layer of plastic and if you've got something that's harder than plastic touching it, then you can scratch through it to the metal.
I've had been carrying my grey case once every two weeks for around two years before covid happened in a cheap backpack while also squeezing headphones, TKL keyboard and mouse and the stand inside it, and it's still in pristine condition, while we have someone in the office that carrying his unit even more often and it is roughened on the corners and the vertical stand side.
We'll see what we can do about this, but we can't promise anything right now. Brushed steel that is then somehow anodised could be a solution, but it also could end up really expensive.
Thanks for the support in first campaign and for the feedback now
Similar threads
