The Chimera MachOne: For the pros. Small meets flexible.

Narcosis00

Minimal Tinkerer
Feb 22, 2018
4
0
Will this likely be on for production this year or more likely next year?

I get that it's wanting to cram in new hardware as and when it's released, however I was smitten with the prototype design from the off. And I believe it is the best stop gap between itx and large rad custom loops.

Currently there are minimal cases that can fit a 280mm rad, let along the 355mm rad that the phoenix 280 is (which I own).

Short of building my own case this seemed like the perfect solution and I am a bit disappointed it's on hold to fit hardware there myself personally neither wants or cares for.

Surely you could release prototype 1 considering the good thermal results and then a revised version after? If not with additional brackets etc?

Just a thought, as currently my case is ridiculously large and I will more than likely end up getting one of the others cases that suit when they are released later this year, therefore making the need for this case redundant
 

eme

Trash Compacter
May 14, 2017
36
20
Will this likely be on for production this year or more likely next year?

I get that it's wanting to cram in new hardware as and when it's released, however I was smitten with the prototype design from the off. And I believe it is the best stop gap between itx and large rad custom loops.

Currently there are minimal cases that can fit a 280mm rad, let along the 355mm rad that the phoenix 280 is (which I own).

Short of building my own case this seemed like the perfect solution and I am a bit disappointed it's on hold to fit hardware there myself personally neither wants or cares for.

Surely you could release prototype 1 considering the good thermal results and then a revised version after? If not with additional brackets etc?

Just a thought, as currently my case is ridiculously large and I will more than likely end up getting one of the others cases that suit when they are released later this year, therefore making the need for this case redundant

Do you think this is little selfish thinking? Why anyone would release "prototype" just to launch fully later, that just does not make any sense.
 
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Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
Will this likely be on for production this year or more likely next year?

Short of building my own case this seemed like the perfect solution and I am a bit disappointed it's on hold to fit hardware there myself personally neither wants or cares for.

Surely you could release prototype 1 considering the good thermal results and then a revised version after? If not with additional brackets etc?

Just a thought, as currently my case is ridiculously large and I will more than likely end up getting one of the others cases that suit when they are released later this year, therefore making the need for this case redundant

Do you think this is little selfish thinking? Why anyone would release "prototype" just to launch fully later, that just does not make any sense.

I agree, @Narcosis00 is being a bit of a wanker, wanting this chassis released as is to fit his immediate needs...

Maybe he would be better off asking @Wahaha360 directly about purchasing an early prototype unit for his immediate needs...

And just because ONE singular end user is not planning on using the chassis for Threadripper 2 (and/or other upcoming hardware) does not mean everyone else should not get a unit which has been optimized for forthcoming new components...

The rest of us will just wait for a fully finished product...!
 
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Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
Any chance of ATX version with vertical mounting? XD

Not like that XD, I mean't The Chimera MachOne has Vertical with mATX.

This chassis is not designed to be a "one size fits all" unit...

It is aimed at watercooled ITX & mATX motherboards, IN A SMALL FORM FACTOR; if you want something for ATX, well, you might be in the wrong forums...

It irritates me so much when folks come into an established thread, don't really READ ALL of the thread, and start asking questions that have already been answered or making ridiculous demands to fit their idea of what the chassis should be...
 

Nanook

King of Cable Management
May 23, 2016
805
793
This chassis is not designed to be a "one size fits all" unit...

It is aimed at watercooled ITX & mATX motherboards, IN A SMALL FORM FACTOR; if you want something for ATX, well, you might be in the wrong forums...

It irritates me so much when folks come into an established thread, don't really READ ALL of the thread, and start asking questions that have already been answered or making ridiculous demands to fit their idea of what the chassis should be...
Agreed, although not everyone is as dedicated as some of us in keeping up with the past dozens of pages. :)
 

lawney

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jun 28, 2018
104
68
Yeah, making those kinds of requests are silly. Part of the design behind the case is that it will fit in the WallyE Tactik duffle on SFF Lab. It's a travel-friendly, high-end water-cooled itx / workstation matx case. Making it atx-compatible would negate that. Check out the Cerberus X in the meantime if you really need atx this compact right now.

TBH I'm just as disappointed to hear that this case is on hold, but there is still more testing to be done, and Wahaha360 is working on another exciting project that *will* offer atx compatibility in an extremely small package.

Seeing as how the MachOne had such a great showing at Computex and positive response from media, I bet that it doesn't stay on the backburner for too, too long. And having the manufacturing lined up with SFF Lab and Lian Li (right?), once the wheels start turning, delays will have more to do with design considerations and prototyping than logistics and manufacturing (is that a fair assessment from a layman?). At least that's the way it seems to me.
 
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Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
Agreed, although not everyone is as dedicated as some of us in keeping up with the past dozens of pages. :)

Funny thing is, once you read the thread, you only need "keep up" with the post recent posts...

The key here being that one reads the thread before just popping off with questions...
 

lawney

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jun 28, 2018
104
68
I was thinking: the top plate of this case should be able to dissipate heat in some way (ie exhaust vents/holes), but it also needs to be radio friendly for wifi antenna, wireless mouse, or an xbox controller dongle.

What are some materials from which it could be made? Plastic is an easy one, maybe a matte PBT? A machined plastic panel would be cool and not too pricey. Carbon fiber would be thin but strong and lightweight; and I believe it is thermally conductive to some degree, likely minor, without causing expansion. Glass is en vogue, but it's not travel friendly: it's heavy and fragile.

So I think to be functional, the top panel should be radio signal permeable, durable, and lightweight. And I think it needs to be able to allow heat to escape rather than trap it. What do you guys think?
 
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dysys

Minimal Tinkerer
Aug 6, 2018
4
3
Do you think that the design intent was to keep the airflow moving through the case front to back, rather than out of the top? I wonder if it changes the cooling performance, either way?

I dont recall reading if the top panel is 'open-able' making the ports accessible from above. Can anyone comment?

Cheers!
 

Boil

SFF Guru
Nov 11, 2015
1,253
1,094
I was thinking: the top plate of this case should be able to dissipate heat in some way (ie exhaust vents/holes), but it also needs to be radio friendly for wifi antenna, wireless mouse, or an xbox controller dongle.

What are some materials from which it could be made? Plastic is an easy one, maybe a matte PBT? A machined plastic panel would be cool and not too pricey. Carbon fiber would be thin but strong and lightweight; and I believe it is thermally conductive to some degree, likely minor, without causing expansion. Glass is en vogue, but it's not travel friendly: it's heavy and fragile.

So I think to be functional, the top panel should be radio signal permeable, durable, and lightweight. And I think it needs to be able to allow heat to escape rather than trap it. What do you guys think?

Do you think that the design intent was to keep the airflow moving through the case front to back, rather than out of the top? I wonder if it changes the cooling performance, either way?

I dont recall reading if the top panel is 'open-able' making the ports accessible from above. Can anyone comment?

There are comments in the thread (from the designer) regarding this very thing...

The plan I have seen outlined has a glass top, which is literally just nestled into the top of the chassis...

Talk was bantered about regarding smoked or frosted or wooden top panel & the such...

The chassis IS designed for a front to back airflow, all heat is intended to get pressured out the back...

Yes, some heat will travel up to the cable area, but the intention is not for that area to be considered an exhaust...

And unless one is throwing a water block on it, I would not recommend a blower-style GPU in this chassis...
 

lawney

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jun 28, 2018
104
68
Back to front would be ideal. and it’s the intended airflow, but Threadripper and the X399M is an intended part. An AIO is the only style of cooler that can be used in this case? Because the Noctua NH-U9S-TR4 cannot direct air out the back.

As for blower gpus, this case is intended to be incompatible? Seems like a missed opportunity. It makes the case unusable for a travel-friendly workstation.

It’s not a big deal for me, because I would come up with my own replacement top plate, but it doesn’t seem like having an alternative vented top plate affects the design of the case at all. It might only complicate the manufacturig process (of an already complicated case with all its configs).
 

Wahaha360

a.k.a W360
SFFLAB
NCASE
SSUPD
Feb 23, 2015
2,131
10,697
I was thinking: the top plate of this case should be able to dissipate heat in some way (ie exhaust vents/holes), but it also needs to be radio friendly for wifi antenna, wireless mouse, or an xbox controller dongle.

What are some materials from which it could be made? Plastic is an easy one, maybe a matte PBT? A machined plastic panel would be cool and not too pricey. Carbon fiber would be thin but strong and lightweight; and I believe it is thermally conductive to some degree, likely minor, without causing expansion. Glass is en vogue, but it's not travel friendly: it's heavy and fragile.

So I think to be functional, the top panel should be radio signal permeable, durable, and lightweight. And I think it needs to be able to allow heat to escape rather than trap it. What do you guys think?

Do you think that the design intent was to keep the airflow moving through the case front to back, rather than out of the top? I wonder if it changes the cooling performance, either way?

I dont recall reading if the top panel is 'open-able' making the ports accessible from above. Can anyone comment?

Cheers!

Back to front would be ideal. and it’s the intended airflow, but Threadripper and the X399M is an intended part. An AIO is the only style of cooler that can be used in this case? Because the Noctua NH-U9S-TR4 cannot direct air out the back.

As for blower gpus, this case is intended to be incompatible? Seems like a missed opportunity. It makes the case unusable for a travel-friendly workstation.

It’s not a big deal for me, because I would come up with my own replacement top plate, but it doesn’t seem like having an alternative vented top plate affects the design of the case at all. It might only complicate the manufacturig process (of an already complicated case with all its configs).

I agree that a ventilated top panel should help with wireless connections and cooling.

I'm trying to add support for 240mm thin radiator and *two 120x15mm exhaust fans on the top panel, specifically, the XSPC TX240 20mm thin radiator and two NF-A12x15.

If the above is possible, might be able to do the following setup:
- mATX + TR2
- Koolance 280x30mm radiator + 2x Noctua Sterrox 120mm fans via adapter
- XSPC 240x20mm radiator + 2x Noctua 120x15mm fans
- 2x GPU
- SFX PSU

In an air cool scenario, two 120x15mm fans help exhaust through the top. In a water cooling scenario, the radiator helps at the cost of requiring low profile cable (worth it imo).

This is part of the reason why it's delayed.
 
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Wahaha360

a.k.a W360
SFFLAB
NCASE
SSUPD
Feb 23, 2015
2,131
10,697
The universe doesn't need another case. There are decent products out there.

There are too many good ideas that are poorly executed, it ends up disappointing people - just look at the Kickstarter / crowdfunding problems, the idea is not the problem, it's the execution.

Obviously I believe this case should be made, but the execution is far more important than the idea going forward.
 

heady

Minimal Tinkerer
Aug 2, 2018
3
4
This is *precisely* along the lines of what I was thinking. Now let's see next week what the reference cards look like as far as dimensions and whether we'll get any revamp of dual GPU benefits. Probably not from the looks of it, but it would be still great to fit something like a capture card in there in this mode with the two top exhaust fans.
 
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