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

[gunpalcyril]

why not triple GPU

That would be awesome, for my use case would be gpu rendering.

Unless you are hinting at something you are working on...

 

[Wahaha360]

there a *one PCIe X16 slot on the ASRock X299 ITX, and *two M.2 slots on the back of the motherboard.

why trifurcation, unnecessary complication.

 

[Biowarejak]

there a *one PCIe X16 slot on the ASRock X299 ITX, and *two M.2 slots on the back of the motherboard.

why trifurcation, unnecessary complication.

The simplicity of setup and I haven't seen any of us do it

 

[confusis]

New photo on our Instagram Story....

 

[jwlarocque]

New pic (I'm sorry that it's so enormous):

 

[Biowarejak]

Gah that Instagram story thing is awfully hidden

 

[jwlarocque]

Gah that Instagram story thing is awfully hidden

They don't make it easy to pause either, let alone extract the image.

 

[confusis]

Article going live at 08:30 Local Time if that helps

 

[confusis]

Here: https://smallformfactor.net/news/exclusive-first-access-chimeras-mach-one-case

Enjoy We sure did.

 

[Biowarejak]

Beautiful!

 

[gunpalcyril]

Damn, phanteks should learn from this when making sff cases. Function over aesthetics.

Edit: Also, here's to hoping this case is even relatively affordable... I'm already convinced, now I just need to wait for an actual quality ryzen matx motherboard to come out.

 

[Kooki]

This case is looking gorgeous!

 

[Metroversal]

It looks REALLY great! Excellent job guys! Loving the added flexibility

 

[KSliger]

Looks great guys, excited to see more on the cooling setup - possible to air cool or will it be 240 liquid coolers only?

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

It's time, everyone. Say hello to the Chimera MachOne.

What is the MachOne? In a sentence: a SFF solution for pros who demand the best.

In a few more sentences?

• A handsome aluminum tower with a smaller footprint than the NCASE M1, that can support real workstation-class builds in a compact, portable form factor (especially in tandem with the carry-on compliant WALLYE Tactik Duffle, which it is compatible with)
• An enclosure with remarkable flexibility, that enables both mITX and mATX builds via three different layout schemes
• A robust platform which supports everything from basic builds, to enthusiast-grade components, to exotic custom loops with thick radiators (like the Nemesis 280-GTX or EK-XLC Predator) and dedicated pumps/reservoirs combos (like the EK D5 and EK DDC). All in 18.5L.

The second bullet is an especially important one, as it is the flexibility of the MachOne that makes it so unique. There are three arrangements that the enclosure supports – Gear One, Two and Three – and each one provides a unique set of benefits and compromises, allowing the user to pick the layout that maximizes what's most useful to them:

• Gear One ("The Core"): A traditional layout (mITX and mATX) in a vertical orientation, which is easiest to visualize as a "vertical NCASE M1". This arrangement supports air CPU coolers like the NH-U9S, and provides a comfortable amount of space for as many graphics cards and PCI devices as your motherboard supports, with enough room leftover for twin 120mm/140mm intake fans on the front (as well as ample space for power and storage on the bottom)
• Gear Two ("The Gamer") : The same as Gear One, except that it uses a PCB riser to fold one's graphics card and/or PCI device to be above and parallel to the motherboard, enabling support for substantially wider/bulkier cards. This also opens up the front of the enclosure for use of a radiator or AIO
• Gear Three ("The YouTuber"): A back-to-back arrangement, using risers to fold up to three PCIe cards and devices behind the motherboard, while providing enough room at the front of the enclosure for an impressively thick and wide radiator. Not to mention windowed panels on both sides, to best show off your hardware

SFF Network has just posted their article on the MachOne, and as you can see, this flexibility allowed us to build a pretty insane demo rig: We've brought with us to Computex an mITX, i9 + Titan Xp workstation, with an additional PCIe card (an Elgato 4K 60 capture card), and a Nemesis 280 GTX radiator cooling it all. This sort of hardware was once unfathomable on mITX, or in an enclosure of this size. With the MachOne, it's now just another possibility. This, too, before we get to what mATX support enables, with the recent Threadripper news allowing us to fit 32-core builds into the same svelte profile, no problem.

It's not just hardware support that we're excited about, either: it's the use cases that the MachOne enables. One of the demos we were able to show the SFFN team was how Dan could hook up his MacBook Pro to our demo rig, and use it as an external display, switching between the two computers dynamically as he works. Both computers, as well as peripherals and a portable display or two, can fit inside the WALLYE Tactik Duffle, meaning that professionals and gamers who need truly no-compromise performance now have a holistic solution with which to bring their full workstation set up with them. We really mean it when we say that the MachOne is for those who demand the best!

-

To be sure, we know that everyone will have a lot of questions and even more feedback. So please – bring it on! Although what you'll see in photos is meaningfully representative of the final product, it is a prototype fresh from the factory, and we have already identified some changes we will be making to polish the design and improve the build & use experience. That said, we're really happy with the current spec, and I especially find the aesthetics of what we've made to be wonderful. That front panel in-person is just gorgeous. The MachOne will without doubt be the next enclosure for me!

Finally, do know that we will have information regarding pricing and availability post-Computex, as we finalize the MachOne. We can't provide specific prices yet, but we can share that our goal is to offer a range of options and price points that roughly follow the arrangements we've developed for the enclosure. We want the MachOne to be accessible to as many as possible, while still fulfilling the promise of what some of the more complex arrangements require hardware-wise.

If you're around at Computex and would like to get a closer look at the MachOne, feel free to get in touch! Either way, we can't wait to share more, collect feedback, and get the MachOne made

– Joshua

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EDIT: Here's the Chimera MachOne in the flesh! Our Computex 2018 build contains an mITX board, i9 CPU & Titan XP GPU, Elgato 4K 60 capture card, and custom loop with a Nemesis 280GTX radiator!

 

[Boil]

EDIT - LOL, all the below was pounded out BEFORE I saw the above post from Joshua...!

Man, first thought I had upon spying the Mach One chassis in the background of the Suite pic, "Looks like a 5 1/4" bay, I wonder if it will fit the EK single bay DDC pump / res combo...?"

Well. looks like it will...!

I like that there is the option for either 'Standard' or 'Back-to-Back' configurations...

I like that there are options (looks like there is a horizontal & a vertical orientation available) for placement of the PSU...

I do not like that (from what I can see without any actual cables being run to / from the system) the cables just spill out of the top back opening (Phanteks had space for their cables to feed down to the bottom of the chassis before exiting)...

Looks to be a positive pressure system...? All air in thru the front & pressure forces it out the back...? Might there be space / brackets / fitting points for exhaust fans if a 'Standard' layout is used...? If an ITX motherboard is used (whether 'Standard' or 'Back-to-Back'), might there be room for both intake & exhaust fans, or intake rad / fan combo & exhaust fans...?

Assorted dimensions are needed, to figure out what might fit where, & how to Tetris it all together...

CPU cooler maximum dimensions, both for the 'Standard' & the 'Back-to-Back' configurations, are needed...

Pics / breakdowns / descriptions of the assorted brackets & such that come with the chassis are needed...

Maximum dimensions for GPUs, in all & any configurations, are needed...

What would REALLY be great would be some build-up videos, covering both ITX & mATX configurations; also covering both 'Standard' & 'Back-to-Back' configurations...

To quote the Cromulons, "SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT...!!!"

I, personally, am interested in an ITX build, with CPU & GPU both under water, DDC Bay pump / res & 280mm radiator handling the cooling probably set up in a 'Standard' configuration (like the one Necere was playing with awhile back) with Rad to the front & exhaust fans to the rear...

 

[Metroversal]

It'so nice. I can't stop looking at the pics.

@PlayfulPhoenix is it going to be manufactured in the US or in Taiwan (Lian-Li)?

 

[Boil]

• Gear One ("The Core"): A traditional layout (mITX and mATX) in a vertical orientation, which is easiest to visualize as a "vertical NCASE M1". This arrangement supports air CPU coolers like the NH-U9S, and provides a comfortable amount of space for as many graphics cards and PCI devices as your motherboard supports, with enough room leftover for twin 140mm intake fans on the front (as well as ample space for power and storage on the bottom)

Now you need to get Noctua to make you murdered out (black fans & black powdercoated heat sinks) NH-U9S units...!

• Gear Two ("The Gamer") : The same as Gear One, except that it uses a PCB riser to fold one's graphics card and/or PCI device to be above and parallel to the motherboard, enabling support for substantially wider/bulkier cards. This also opens up the front of the enclosure for use of a radiator or AIO

So, reference blower GPUs for 'Standard' configurations, & larger open-air GPUs in 'Back-to-Back' configurations...?

If using blower GPU, what happens with all the heat blown up into the I/O chamber...?

• Gear Three ("The YouTuber"): A back-to-back arrangement, using risers to fold up to three PCIe cards and devices behind the motherboard, while providing enough room at the front of the enclosure for an impressively thick and wide radiator. Not to mention windowed panels on both sides, to best show off your hardware

Exactly how much room is available in the GPU chamber on the 'Back-to-Back' configuration...?

And is there any cable run area behind the motherboard in a 'Standard' configuration...?

What PCI riser cables are you folks planning on offering for 'Back-to-Back' configurations...?

...an mITX, i9 + Titan Xp workstation...

What kind of idle / synthetic load / workstation load / gaming load temps were you folks seeing...?

To be sure, we know that everyone will have a lot of questions and even more feedback. So please – bring it on!

See my previous post(s)...

@Wahaha360 @PlayfulPhoenix - Looks AWESOME guys...! REALLY looking forward to more info / pics / dims / etc. on this stunning chassis...!!!

 

[KSliger]

@PlayfulPhoenix is it going to be manufactured in the US or in Taiwan (Lian-Li)?

Can confirm it's not made by Sliger.

Either way excited for more bifurcation support!

 

[tinyitx]

So far, this 18.5L Mach One and the Steacom DA2 (17.5L) are catching my eyes.
I have yet to figure out the Gear Two and Gear Three arrangements.