2-slot cards it is.
We have placed the GPU as low as possible in order to maximize vertical clearance.
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Prototype The world most flexible SFF case? LOUQE Ghost S1
- Thread starter PaChalski
- Start date
2-slot cards it is.
We have placed the GPU as low as possible in order to maximize vertical clearance.
Was just looking around, could only find to cards with custom coolers (SC2 and FTW3), in Denmark the price difference is only 100kr (15USD) and therefore I wanted to ask. I don't want you to change the height to make specific cards fit, just planning out what components I would want in the build.
TopHats
The construction of the TopHats has been updated in line with the spine and side panels. They are constructed out of 4 components and screwed together in the corners. Vertical screws lock the TopHats down to the spine. Just like the spine, the TopHats will have magnets that hold the grill in place. An additional set of magnets is found in the bottom of the TopHats that create a preliminary locking and simplifies assembly.
The construction of the TopHats has been updated in line with the spine and side panels. They are constructed out of 4 components and screwed together in the corners. Vertical screws lock the TopHats down to the spine. Just like the spine, the TopHats will have magnets that hold the grill in place. An additional set of magnets is found in the bottom of the TopHats that create a preliminary locking and simplifies assembly.
The updated design will potentially allow for the TopHats to be mounted both in the top as well as in the bottom thanks to the symmetry. As a result of this change we don’t want to keep the IO in the top because it would be another thing that needs to be removed when opening the case - hence the front mounted PWR button and PWR LED.
The new build process is as follows: Put all components in, slide down side panels, throw on the TopHat, screw it in place and lastly add the grill. Not a huge trade-off, considering one might not need to screw the side panels in place thanks to the TopHat holding them down, for the possibility to slap some pants on the Ghost.
The USBs will consequently been ditched all together, a tough call, but with workarounds in place and wireless solutions becoming more and more popular (joy-pads etc.) this should not be a deal breaker for everyone. What's your opinion?
Ones we have the first prototype in our hands this will all be thoroughly tested and evaluated. With some fan less PSUs appearing on the market the possibility to put case fans in the bottom might be very useful!?
The new build process is as follows: Put all components in, slide down side panels, throw on the TopHat, screw it in place and lastly add the grill. Not a huge trade-off, considering one might not need to screw the side panels in place thanks to the TopHat holding them down, for the possibility to slap some pants on the Ghost.
The USBs will consequently been ditched all together, a tough call, but with workarounds in place and wireless solutions becoming more and more popular (joy-pads etc.) this should not be a deal breaker for everyone. What's your opinion?
Ones we have the first prototype in our hands this will all be thoroughly tested and evaluated. With some fan less PSUs appearing on the market the possibility to put case fans in the bottom might be very useful!?
I'm sort of disappointed in the decision to remove the front USB ports. It would have been a great place to put a receiver for a wireless mouse or plug something in quickly, and it means I would have fewer USB ports total. I don't think the trade-off is worth it, especially when there is space for a fan under the PSU even without a bottom top hat.
Did you decide to ditch the extrusion method of construction? The top hats looked very clean in previous renders, and I'm worried that making them out of 4 different parts will show seams in each of the corners. That's a downside of getting rid of the shell as well.
Did you decide to ditch the extrusion method of construction? The top hats looked very clean in previous renders, and I'm worried that making them out of 4 different parts will show seams in each of the corners. That's a downside of getting rid of the shell as well.
Seconded (Sort of). One of the HUGE advantages this had over the Dancase was the front I/O. It may not seem like much, but it really takes a toll on a man's psyche to plug in things like flash drives into the rear of a case. Is there no way to include at least one somewhere near the power button on the front panel? Also, a 3.5mm headphone/mic option might be nice, but not as important as USB ports.
Despite the 2 other posts above, I'm in favor of removing the USB ports on the top for an aesthetic reason. I really like the minimalistic look of having clean top/sides, which drew my attention to the case in the first place. This is much better than the DAN case.
I frequently use usb sticks for quick file transfers so unfortunately it's a huge bummer that they have been removed, especially for a PC I intend to travel with, I don't want to have to reach around the back each time I plug in hard drive or usb.
Maybe consider putting them on the side of the case or on the front at the bottom.
I'm not sure I see any benefits of having the top hat at the bottom, it seems the airflow would be restricted more than at the top heating up all the components.
Edit: Maybe have the base model with no font I/O, but add a front I/O for the tophat.
Maybe consider putting them on the side of the case or on the front at the bottom.
I'm not sure I see any benefits of having the top hat at the bottom, it seems the airflow would be restricted more than at the top heating up all the components.
Edit: Maybe have the base model with no font I/O, but add a front I/O for the tophat.
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This decision is not final but has been discussed for a long time. Some of the arguments for this decision are:
- A cleaner look
- Tough to get it to work with the TopHats
- Alternative placements steel volume in places already used and might force us to increase the size
- Many keyboards and monitors already have integrated USB ports
- Changing standards could render the USB useless in a couple of years leaving a nasty scar on the case that screams "old"
- Less cables on the inside
Extrusion of the entire shell and TopHats was disqualified with the last update. The large press that could manage extrusions >300 mm is extremely expensive and requires a MOQ of 5 tons (~10 000 units in our case). The last design was made out of folded aluminium sheets.
The latest design, however, is extruded but in pieces <300 mm. The added seams was naturally a huge concern to us to begin with - "gone is the flush and smooth look" we thought. But aside from gaining a couple of millimeters here and there with this new solution the arguments have been that a three dimensional shell will be prone to damages when removed, and potentially resulting in a poor fit. The two other things with this solution that really made me accept it were:
1) The fine chambered edges created in the seams showcase the solid metal beautifully - they create a sense of quality
2) The sturdy and elegant locking in the corners. When this was tested (3D-printed) our thought was "wow, this is both strong and beautiful". Hopefully some photographs of the prototyp will convince some of you the same way we were.
A rendering of the seam
This is defiantly a possibility, if we go with the route to not offer the USBs in the base model this could be a good solution. But considering keyboards and monitors often have USB ports and USB-hubs can be bought for pennies the demand would need to be evaluated.
Most keyboards and mice are wireless now as well (At least the ones I'll be using) and carrying around an extra usb port just for quick access seems a bit counter intuitive, however I would appreciate a top hat I/O for sure.
If you're worried about the look of the USB ports consider a USB C type connector, you'd be miles ahead of everybody in terms of ports, and if it seems too pricey maybe only include it for the largest top hat.
I would second the USB C connector. That would be great! Plus, it's much smaller so it would have less of a visual impact. A headphone-mic jack would be cool too, but everyone has different use cases.
If that render is actually representative of the seam, then it looks great! Looking forward to some pictures of the prototype.
If that render is actually representative of the seam, then it looks great! Looking forward to some pictures of the prototype.
How about a VR spec S-TopHat for those who want it, with USBs and HDMI connector to be fed from the GPU?
The seam does look good in renderings, and in our plastic model but it will defiantly be a moment of truth ones we get the prototype. Expected delivery is said to be September 13:th.
This would be a great idea, keeping a clean look for non-vr interested buyers and an option for those who need ports on the front.
The problem would be when people want the I/O in the medium and large TopHat options, which would probably be more likely.
Options for tophats with varying features sounds amazing, like the Case Labs interchangeable front I/O panels. I would literally pay double for the option to switch back and forth from purely minimalistic to utilitarian.
*envisions a tophat that is chocked full of connectivity options, rows upon rows of usb, audio, video, and even a hot-swappable drive bay*
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