O my lord. Are you going to tell us your favourite type of screw?Just a quick word on the weekly update: I'm writing it up now, and it'll be up in 1-2 hours or so. Update #9 is going to be about airflow.
The delay on this week's update was due to me hoping the other set of parts would arrive by yesterday (they have not, they'll be here tonight) but rather than delay things further, I'll be falling back to a technical post about airflow that I think you all will enjoy.
But that does mean a new build video for Winter One is coming by the next update, and we're about to switch to full scale production by then, as well
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Edit; Change of plans. You'll see in a few hours. There's something I have to show you all, and it absolutely can not wait a few days. Here's a little hint:
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Stalled Winter One -- 15.6L SFF case, 3090 Support, 3-slot GPUs, dual 280mm radiators, CFD Optimized Design
- Thread starter WinterCharm
- Start date
Thats really cool!Yes. the case are numbered. The serial numbers are high-resolution laser-engraved into the rear panel. It's crisp, beautiful, and will not wear out. For the Silver Cases, the laser engraving will be in black, instead of white
Here's the serial number for this particular case, for those of you who are curious.
W1V12P01B01N100U001
To decode the serial:
W1 - Winter One
V12 - Version 1.2
P01 - First Production Run
B01 - First Batch (in the future larger production runs may have multiple batches)
N100 - 100 cases produced in this batch
U001 - First Unit off the production line
The serialization was originally going to be in QR Code form, as a way for me to track defects, but I figured it would be a nice addition for everyone to know where their case came from. As there are some issues with this particular unit (we'll go into details in the update) it will stay in-house unfortunately, and not be sent to anyone.
Only the cases from the Kickstarter Batches (1 and 2) and the very first "additional" orders of Batch 2 / Silver (which will happen on the Winter One website) will have "First Edition" On them. That's my special way of saying Thank You to everyone who backed this project and made it a reality <3
"First Unit off the production line" confuse me. Is production line referring to the case within a batch or within the total number of Winter One produced. The N### makes sense if the numbers corresponds to U### i.e. 001/100 or I guess in this case 100/001.
I only ask because if someone backed early on (Dream backers) and chose silver, those backers will get a higher production number than those who ordered much later, and they might be a little bummed. I realize that those people should be a little thankful that the silver was made in the first place but it would still be a nice. If I knew these were numbered by global production I would have seriously considered the black which is a ridiculous reason but I started the torx debate so...
Are those back panels going on production models?
@WinterCharm hid the screws for their own dedicated post.
Adding the serial numbers is a treat in itself - and is only going to be on the cases for the first black orders and first silver orders. So if you're an initial supporter, you get an individually numbered case... and there's no reason to be bummed by that.
I'm sure you're not intending to come across this way, but your message makes it sound like you're complaining for getting something extra, extra special.
Adding the serial numbers is a treat in itself - and is only going to be on the cases for the first black orders and first silver orders. So if you're an initial supporter, you get an individually numbered case... and there's no reason to be bummed by that.
I'm sure you're not intending to come across this way, but your message makes it sound like you're complaining for getting something extra, extra special.
I think serial number will always be there, only "First Edition" will be exclusive to the kickstarter + very first batches. However I agree this is ridiculous - what's the difference if you have case number 55 or case number 355? You have the very first edition (which is a bonus - wasn't even gonna be there) and it's all what matters.
Can't wait to see this update.
I didn't come across as complaining. I clearly stated that I should be grateful that the silver case was being made in the first place. I thought long and hard on whether I should include that last paragraph as it might sound like I was condescending and ungrateful. Clearly I did not think hard enough to come up with a good explanation for my opinion.Adding the serial numbers is a treat in itself - and is only going to be on the cases for the first black orders and first silver orders. So if you're an initial supporter, you get an individually numbered case... and there's no reason to be bummed by that.
I'm sure you're not intending to come across this way, but your message makes it sound like you're complaining for getting something extra, extra special.
Firstly, I didn't even want to build a computer in the first place! I was dead set on never using Windows again until Winter One came around.
Secondly, its a terrible time to build a computer. From CPUs and GPUs to even month long waits for a power supply.
Thirdly, in retrospect, with Winter One reaching the kickstarter goal and people willing to buy two cases, which is something i'm amazed about, I had no use in helping the kickstarter. The kickstarter would succeed with or without me. I doubt me not backing would have made any difference to the outcome.
The low build number was the only fact I had to keep me content with my decision to back the case at such a bad time. I know its ridiculous but the alternative (and easier) option was to wait until 2022 to buy the case and by then, parts are probably easier to get and the SPK actually exists. For me nothing would be lost and the kickstarter would have been funded anyway.
Update #9 is LIVE
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A Quick Summary:
- All Early Production Parts Arrived
- We did a full test build of Winter One v12
- We tested our user guide during the build
- We discovered minor issues on a few parts
Part Issues
After in building in the case with parts that pushed the dimension limits, we discovered a few issues that need to be addressed before full scale production.- Power Button is too loose on the key switch. We think this might have to do with a tolerancing error in our favor during the Beta run.
- Drive Cage has an error and needs to have screws holes moved over by 1mm as it's affecting how easily one can get 4 x 2.5" SSDs into the system.
- Central Spine motherboard standoff placement appears off by 0.15mm. (GPU / Riser Cable standoffs are perfect). I was able to build in the case, but had to push the motherboard against the rear panel with an uncomfortable amount of force to line up the standoffs.
- Rear Panel laser engraving has a kerning error. The engraving is correct on the blueprints, but is incorrect on the part.
- There are anodization errors on a few parts. There is a streak on the front panel which appears under bright, diffuse LED lighting. These streaks occur when the part is incorrectly mounted for the anodization process.
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Some Winter One v12 Beauty Shots
(There's more in the Kickstarter Update!)
Don't worry. Silver will also count up from U001
As for how the serials will be allocated, they cannot correspond to backer numbers, as people's backer numbers count up serially even if people before them cancel, and of course, with the split to silver / black, things are further jumbled up. It will have to be luck of the draw. Please do not DM me asking for your favorite number
These Rear Panels cannot go on production models due to the engraving error. I'm going to have a chat with the manufacturer tomorrow morning to sort this out.
When you see things like "0.15mm off" and "kerning error", you know "attention to detail" doesn't even begin to describe the care and attention behind this case. It's awesome watching this case get closer to production!
My GOD why didn't I back this project. That is gorgeous, really.
Update #9 is LIVE
A Quick Summary:
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- All Early Production Parts Arrived
- We did a full test build of Winter One v12
- We tested our user guide during the build
- We discovered minor issues on a few parts
Part Issues
After in building in the case with parts that pushed the dimension limits, we discovered a few issues that need to be addressed before full scale production.
I'll be speaking to the factory first thing tomorrow in order to have this sorted out. These are the last remaining issues before we kick off full production!
- Power Button is too loose on the key switch. We think this might have to do with a tolerancing error in our favor during the Beta run.
- Drive Cage has an error and needs to have screws holes moved over by 1mm as it's affecting how easily one can get 4 x 2.5" SSDs into the system.
- Central Spine motherboard standoff placement appears off by 0.15mm. (GPU / Riser Cable standoffs are perfect). I was able to build in the case, but had to push the motherboard against the rear panel with an uncomfortable amount of force to line up the standoffs.
- Rear Panel laser engraving has a kerning error. The engraving is correct on the blueprints, but is incorrect on the part.
- There are anodization errors on a few parts. There is a streak on the front panel which appears under bright, diffuse LED lighting. These streaks occur when the part is incorrectly mounted for the anodization process.
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Some Winter One v12 Beauty Shots
(There's more in the Kickstarter Update!)
That is genuinely incredible. I've had second thoughts about spending this much on a case (it'll probably end up just over £300 GBP) but this has honestly made me feel fine about it. It almost looks like it would fit through my letter box flat packed!
I think I regret getting the solid side panels. Although it will be quieter, with the new GPU's being so thick and OOS everywhere, I'd like the flexibility to obtain any of them. On the other hand, the 2-3 dBa reduction you mentioned might be godly. Now if I can win the FE lottery and shove a 3080 in there I'll be ecstatic.
Thank you for the continued updates and your commitment to quality. Will these minor defects be pushing the shipping date back significantly?
Finally, @WinterCharm - would you be able to send me some links to the packaging companies that you decided to use? <3
I don't think it'll be a major impact, but I won't be sure until I speak with the manufacturers. That meeting is happening today. One of the downsides of a last minute update like this, is I don't have that sort of information on-hand. Typically, an update is written throughout the week, and posted sunday-tuesday of the following week, so I have all the context and answers. I'll let people know as soon as I have a concrete answer!!! (most likely in this week's update).
I try to be really attentive to little things like this, because I know they'll bother me, personally. Could I have shipped these without bothering to fix QoL issues like this? Technically, yes. But it just doesn't feel right. Even the parts that you realistically will not see (like the rear panel engraving) or parts you'll only interact with once or twice (motherboard and central spine standoffs) after you build the case should be pleasant to interact with. Knowing that every part of the case was carefully crafted is a huge part of what makes people happy.
I know the price may have shocked some people. But this level of quality just cannot be done cheaply. In my personal life, I've always followed the motto of "research carefully, buy once, cry once". I developed Winter One out of empathy for a like-minded audience. I'm one of those people who's often dissatisfied with a lot of products I come across. It's mildly annoying how little care is put into some everyday objects.
Winter One is not like that. Does it cost a good bit? Yes. Is the quality jaw dropping? Also yes. At the end of the day, it's about "did what I pay for it seem worthwhile?" and that's what I try to strive for. Someone who looks into all the work that went into this case, and the attention to detail, should feel comfortable about their purchase before it ships. Once they unbox and assemble the case, should feel a deep joy knowing that they got something really special, that they'd be proud of showcase on their desk, as a functional work of art.
We ended up going with stainless steel, color matched Philips Screws (use a Philips No 1 driver please!) for the final case. The central spine was not easy to attach to the front panel, without the use of a philips screw, unless you had one of those bendy screwdriver attachments for your Torx or Hex bits, because you cannot easily line a driver up to it, due to the angles and distances at play. Philips drivers are a bit more forgiving if you're slightly off-axis, and a lot more people have access to them already.
For those of you who want to replace each one with Torx or Hex screws (I know you're out there), there is a table of the the exact threading and length of all screws inside the user's manual, as requested.
Well, the good news is that every Kickstarter Backer will get a case numbered below U100 (so 1-99).
Let's do the math: There are 160 backers, and 189 rear panels being produced (30 of which are going to an architectural firm who will have a very pretty office in the near future). 95 of those are Matte Black, 94 of those are Matte Silver. Therefore, everyone in the Kickstarter should be getting a First Edition with a double-digit serial. It'll be a rare thing to own one of those.
There is a batch 2 (in silver) coming up once batch 1 ships. It will be the LAST run of the First Edition and you can sign up to get notified when it drops. We're also working on an anti-scalper system, because I feel like the current environment almost necessitates it. Can't go into details about how it works, but it'll be interesting to test.
I will not be disclosing suppliers at this time.
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I’m going to use a No 2, strip all the screws, and wreak havoc among this forum.
(no I would *never* do that)
These updates make me so happy to have backed the case. Thank you again! Now to wait for silicon to be in stock. That being said, are there any plans for a white version in the future?? 
White on anodized aluminum is very tough. It’s an additional coating which will throw off tolerances and require a new set of parts to be made. (Anodizing converts the underlying metal and has less impact on tolerance).These updates make me so happy to have backed the case. Thank you again! Now to wait for silicon to be in stock. That being said, are there any plans for a white version in the future??
I won’t say it’ll never happen... but I will say it’ll be tough to do at this time.
@WinterCharm told me that it would be possible to buy vented panels this year, I too regret not having taken any. Now, I don't know the thickness of these panels nor their shape, but maybe I'll make mine with okoume coated plywood and another carbon set.
In any case, I will still buy the W1 vented panels.
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