Crono Labs Designs Case Transforming Monitors into Monster Gaming AIOs

[btarunr]

Crono Labs is a new crowd-funded startup that's on a mission to turn monitors with VESA mounts into AIO-looking, gaming monstrosities. Their contraption is a lightweight micro-ATX chassis that mounts on to the back of your monitor over standard VESA mounts, and houses a micro-ATX or mini-ITX motherboard, a standard ATX PSU (with reasonable length restrictions), two each of 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drive bays, and a 2-slot graphics card bay that's arranged along the plane of the motherboard, rather than perpendicular to it, using a PCIe riser. It has room for graphics cards as long as 10.5 inches (26.67 cm).

It comes with its own sturdy stand, so you needn't worry about a >10 lbs object (the case and your build) weighing in on your monitor's frail stand. The case is airy along its sides and is topped off with a groovy brushed-aluminium panel. Then there are nifty bits like the handle. Crono Labs is seeking as little as $2,000 to get build prototypes, on its Indiegogo campaign, it's already halfway through that goal, but your coins could help. Check them out here.



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[Kursah]

Pretty neat, but heat and noise even closer to the user area could be an issue...regardless I think it's a cool idea!

 

[GreiverBlade]

Pretty neat, but heat and noise even closer to the user area could be an issue...regardless I think it's a cool idea!

not so real issue ... only for people who think the only computers place is under the desk ...

i spend most of my time on my computer with 6 fan at 100% (4 SP120/1 AF120/1 AF140)on my desk and not further than that box would be (oh well 7 fan and 2 pump ... i forgot the ram cooler, wait 9 ... if i count the Poseidon, tho they are silent... 10 if i count the PSU )

 

[Prima.Vera]

2 kids are the owner of this company. Good luck dudes. 2k$ is not that hard to raise imo.

 

[GreiverBlade]

http://cronolabs.com/ Irish company, if they add a pack of Guiness for the backers ... i gladly back them

2 kids are the owner of this company. Good luck dudes. 2k$ is not that hard to raise imo.

well they came with a rather fun idea... indeed good luck to them

just noticed that the 100$ backer is enough to get one case ... not a bad price, depending the finished product quality

 

[btarunr]

I wish they tilted the addon card slots the other way, so the fans of the VGA point outward, and its PCIe connection is closer to the slot.

 

[micropage7]

I wish they tilted the addon card slots the other way, so the fans of the VGA point outward, and its PCIe connection is closer to the slot.

yeah i just think the same too, and as always i prefer more steel than plastic like for hdd tray

and i think maybe they could move their idea to small compact case than placing it behing monitor, what about the weight? with full size components you need a solid and wide monitor feet except you gonna see its easy to fall

 

[GreiverBlade]

yeah i just think the same too, and as always i prefer more steel than plastic like for hdd tray

and i think maybe they could move their idea to small compact case than placing it behing monitor, what about the weight? with full size components you need a solid and wide monitor feet except you gonna see its easy to fall

go to the link i posted above and read the Q&A

it's the monitor that you attach to the case not the opposite

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Looks awesome. I have to say though, the GPU should be flipped 180 degrees, so the vent faces up. That way heat from a blower style cooler isnt fighting natural convection. heat doesnt like blowing down (although connecting the monitor at that point would be more difficult, but not impossible.

 

[awesomesauce]

cool idea.

still look heavy. donno about how much weight a monitor can hold.

I think my benq can hold alot but that would be limit to hold up all those big part.

i prefer little comp like lenovo tiny:

i mean, concept is good but physically hard to achieve.

if they can do it that would be nice!

 

[jboydgolfer]

how did my computer desk break??? OH.....im guessing My 150Lb monitor has something to do with it

Sure hope these come with a locking system, because if it can "easily" be carried off, Generally some A-Hole will do it.

 

[Kursah]

not so real issue ... only for people who think the only computers place is under the desk ...

Yep, to each their own on preferences. Between overall desk weight, heat and noise output, and aiming the graphics adapter the wrong direction, I feel it's a good first attempt, but needs some more work. But with folks like you willing to support them (and I'm sure they'll hope more than verbally... ), they might get the chance to make this thing more of a mainstream reality in the future. I look forward to seeing their next revision.

@awesomesauce Re-read the post, the case has the stand built to it, which means you use the VESA mount on the screen to attach to the case, not the other way around.

 

[CJCerny]

Lots of unanswered questions in the renders...how do the USB ports on the base of the stand get wired up? How does the graphics card get connected to the motherboard? What's the advantage of this product over just mounting a VESA bracket to the side of a $40 micro ATX case?

 

[Disparia]

Cool. I could see myself going with on later on.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The 90s are calling; they want their CRT back.


On a serious note, that stand is way too small.

 

[Sasqui]

Finally, an original PC case idea. It takes thinking "outside of the box" to a new level, lol

They definitely need to work on a *really* good support system as mentioned above...

 

[TheDeeGee]

not so real issue ... only for people who think the only computers place is under the desk ...

i spend most of my time on my computer with 6 fan at 100% (4 SP120/1 AF120/1 AF140)on my desk and not further than that box would be (oh well 7 fan and 2 pump ... i forgot the ram cooler, wait 9 ... if i count the Poseidon, tho they are silent... 10 if i count the PSU )
View attachment 67787

It's called being deaf, not silent fans at 100%.

 

[GreiverBlade]

It's called being deaf, not silent fans at 100%.

i never said my fan where silent at 100% (the only i mentioned silent where the one on the GPU ), and nope my hearing factor is still above good (according to the last check) my mech keyboard make more noise than my whole case, when i am typing on it

 

[micropage7]

and its like placing your case behind the monitor, so it would eat big space too

i prefer old school way

 

[Uplink10]

I did this a few years back but the monitor overturned because it was too heavy.

I can see this with mATX motherboard and AMD Fury because they are not too big. But otherwise this mix between AIO and desktop case is not exactly practical if you are going to have a bigger motherboard and bigger/more components. In the end that stand has to support all the weight which can be very hard.

 

[Static~Charge]

still look heavy. donno about how much weight a monitor can hold.

Read the article again:

"It comes with its own sturdy stand, so you needn't worry about a >10 lbs object (the case and your build) weighing in on your monitor's frail stand."​

You attach your monitor to the case's stand, not the other way around.