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CaseLabs announces the MAGNUM SMA8 A Revision (SMA8-A)

124K views 663 replies 136 participants last post by  BleedOutCold 
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#1 ·


Woot! We are all very excited to let you know about a little project we have been working on!! Our #1 case has undergone a transformation, and will be available for order December 13th, 2017!

The MAGNUM SMA8 A Revision (SMA8-A) has been refined to make the build process more enjoyable, and more personalized than ever before! Here is the upgrade list
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  • New front I/O panel with USB 3.1 type C, HDMI, USB 3.0 and HD Audio
  • New front cover options including a front mounted tempered glass window, and pure ventilation (neither have Flex-Bay openings, but are capable of mounting fans/radiators behind them, not to mention much easier to access and clean fans).
  • New aluminum cable management clamps
  • New extra tall double wide reservoir mount
  • New tempered glass windowed door panel
  • Improved cable and tubing routing options with added tie-downs not visible from the motherboard chamber
  • Bottom radiator mount installs from the outside (much easier to install). The mount is a 560 mount by default with included, removable, 480 adapter rails.
  • Top 120.4 (480) radiator mount is now "drop-in"
  • Added drive capacity (2 x HDD or 4 x SSD with adapters)
  • Luminous mid-plate panel designed by Charles Harwood of Xforma.
  • Case lighting support rails (lighting not included)
  • Updated lower side covers with reliefs for easier removal
  • Dual vertical video card mount, and single vertical video card mount options (single CaseLabs branded ribbon cable included with additional available for purchase).
  • Two Tone options. Exterior colors: Black, Gunmetal and White (when available). Interior colors: Black, Gunmetal, White, Red and Blue
MAGNUM SMA8 and SMA8 A Revision (SMA8-A) parts compatibility
(Scroll to the bottom of the page.)









































A nice mixed bag of SMA8-A updates today!
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First we have the updated solid mid-chassis section. The older version had a large cut-out at the front with a removable plate. That's great for Flex-Bay devices, but not as clean as it could be for high-end builds. The update removed the large opening, but still leaves enough room for fan mounts to pass through into the bottom chamber. We will continue to offer the 120.3 fan hole version which will retain the large cut-out at the front. Please see this link to see the 120.3 mid-plate installed on the older SMA8: click here



Mid-chassis shown with luminous panel installed.


The top chassis section has improved cable and tubing pass-throughs, as well as a drop-in 120.4 (480) mount and included light strip mount. The drop-in mount can be installed from the underside or topside. See the old version here: click here


The mid-chassis and divider now work as one to create new cable tie down points that no longer make them visible from the motherboard chamber. You will also notice the old tie-down points above and below the mb tray have been relocated to the guid rails (again so they are not visible from the front of the case). See the older version here: click here





HDMI cable from front I/O panel.




The chassis divider also has new cable management holes at the top and right side to really hide those fan and lighting cables. When the fan mount is installed at the front it hides the front cable openings. Same concept goes with a radiator at the top.


Updated 140.4 (560) side mount now installs from the outside, and includes 120.4 (480) adapter rails




We also created this specialized mount for the bottom bays that mounts either a 120mm or 140mm fan with a radiator mount beside it. To use this mount the 560 radiator it must have the port end towards the back of the case.




Here is a small update that didn't make it into the "mixed bag" of updates last week. We added small reliefs at the rear of the side covers to make them easier to remove. Your fingers will thank you
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Here are some more close up pics of the RGB luminous panel that Charles Harwood made for us
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The panel really shouldn't be drilled through unless you really know what you are doing, but there is a gap along the backside which you can drill through. Bitspower/monsoon fitting for 12mm OD tube shown in image for a sense of scale.







Here are the new lighting mounts for the motherboard chamber. The 2 small mounts (vertical mounts) install along the left and right side of the chamber. They have been made with 2 sets of mounting points for optimal positioning. I recommend using the inside mounting points for the left side mount and the outer mounting points for the right side when using a fan mount in the flex-bay. There is only 1 mounting surface for the light, but the small extra bend blocks the view of the light strip when looking at the case from a front 3/4 perspective (like on your desk maybe).




The longer (horizontal) mount runs along the entire section of the mid-chassis, and has 3 different mounting surfaces for lighting (facing down, 45 degrees upwards and 180 degrees). In the images below I have a single strip facing down. This light mount can't be used at the same time as the luminous panel.


While the mounts above will be an add-on accessory, these mounts are a no cost option. First we have the "shadow strip" mount that installs on the top chassis behind where the radiator mounts. It's a great accent light! It also makes mounting a light there much easier with a rad installed!



You can see it installed here beside the rad mount.


This is the new default bottom chassis section. We added recessed mounting rails for lighting up to 19.5" (50cm).




And now see all the mounts functioning at once in all their glory!! Please note that the lighting itself is not included. We are using Darkside RGB case lighting from dazmode.com which we consider to be some of the best lighting out there.



Close-up of the horizontal mount with lighting facing downward.



Vertical mount on left side using inside mounting points


Vertical mount on right side using outside mounting points. Really helps to get around the front 360 mount.


Shadow strip lighting (arg I missed that wire!!
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)


Bottom, or "ground effects" lighting.


What do you guys think of the new square window? We are still experimenting with this look, but wonder what you guys think?!




Exterior color options: Black, Gunmetal and White when available. We might just make white an option for launch, shhh

Interior color options: Black, Gunmetal, White, Red and Blue

I added pictures of black on black to help show the difference with the gunmetal. I unfortunately didn't get pictures of the backside, but the drive cages and cable clamps will be the same color as the motherboard tray wall.

Black Exterior / Blue Interior




Black Exterior / White Interior




Black Exterior / Red Interior




Black Exterior / Gunmetal Interior




Black Exterior / Black Interior




Black Exterior / Blue Interior


Black Exterior / White Interior


Black Exterior / Red Interior


Black Exterior / Gunmetal Interior


Black Exterior / Black Interior
 
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79
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#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by csatahajos View Post

This is a dream come true literally!!! Hopefully most of these (temp side panel, full vent front panel) are retrofit-able to the older model as well
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!.

Thanks for your hard work!
Glad to hear it!! The new tempered glass door panels will mount on the older SMA8
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#8 ·
You can do 420 in the front above the midplate?

EDIT: Does the glass go all the way down the front?
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by dubldwn View Post

You can do 420 in the front above the midplate?

EDIT: Does the glass go all the way down the front?
The glass front matches the side window. The rational was aesthetically, it looked better and the lower bay is usually filled with radiators, tubing and PSU cables anyway.
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by iamjanco View Post

Wow, great stuff, Jim! I imagine there won't be conversion kits for existing SMA8 owners, but correct me if I'm mistaken.
Thanks, I've chomping at the bit to finally have a chance to get it announced!
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I didn't do it alone though, there was a lot of team input. We looked at just about every aspect of the old design and tried to make it better. Some changes are pretty dramatic, some are more subtle, but go a long way to making builds better and easier.
Quote:
I might just have to order one of these when you release them
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There won't likely be a "full" conversion kit, but many individual parts will be interchangeable with the older version.
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craigk19 View Post

is the New front I/O panel available as an accessories? that will fit other caselabs cases like the SM8. would love to use the type c on my MB and for my phone charging off the computer again
Yes, one of the design criteria was to make it a "bolt on" retrofit for older cases. The design process to get there wasn't quite so simple
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but we felt it was important. I don't know that they will be available immediately, but they will eventually be offered as a kit.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim-CL View Post

Thanks, I've chomping at the bit to finally have a chance to get it announced!
biggrin.gif
I didn't do it alone though, there was a lot of team input. We looked at just about every aspect of the old design and tried to make it better. Some changes are pretty dramatic, some are more subtle, but go a long way to making builds better and easier.

There won't likely be a "full" conversion kit, but many individual parts will be interchangeable with the older version.
How about similar mods for the pedestal? It would be nice to see front venting on it, perhaps even the ability to allow for what could only be 700 rads...
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I'm being a bit facetious about those rads, of course. But one never knows
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#20 ·
As a SMA8 owner myself ( pic of my build below ) i wish the SMA8 had a larger window than it's largest window. It would sure create some inconvenience when it comes to opening the windowed sidepanel but it could be solved. You could ad something to the sidepanels very front area which is hidden by the actual front cover from the SMA8 so you could at least open the sidepanel when you remove the front which takes literally 1 second.

"XXL-Extended Window" ( maybe someone with photoshop skills can make a nicer illustration :


my build ( always got the sidepanel off because it hides the second res entirely ) :
 
#21 ·
We all want to know if there will be a conversion kit available, so just tell us!
Ah damn, didn't realize that there were 3 pages, but I'll probably buy most of the interchangeable parts anyway
 
#23 ·
I hope the temper glass panel and USB Type-C feature comes over to the merlin S8 Line. I just bought one recently and did not buy the front usb option in case the S8 got updated usb front. Would love to replace the two side windows with temper glass.

On side note, Caselabs are just more easier to build with (though i have minor issues/annoyances with my case like not properly closing top and slightly screw hole bent on bottom panel). I had to do downgrade friom caselabs s5 to an lian-Li pc-012 because the X299 MATX boards weren't available at launch or missing critical features for the chipset. Turned out the lian li case was just pain to build in with custom loop. Costed me extra to end up finish the build. The end result was very nice, cable management was more easier and pleasant looking with the S8 to the S5 (you could see the fan wires and interior cables dangling in the S5).
 
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