'Dune Case' for PCs Copies Mac Pro's Cylindrical Design

[MH01]

Was that Thermaltake?
Did it ever got to be sold?
If it did, what was the price?

Yeah, I have one.

Was about 2010, the whole thing was 3mm sandblasted and anodised aluminium, and damn heavy 🙂 but quality. Cost around $700. It was very unique, the original one.

 

[alexandercgomez]

Yeah, I have one.

Was about 2010, the whole thing was 3mm sandblasted and anodised aluminium, and damn heavy 🙂 but quality. Cost around $700. It was very unique, the original one.

Yes I remember that case, it was cool .. didn't BMW design it or something like that.

 

[MH01]

MH01 thanks for your comments mate ... you know I love technology in general. And I'm not really loyal to any brand, I just appreciate all. Experimenting with other brands expands your knowledge on UI and UX. It has always been a part of my life. My first computer was an IBM XT turbo, Apple IIe, Commodore 64, Amiga , I even had the apple Macintosh with that small screen. Some times I do miss the old os .. back on topic .. hahaha .. In regards to the testing we have done testing. We used an i7 4770 CPU and 970 GTX mini itx for GPU. For the CPU I did a 100% stress test on all cores for 6-12 hours. It was in the summer with 85-90 humidity. The end result was 57-59 degrees Celsius. The GPU we used Furmark to do 100% stress test on the GPU in the same conditions. We achieved 65 degrees Celsius. I haven't done a sound test at 100% but it wasn't too loud and the 140mm fan on top was not a full throttle.We did a number of test to achieve this result as the first few prototypes where not like this. Using CAD and simulations in CAD we were able to identify heat spots in the case and make modifications. 4 prototypes later we have the current result. I hope that helps 🙂

Alex, Apple's mac pro, which is designed very well, hits temps over 95 degrees celsius when stressed http://www.anandtech.com/show/7603/mac-pro-review-late-2013/14 Are you saying your have build such an enclosed chasis that beats Big Desktop cases in cooling the CPU/GPU. Even with the best air-cooled massive heat sinks I could not get 60 degrees.

Are you sure those a max temps when stressed tested?
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Yes I remember that case, it was cool .. didn't BMW design it or something like that.

Yes BMW helped designed it

 

[Gudi]

"He who controls a thing, can destroy a thing" -Paul Atreides

Wasn't it the other way around? "He who can destroy a thing controls it." However, no reference to copying a thing.

 

[alexandercgomez]

Alex, Apple's mac pro, which is designed very well, hits temps over 95 degrees celsius when stressed http://www.anandtech.com/show/7603/mac-pro-review-late-2013/14 Are you saying your have build such an enclosed chasis that beats Big Desktop cases in cooling the CPU/GPU. Even with the best air-cooled massive heat sinks I could not get 60 degrees.

Are you sure those a max temps when stressed tested?
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Yes BMW helped designed it

Hi there MH01 .. I tested this a number of times .. and the average result on a i7 4770k was just under 60

Here is the screen shot...

My notes on the board with a variety of configurations and set up

We tried first without the fan and we where getting these temps then tried with a 140mm fan on top with full speed. We then changed the fan settings to normal and silent which is a little less noisy.

I hope that helps 🙂 Keep in mind different processor can be a higher voltage and can tolerate different temps ..

 

[MH01]

Hi there MH01 .. I tested this a number of times .. and the average result on a i7 4770k was just under 60

Here is the screen shot...

My notes on the board with a variety of configurations and set up

We tried first without the fan and we where getting these temps then tried with a 140mm fan on top with full speed. We then changed the fan settings to normal and silent which is a little less noisy.

I hope that helps 🙂 Keep in mind different processor can be a higher voltage and can tolerate different temps ..

What did you use to stress test it? For instance, run handbrake for 5 min converting a file and see what temps you get?

 

[alexandercgomez]

What did you use to stress test it? For instance, run handbrake for 5 min converting a file and see what temps you get?

I didn't use handbrake but used prime95 as I was told that was the standard ... when get a chance will I do a handbrake test just for you as requested 🙂

 

[MH01]

I didn't use handbrake but used prime95 as I was told that was the standard ... when get a chance will I do a handbrake test just for you as requested 🙂

prime is great for CPU.

impressive.

 

[alexandercgomez]

prime is great for CPU.

impressive.

Also I do think the thick aluminum case plays a big role to help with the heat, where in other custom builds I have seen plastic which is not the best ... using a decent 140mm fan on top .. also In the CAD designs we also wanted to isolate any air gaps if possible so we get optimal flow all the way to the top of the case. The unique PSU bracket design channeling the airflow to two sections also helps as well.

 

[Tiger8]

Ha! that's worse that those Chinese rip offs!

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Cheap-AQ-i8i-Quad-cord-Win_60378324898.html

 

[576316]

Thanks for the reply JarScott .. I admire your energy and passion and I aspire to have that everyday... I appreciate your comments and value everyone comments to date as well. When doing this we did take this on seriously before starting. It would be foolish of us not to do our due diligence and spend one year on this project. Many people have looked at this at a glance, but has not spent time on research and money on due diligence. We have and take this seriously. If you have concerns about this and I feel you have deepest concerns please email us at info@dunecase.com. I respect your views but my purpose here is to educate what Dune Case is and to share to the community my efforts to anyone who is looking for something similar. Some like it and some don't. I get it. And thanks for you comments and appreciation in expressing that I "show great potential".. It is really encouraging to here this from you .. Thanks JarScott

Don't MacRumors have some sort of rule about self advertisement and advertising services on the forum? Anyone got anything on that?

 

[brewmonkey]

Without the benefit of an Apple-like thermal solution, this is an unfortunate 'could-have-been'.
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Don't MacRumors have some sort of rule about self advertisement and advertising services on the forum? Anyone got anything on that?

I'm unaware of official policy regarding that, but I certainly see more and more vendor reps engaging in the press-release posts for their new products (just a hop away from native advertising). To me, it's somewhat a breath of fresh air that companies are engaging in dialogue with customers/users (or at least feigning interest in the same). Maybe the feedback actually gets back to the designers sometimes? We can hope. 🙂

 

[nicho]

Don't MacRumors have some sort of rule about self advertisement and advertising services on the forum? Anyone got anything on that?

i think the admins and mods are supposed to be having some kind of discussion on the topic...

you could argue that he was invited to post by the nature of the article in the first place; on the other hand i've seen other kickstarted project owners forced off the forums for that reason.

 

[skellener]

I just wanna know where the updates for the "real" MacPro are?? Released in Dec 2013!! C'mon Apple!! Give us Thunderbold 3, HDMI 2.0a, USB 3.1, faster chips, better graphics and more storage!!

 

[Swordylove]

Yeah, saw it, wanted it, but it's ITX so :/

 

[definitive]

That's a very nice Hackintosh case. Wonder what kind of GPU + HSF it could fit, and how well the overall cooling would work in this thing.

 

[Durentis]

Don't MacRumors have some sort of rule about self advertisement and advertising services on the forum? Anyone got anything on that?

Self advertisement would require creating a thread to promote your own product. Instead, Juli Clover (MacRumors) is promoting this particular product and in doing so creating a public space where she and readers can not only help but potentially hinder the product's ability to reach its goal. Allowing those behind the product to defend it and address questions/concerns provided they remain civil is only fair.

More importantly, the opportunity for consumers to communicate their ideas directly to a design team is not something one should take lightly or attempt to hinder. Ever.

Censorship and attacks on product or developer don't help anyone. Armchair "lawyers" and the Apple Defense Squad ought to shush.

Copyright and sources of inspiration are irrelevant to consumers. Any legal fallout that may occur is between litigants. Shipped products are not recalled for copyright violations, as far as I know, just discontinued. Therefore, it is in the consumer's best interest to give constructive feedback and hope that the project is allowed to ship in the best design iteration it can.

I have a nMP that I boot into Win10 for gaming because I got tired of the size, weight, and noise of PC cases. This looks like a great option for custom PC builders. Bringing something of this complexity to market in a litigious world takes a great deal of courage and dedication to one's dreams. I'm impressed.

 

[jonnysods]

I kind of laughed at their 'official' response in regards to aesthetics titled "We're Not A Fruit."

We have received numerous questions and comments regarding Dune Case’s aesthetics and whether we considered this prior to Kickstarter.
Please be assured, we did our due diligence. It would be foolish not to.
Dune Case is just a case, not a computer. Prior art exists for cylindrical cases designs pre-2013. We refined our design to support mini-ITX components.
We hope this reassures our current and future backers.
Alex

That is pretty vague and doesn't even begin to address their blatant rip off. Just because it is a computer case (not an actual computer) doesn't mean you can make it look exactly like the Mac Pro. Did anyone else notice that they used almost the exact same logo/symbols from Apple's Mac Pro page.
View attachment 617331
View attachment 617332

That's crazy. At least be honest about it guys.

 

[MacVidCards]

While a Mac Pro is priced at upwards of $2,000,​

​

Don't think these words are best choice.

Mac Pros start at $3K retail and go upwards to $10K fully configured.

 

[Krevnik]

I may be wrong, but you can't patent a "look." The fashion industry is a great example of this. There are exactly ZERO IP protections in the fashion industry and we're all the better for it.

Yes, there are design patents for "functional items". Basically, if it has a practical utility, you can also protect the design of it against copying. I wager it's more aimed at preventing confusion in the marketplace, but it is what it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_patent

 

[ZipZap]

So you do most of your work using the command prompt in Windows. Most users who use a Mac do so without needing to know Unix. You should pick up a book on basic knowledge about Unix. Unix is quite easy to learn. Besides it is always good to know and understand how different OSes work.
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That quote is dragged out and used without really understanding what it means.
[doublepost=1456093773][/doublepost]Wow, imagine that Mac Rumors giving away free advertising. Or is it?

and whenever anything goes wrong on mac you typically can't fix/address without unix...
[doublepost=1456177907][/doublepost]

He has repeated avoided addressing or countering this claim, which I think is a pretty straightforward admission that it's true. Should he address it directly, it would be totally indefensible, and clearly the best tact in this situation is to avoid addressing it. I think everyone here knows exactly what the case is - a clone of what is by most accounts the most desirable desktop computer on the market.

That said, to me, the quality and attention to detail do look significantly better than pretty much any other PC case on the market. And the aesthetics, while they are a compromised and blatant copy of an Apple product, are still a step above the vast majority of the largely stagnant and unimaginative PC market. Which says a lot about the gap between Apple's designs and the PC industry.



That is because they do not have to rely on external video connectivity, one of the benefits of a high quality integrated "non-upgradeable" design. The plastic Dell UP2715K 27" 5K monitor sells for $1600 and lists for $2200, while Apple lists a CNC'd and laser cut aluminum 27" 5K display of far higher physical build quality including a complete computer for only $1800. These sorts of comparisons and details are exactly why many Apple customers feel many Apple products are an excellent value. It really is a shame none of the major players in the PC market choose to compete with high quality products like this, but it ultimately speaks to the values of their customer base.



To be fair, the mesh on top is only necessary because of the compromised, off the shelf fan. But it does have nice aesthetics. Out of curiosity did you consider using a bottom mounted fan to isolate it from the noise (in either push or pull config), dual fans at top or bottom, or even going with a larger radial or centrifugal fan? It seems to me this thing is going to be loud - 30 dB is a lot for something sitting a few feet from you. My projector puts out 26 dB about 6 feet away from me and I hear it over movies and it drives me nuts. Apple clearly prioritized noise volume when designing the 12 dB (at idle) and 16 dB (at full load) custom centrifugal fan on the Mac Pro.



It does remind me in some ways of the Hoojum Cubit ITX case that I used to lust over, it doesn't seem like they ever got too much traction though.



Can we just take a pause from patting our visionary selves on the back and put this in perspective. You're making a (admittedly, very nice), but blatant copy of an Apple product, and marketing here on an Apple oriented forum. It does rub me the wrong way that you do this, after making a dig at Apple for being a "fruity" company, which is not only in really poor taste considering that dig is based on a gay slur - and it's 2016 - but also the hypocrisy that you take that dig in the process of marketing the closest you could come to a carbon copy of an Apple product that uses off the shelf (and compromised) PC components. That is right out of Samsung's playbook, and frankly to me seems like the low road in capitalism. I'd have a lot more respect for you if you just owned it, acknowledged it, and didn't take digs at who you're copying - it's tacky.

You clearly have some design talent, attention to detail, willingness to put time, effort and energy into making something high quality. And the PC world really would benefit from some truly top notch, high quality chassis designs, perhaps optimized around specific components, where the form truly follows the function. I think you could do it, and I'd love to see the results because I think they'd probably be pretty nice. With all that aluminum mass and CNC'ing you could come up with some impressive heatsinking, perhaps integrated thermo-electric heat piping, etc and really do something unique and lust-worthy.

Rob

Just exactly how different should a cylinder case be before its ok?

I think he does not respond because he, like many of us totally disagree with you. Also, he did not start this thread. He joined to answer questions.

I do agree he should not look for supporters here as there are too many "Fanboys" here and no matter what he says or does you're all negative.

Why are so many of you so concerned about what Apple might think. Respectfully, who cares what you think apple thinks, if Apples got an issue they will do something.

I suspect, they will do nothing as this PC case does not infringe on an patent or design. Its round. Its a cylinder. That's it.
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Don't MacRumors have some sort of rule about self advertisement and advertising services on the forum? Anyone got anything on that?

He didn't start this thread. MR members did. He came to provide insight. How about you let MR worry about what's legit. A moderator has posted on this thread a number of times.

 

[MacBH928]

The trash can design is not special in anyway. Its kind of like "I am unusual, therefor, I am cool" . I still think the best PC design was the '02 iMac lamp, for laptops I believe the new macbook is pretty astonishing even though its low on power, and as for towers....

I think the G3 and the quicksilver looks better than the trashcan.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Hey Guys .. Thanks for all the comments here .. let me address a few of the concerns .. First thanks for your interest. It has been one year in the making. Using standard parts was a challenge to fit inside a cylindrical case. There were so many suggestions to say "yeah good enough, it works" but it didnt satisfy me. I wanted this to be tidy and easy to access. Ofcourse there are going to be limitations with size. but we were able to create this case the best of our ability and one year later you have dune case.

Lets talk about the design. First the parts used in this case can only be mini ITX and SFX psu. All small factor. We design this from the ground up.

The front panel is a custom built pcb with custom sized cables that feed to your motherboard and GPU. these connectors are also custom build so that is has enough clearance to mount. The cable from the front panel is channeled to the psu holder and then through the middle of the case and to the peripherals. The front panel will also have a mini display port options if you perfer that.

The PSU holder is very unique. This houses the PSU and also isolates the air flow into two sections of the case, CPU and GPU. The air then travels through these sections and the 140mm fan on top of the case helps pull the hot air through.

I have spent a year building this case. When doing this we did do our due diligence and seek professional legal advice. And based on that we spent one year building something for the community.

I hope you all like what we have done. We have had this ready for production and no short cuts have been made in design. This case is made out of high grade aluminum and not sheet metal like many PC cases. This is simply a different take on the PC case. Days of discussion has been talked about from connectors, placement of mobo, gpu, cable management and thermals. Please rest assure we looked at all that and it took one year not 1 months for a quick sale.

Here are some picutres of the 4 prototypes. One year later we have the Dune case.

I hope you can all support kickstarter and any questions i am happy to answer.

Thanks

I actually love this case. I do have some questions as I wouldn't mind kickstarting this. I'd love some options to be able to watercool all my hardware. I've already spent quite a bit on my custom case that I imported from a company in the UK but I would like to swap my ITX and other components over, all of which is watercooled. Is there room for an ATX PSU or is it SFX only? Are there any possible future options for a little bit bigger case designs to mount radiators and watercooling equipment? If I can somehow magically stuff at least two 240mm radiators in there than I'm sold!

I wouldn't mind a red anodized version like the aluminum Lian Li cases.

 

[Phonzoxd]

I actually love this case. I do have some questions as I wouldn't mind kickstarting this. I'd love some options to be able to watercool all my hardware. I've already spent quite a bit on my custom case that I imported from a company in the UK but I would like to swap my ITX and other components over, all of which is watercooled. Is there room for an ATX PSU or is it SFX only? Are there any possible future options for a little bit bigger case designs to mount radiators and watercooling equipment? If I can somehow magically stuff at least two 240mm radiators in there than I'm sold!

I wouldn't mind a red anodized version like the aluminum Lian Li cases.

LOL stuff 2x 240? You wont evven be able to stuff 1x 120. Is this a joke?

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

LOL stuff 2x 240? You wont evven be able to stuff 1x 120. Is this a joke?

I can see your reading comprehension is a little bit off. Please read the prior sentence. 🙂